Contemporary Social Issues: Analyzing Critically, Arguing Persuasively

News Stories, Editorials, Studies....

Feb. 14. New York Times (Feb. 14, 2005), an op-ed piece, "Historically Incorrect Canoodling" by STEPHANIE COONTZ!!
Contrary to current sentiments about marital bliss, "For thousands of years, love, passion and marriage were considered a rare and usually undesirable combination. Valentine's Day was originally envisioned by the Roman Catholic Church as a check on sexual passion..." But read on...! There's hope...! Soulfull gazes may not be misdirected...!

January 4. The New York Times, January 3, 2005. "Leave No Sales Pitch Behind." Editorial on military recruitment at high schools and the NCLB Act.

January 3. The New York Times, January 3, 2005. "The Social Security Fear Factor." Editorial on Social Security reform.

December 7. The Charlotte Observer, "The Zero to 21 Project": In a story that launched a six-part series, reporters fanned out over the region during one day to examine the everyday lives of children and teens. The story is told chronologically, from morning to night, in snapshot accounts of the lives of children in a homeless shelter, in an International Baccalaureate high school, in a private school for children with disabilities and numerous other settings.

December 3. Guardian Limited, "Washington funds false sex lessons" by Gary Younge

December 2. The Washington Post, "Some Abstinence Programs Mislead Teens" by Ceci Conolly, Staff Writer

December 2. The Washington Post, "Holes in Welfare Reform" by Greenberg and Bernstein.

November 30. "Disappearing Dropouts," PBS Online Newshour. Fudging the numbers of high school dropouts in Florida.

November 30. The Washington Post, "Inside First Grade," Varying goals for teachers...

November 28. " Wal-Mart's War on Women," UFCW web-site article + links

November 23. "Abstinence Education ," PBS Online Newshour. The debate over abstinence-only sex education programs in schools.

November 22. The Washington Post, "Universities Record Drop in Black Admissions" by Michael Dobbs, Staff Writer

October 13. The Washington Post. "A Poverty Issue Left Untouched" By Robert J. Samuelson,

August 18. "Charter School Scores Seen as Bad News for Bush" NPR story. A recent study of 4th and 8th grade students found that those in charter schools lagged behind their peers in public schools.