Posts by Skye Wright
Public Health Problems and Solution
A city cannot thrive if its people cannot. Therefore, it is the job of the city to do its best to keep its citizens healthy and happy, so that they can be fully functioning members of society. For New York City, keeping a population of over 8 million people healthy is a challenge, and here are some of the reasons.
First and foremost, the role of primary care doctors is to maintain the public health of the city that they provide for. The problem is that there are not nearly enough primary care physicians. In fact, if the primary care system remains the same as today, it is estimated that there would be shortage of over 20,000 primary care physicians by 2020 [1]. For a medical student with insurmountable debt, the financial appeal of specialization is obvious, but unfortunately a lack of primary care doctors could lead not only to overcrowded offices, but a situation where the quality of primary healthcare is compromised.
Aside from the accessibility of doctors, accessibility of affordable, fresh food is another huge issue in the United States. According the the USDA, 23.5 million people live in “food deserts”, defined as low-income areas in which the closest supermarket is, in urban areas, a mile away. One might think that in a city as dense as New York, this isn’t possible. However, it is estimated that 750,000 New Yorkers currently live in food deserts [2]. When the most affordable way to get your daily caloric intake is sugary drinks, snacks and hearty New York City bagels, it is no surprise that a lack of supermarkets around their home makes citizens 25% more likely not to follow a healthy diet [3]. In turn, this lack of availability of food has been repeatedly correlated to development of type-2 diabetes [3].
There is no question that reforms need to be made in each of these areas, but I think food deserts can be addressed most immediately. While the city has implemented Green Carts [2], and Green Markets which bring affordable produce to the city’s food deserts, they are still few and far-between. While starting ones own garden, as Dr. Thomas Blaine suggests [3], may not be feasible in the typical New York City apartment life-style, community gardens and even school green-houses could be implemented in these areas. In this way, residents would not have to wait for the produce trucks or farmers markets to appear. I also think that it is important to promote these trucks and gardens, providing community outreach to teach about the benefits of fresh food, and possibly even holding free lessons in cooking and gardening to show residents how to get the most out of this produce for their family.
Another option would be to put a tax on hyper-processed snacks, to promote the healthier foods that are available. Ideally, this would reduce consumption of these more unhealthy food and drinks, and in turn provide the funds to subsidize the healthier food that is currently unaffordable to many. In short it would create a system where the economy was “profiting from the foods that make us sick and use the money to make us healthy” [4].
[1] http://bhpr.hrsa.gov/healthworkforce/supplydemand/usworkforce/primarycare/
[2] http://www.foodispower.org/food-deserts/
[3] http://www.diabetesforecast.org/2013/sep/food-deserts-mar-the-land-of-plenty.html
[4] http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/24/opinion/sunday/24bittman.html?_r=1
Solution: Gender Lens on Economic Growth
In my post discussing the problems regarding a gender lens and economic growth, I touched upon several important and crippling obtsacles that women and girls are faced with in today’s society regarding their own personal success. Many of these, including the gender wage gap and lack of eduation for girls in third-world countries, are extremely deeply rooted and difficult to tackle on a City-College scale. Change does have to start small, however, and I thought the issue that would be best addressed on this campus was the lack of women in leadership roles.
As I discussed in my problems post, research done by two anthropology students at City College found that only about half of the women who enter CCNY as engineering majors graduate as such. The percentage of incoming female engineerings is only about 34%, so when half of that is taken away, the school is left with very few female engineering graduates.
The problem here is two-fold; there are not nearly as many female engineering students entering the Grove School as men, and the rate that sticks with the program through to graduation is staggeringly lower. To me, this shows that young women in high school do not feel empowered enough to consider engineering as an option, and in college, women do not feel as accepted, encouraged or able as male students to continue. This is why I propose as a solution, a network of City College women who inspire, and empower each other towards success.
City College’s unique environment makes it the ideal place to begin such a program. With two high schools located on a campus of over 16,000 college students and countless successful professors, it has the perfect target group of women for a mentorship and leadership network.
