The Keystone Exams and other standardized tests... are they positive?

We as students, are the future of America and even though we are students that make up this school building, we still have Constitutional rights and are protected by the law.  With the institution of standardized testing in this nation, the federal and state governments have failed to protect these basic rights by subjecting us to different types of activities that violate our rights, and it is time that these inappropriate actions come to an end.
 

Standardized testing has cast a black cloud over this nation since the passage of No Child Left Behind.  Since No Child Left Behind, was implemented the states have had to come up with their own standardized tests, which led to the creation of the PSSA, which have since been faded-out and replaced with the Keystone exam.  Ever since these types of tests have been integrated into school, curriculum students test scores have decreased and numerous studies have shown that most of the scores aren’t even accurate. 

Not only have these tests have been a giant waste of the school’s time but it has also been been a waste of the state’s money.  Currently, the state of Pennsylvania is paying over $100 million to administer these tests, according to pennlive.com. Our state is in debt over $131 billion, according to usdebtclock.org, so for the state to continue to administer these tests is a waste of taxpayer money and shows the incompetence of those in favor of these tests.  By doing basic third grade math, one can see that in order to lower debt a nation needs to cut spending and raise taxes for a short period of time.  Maybe instead of giving a test to students to test their mathematical knowledge, our lawmakers need to take a test to show how little they know.

 

Currently, the U.S. also has a failed education system.  In fact, our great nation ranks eighteenth in math, thirty-first in science, and thirty-first in reading.  According to the Brookings Institute, 50% to 80% of the improvements made because of No Child Left Behind have been temporary.  What this statistic shows is that there are a few issues with education: the federal government, and the state government.  Currently our education system is being held captive by the federal government under the Federal Department of Education.  This is not only unconstitutional by violating the tenth Amendment, but it has also attributed to destroying the system by giving the U.S. No Child Left Behind.  Not only is there a Federal Department of Education, but there are also a state department of education in each state.  While this is technically Constitutional, it is also helping to destroy education as we know it because the whole state is being required to teach the same curriculum, which will help to make students the same and not allow them to flourish as an individual, so I question whether or not any state should have a state department of education or if the individual school districts or even the county should be in control of the education system, which seems like a more reasonable proposition.

 

If a student did not receive a good score on their Keystone exam, then they were sent off to tutoring in that subject without the parents consent.  A student’s parents are supposed to be raising their children, not the government.  So, if a parent does not want their child to be in tutoring, than the student should not be forced into tutoring.  Also, involuntary tutoring is involuntary servitude, which is clearly outlined by the Constitution in the thirteenth Amendment as being against the law. 

 

Therefore, the federal government the state government and this school are violating the Constitutional rights of the juniors that have been placed in tutoring.  Not only are our thirteenth Amendment rights being violated but since none of us were given the option to opt-out of the test we have been denied equal protection under the law, and have been denied our liberties.  Therefore, our fourth, fifth, sixth, eleventh, and fourteenth Amendment rights have been violated.  This means that every junior in tutoring has the right to sue the Shanksville-Stonycreek School District.

 

I am distressed that our federal and state government along with our school is hurting the future generation in such an open way.  The worst part of it is that they are not ashamed of these actions.  It is time to rethink our education system and to fix it so the future Americans can be greater than the ones before them.  The time is now to act, I encourage you all to call your elected officials, your school, your school board members, and to attend school board meetings.

Book Review: American Patriots: Answering the Call to Freedom

American Patriots:  Answering the Call to Freedom, is a terrific book that tells the stories of unsung heroes in American history.  In this book, the real life accounts of 25 Revolutionary War heroes’ stories are told on what they did to help make America great.  Each Patriot risked all of their wealth, glory, and perhaps the most notable sacrifice their life in order to advance freedom for all generations to come.

                This book is divided into three sections, Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.  Each of those topics are used, because at the time, the Declaration of Independence was being written, and it guaranteed those three basic God given rights.  Also, the titles were used, because those are the reasons each Patriot fought for freedom.

                The author of this book is former Senator, Representative, Presidential candidate, and Pennsylvanian, Rick Santorum.  Santorum wrote this book to educate on America’s founding roots and to create a mindset to recapture our freedoms.  Senator Santorum is also the author of the 2005 New York Times best seller, It Takes a Family. 

                American Patriots: Answering the Call to Freedom, can be purchased at any bookstore, and is available for e-readers.  The book is 148 pages of pure pleasure and is deserving of five stars.

The Constitution Party: Why Not Join?

Every so often American politics has a drastic change whether it is a new party rising or if there is a political revolution.  One party that started a revolution in upholding the United States Constitution and shrinking the size of the federal government is the Constitution Party, which started its revolution in 1992.

      The party was founded under the name the U.S. Taxpayers Party.  This party was founded by Howard Phillips; who was the Party’s presidential nomination for the first years of the U.S. Taxpayers Party’s unsuccessful run for the White House.  Gradually over time the Party grew in popularity over the years gaining more votes to become the third largest political party in the United States.  The Federal Election Commission recognized the U.S. Taxpayers Party as an official party in 1996.  Following being recognized as an official political party in the United States; at the 1999 U.S. Taxpayers Party’s convention brought about a vote on changing the name of the Party.  The delegates voted and changed the name to the Constitution Party.  This is because the delegates wanted to reflect their purpose for being a party and that is to uphold the Constitution of the United States of America.

      This year the Constitution Party’s candidate for president and vice president of the United States was former Virginian Congressman Virgil Goode and his running mate was Pennsylvanian Lawyer James Clymer.  Goode and Clymer received the fifth most votes in the 2012 election by receiving 117,500 votes.  The ticket of Goode and Clymer ran on the slogan, “Save America” and “Citizenship Matters.”  The first slogan, “Save America,” represents how the Constitution Party feels America is going down a dangerous path and how it needs to be saved.  Then the slogan, “Citizenship Matters,” branches off from the immigration debate that has gotten the whole nation involved.

      What the Constitution Party believes is cleverly stated in the title in which the named itself: the Constitution.  Also, the Constitution Party believes the early documents that helped to make this country great should also play an important role in governing this nation.  The Party believes in what the Constitution says and does not believe in going against it.  The Constitution Party has seven principles which include: life, liberty, family, property, the Constitution and Bill of Rights, state's rights, and American sovereignty.  They believe that each of these seven principles is what America was built upon and need to go back to.

      The first principle life is the key to having every right that Americans have and is key in having the other six principles the Constitution Party stands for.  The Party believes that life begins at conception as outlined in the Declaration of Independence; and lasts until natural death.  This is followed by liberty which the Party believes is needed in order for a people to be free.  The Constitution Party believes that a person has the right to make decisions by themselves and has the right to be self-governed.  Having the right to be self-governed is guaranteed throughout the Constitution.  This leads straight to the next principle, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.  These are important to every American because that is where the rights that every American has are found.

      The Constitution Party also holds family high on its list of principles.  The Party believes in the Biblical view of marriage but does not believe that the federal government should define what marriage is based on the.  The Constitution Party says they feel this way because of a quote made by Noah Webster.

      Noah Webster stated: “The moral principles and precepts contained in the Scriptures ought to form the basis of all our civil constitution and laws… All the miseries and evils which men suffer from vice, crime, ambition, injustice, oppression, slavery, and war proceed from their despising or neglecting the precepts in the Bible.”

Also, each U.S. citizen has the right to own personal property without the government completing unreasonable activity on an individual’s land.  They cite the 4 and 5 Amendments to why they believe this.  The Constitution Party also believes that each state and the American people have all of the other rights and powers not mentioned in the Constitution; as outlined in the 10 Amendment.  This is why the state’s rights and American Sovereignty are so important to the Constitution Party.

With a set of principles going by the Constitution and other important documents in U.S. history, they also outline their mission well.

The mission of the Constitution Party is to: “The mission of the Constitution Party is to secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity through the election, at all levels of government, of Constitution Party candidates who will uphold the principles of the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution of the United States, and the Bill of Rights. It is our goal to limit the federal government to its delegated, enumerated, Constitutional functions.”

In simple words the Constitution Party believes in the Constitution and everything that it stands for.  It should be common knowledge that all political parties claim to embrace the Constitution, but none have ever taken the word Constitution, and put it in their party’s name.  If there are any questions about the party their website is: www.constitutionparty.com.  If you are tired of the over dominant two party system here in the United States my question for you is, what are you waiting for?  Join countless other Americans in going back to a Constitutional government an join the revolution now!

U.S.A. and Homosexuality

Recently with the United States Supreme Court listening to discussions on Proposition 8, which California passed during their state-wide election in 2008 to not allow gay marriage in their state.  This issue has swept across the nation creating quite an up-rise on both sides of the issue.  I firmly stand with those that believe that gay marriage is wrong.  With the side I am on being discriminated and essentially being shut-up on this issue, I would like to show why I believe that gay marriage is wrong.

The many believe that gay marriage is okay often site the U.S. Constitution as a reason for why they believe this.  They believe that the Constitution gives gay people the right to marry, and this mindset is wrong.  When trying to find out what a document says it must be interpreted in light of: the time period in which it was written, the people who wrote it, and the purpose of it being written.  With that being said, do homosexuals have the Constitution right to marry?  The answer is no.

The United States Constitution was written in 1787 and has been operational since 1789.  During this time in American history, Americans went to church every week and also read and believed the Bible.  The thinking that the Constitution and Bible do not coexist is a complete fabricated lie.  Everyone of our founding fathers has stood for the Bible and has been greatly influenced by it.  In fact in the late 1700's congress voted to print copies of the Bible.  In fact President John Adams stated, "Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other."  The religious people Adams was talking about, was those who are affected by the Bible and what God has said in it.

Also the people who wrote the Constitution were all Christians.  Each one of our founding fathers read the Bible and were greatly influenced by it.  So obviously the founding fathers would have written a document that would govern this nation and it could only work with a people that believes in God's Holy Word.  The founding fathers knew that the Constitution would fail without being held up with the morals and teachings of the Bible.

The purpose of the Constitution is to uphold the people's rights in every way.  With that being said, currently the federal government is too involved in marriage and other personal rights that the people have.  Currently our law makers don't uphold our rights and most don't even know what the purpose of the Constitution was; to stop a tyrannical leader from rising up.  That leads me into my next point; I do not believe that the federal government should be giving tax breaks to those who are married.  This is unfair to all single Americans, whether gay or straight.  If this would be eliminated than I believe this issue dividing America would be less of a major issue.

Now I have mentioned the Bible a lot in this blog and I think it is important that you all know which passages support my point, which is being a homosexual is wrong thus a Christian should not endorse it.  Romans 1:24-28 states, "²⁴ Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. ²⁵ They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.  ²⁶ Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. ²⁷ In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error.  ²⁸ Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done."  This verse directly talks about the sinfulness of homosexuality and how it is morally wrong in a Holy God's eyes.  Also 1 Corinthians 6:9 tells us how homosexuals will not inherit the kingdom of God.  Now I could keep on going and going with Bible verses, but the jest of the message that I am trying to convey is that homosexuality is nor morally acceptable in the eyes of a Righteous and Holy God.

This is the simple message that we on the side against homosexuals marrying simply want to convey.  There is nothing wrong that we as Americans have different opinions because that is what makes America great: freedom of speech.  When taken into context, the Constitution and Bible do not support gays marrying and it is time that we as Americans actually take documents and put them into context.  This will cut down on needless government intervention and help to uphold the freedoms that we all enjoy.  The issue with allowing homosexuals to marry is based on the tax breaks that married people enjoy, which I agree are totally unfair.

PHSSL Pennsylvania State Tournament

This past weekend was the PHSSL (Pennsylvania High School Speech League) State Tournament where every Forensics' team in the state of Pennsylvania competed in. Shanksville was represented by Rebecca Sheriff in Radio Announcing, Bernie Fochtman in Impromptu, and myself in Student Congress. The Shanksville Forensic Team is coached by Mrs. Kasey Connor who has done a lot of work preparing each of the competitors for competition.

The team traveled to Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania on Thursday March 21 with the Rockwood Forensic team, their team was composed of four members and two coaches; the trip took roughly three hours. This was followed by checking into the hotel and getting settled into our rooms with a meal to come afterwards at the Country Cupboards Inn Restaurant, which neighbored the Best Western which we were staying at. The buffet or "Pig Trough," was what I had and it had a multitude of food, from meatballs to baked macaroni and cheese. Then perhaps the strangest activity that I participated in happened after dinner: we went to Walmart. Yes Walmart. We went there for several reasons: for swimming trunks, a Constitution, and snacks. Two of the three items were there, but the one item that we could not find was a Constitution.

Swimming came afterwards and it was a grand time. From going to the sauna, to the swimming pool, to the hot tub; nothing could have relaxed me more than those three places. While we were in the swimming area three local residents came in to the hotel to swim, which is something that I never saw first hand before.

Then the first day of competition at Susquehanna University came with quite an interesting wake up call. The night before I set my phone alarm to wake Bernie, Brandon (from Rockwood), and me up at eight. Well at seven I got a call from my mom which woke me up and stirred Brandon from his sleep. Then ten minutes after Bernie's phone alarm went off; this woke Brandon and I up, and from there it was no going back to sleep with continuous text messages from a multitude of friends wishing us good luck. Brandon and I proceeded to talk about President Obama and our dislike for him, all the while Bernie was still quietly asleep. After about an hour Brandon and I went down to eat the free continental breakfast at the hotel, where Rebecca met us to enjoy the delouse food with good friends.

After a lunch at Applebee's were I 2 for 20 with Brandon it was time for the competition to begin. I went off to debate in Congress on various bills and resolutions; from the flat tax rate to tax fast food restaurants at fifteen percent. This provided for a very interesting debate and there were many different views, ranging from Liberalism to Libertarianism.

The next day of debate came, these two days provided for nearly six hours of debate. Those six hours were some what enjoyable, yet some what torturing. After the long debate the results came back and no one from Shanksville advanced to any further rounds. The weekend at the PHSSL state tournament was enjoyable, and we all hope to go back next year!!