In this program, female college students would volunteer their time at the high schools on campus, offering workshops and other events that would allow high school students, particularly girls, to connect with them and see their female peers in leadership roles and STEM education. In addition, the extensive female faculty at CCNY, could potentially create a network of opportunities for these young girls, and even the college volunteers. This group of female CCNY students would also serve as a support system for one another. When committed to and involved in a group of other successful, driven females, I hope they will be more likely to feel empowered and supported in whatever they are doing at CCNY, hopefully eradicating the idea of what is “socially acceptable” based on gender on all fronts.
To establish this network of women helping women here at CCNY is a small step in increasing the women in leadership roles but nonetheless would be a great accomplishment. Ideally, this would transcend this campus and spread to college campuses across NYC and the US, dimishing gender stigmas in the workforce and education.
Questions for Wales Capital
1. In this class, we are currently discussing the topic of economic growth with a focus on gender. How would you describe the gender roles in crowd funding? Do you see problems such as wage gap and women in leadership positions as especially prevalent issues?
2. Does Wales Capital help to mitigate issues in gender inequality? Do you think that by crowd funding through the internet, gender bias is avoided?
New Women New Yorkers Questions
From what I’ve read, the LEAD program offers a excellent skill-building opportunities for women immigrants in New York City, however it only offered over a short amount of time. I am curious as to whether there is any networking opportunities or post-program support for these women?
As I was reading about your team members, I saw that all are women and it seemed as though many are also “new” to New York. Do you specifically look for women who have a personal connection the mission of the organization to work on the team?
Problem III: Gender Lens on Economic Growth
Throughout history, women have struggled with inequality, and despite our extremely advanced society, these basic problems still exist. According to a World Bank presentation [1], no region in the world has reached complete legal, social and economic equality of the sexes. In the United States, a major gender inequality issue is the wage gap between men and women. In 2013, it was found that full-time working women were paid only 78% of what men were paid for the same job [2]. This statistic gets worse by state, and by race. In Louisiana, women were paid only 66% of what men were paid, and nation-wide, hispanic women were paid only 54% of a white man’s salary for the same job [2].
Another gender issue affecting economic growth is the disparity of women and men in leadership roles and high paying positions. This issue can be seen even on our own campus. In a study conducted by two anthropology majors, it was found that of the 34% of female engineering students that register at CCNY, only 18% keep their major through to graduation [3]. This idea of what roles are deemed “socially appropriate” for women, starts at a young age. One professor recounts his pre-school aged daughter telling him she wants to be an astronaut but cannot because she is a girl [3]. The problem is that young girls and women are rarely advertised in these roles, creating feelings of apprehension and intimidation in classrooms and workplaces dominated by males.
This is not just in STEM fields, there are also less female CEOs and government officials. Of 109 heads of state, only 9 are women. In business, women in board seats and CEO positions make less than 15% [4]. This happens for many reasons. Firstly, while 57% of men might negotiate for their first salary only 7% of women do. Women are also less likely to take credit for their own success, making promotions much less likely [4]. Why do these numbers matter? It has been proven that when women occupy these jobs there are cleaner practices in business and government, leading to higher rates of economic growth [1].
Internationally, these problems are rooted more deeply. The UN Report on Women showed that many women in rural areas of the world are the sole caregivers for their families along with other household and agricultural responsibilities. By holding women and girls to these standards, their economic capability remains stagnant due to a lack of education. In many countries, half of girls drop out of school before they reach the sixth grade [5]. It has been shown that less educated mothers provide a less intellectually stimulating environment for their children, creating lower quality students and labor force. This not only hurts the economy, but makes it very difficult to break out of this cycle of inequality [1]. Conversely, an educated girl can earn more, reinvesting 80-90% of her earnings back into the economy, improving the economy while also breaking the cycle of poverty for herself [5].
[1] World Bank: Gender Inequality, Economic Development, and the Knowledge Economy
[2] http://www.aauw.org/research/the-simple-truth-about-the-gender-pay-gap/
[3] Understanding Gender and Engineering at CCNY
[4]https://www.ted.com/talks/sheryl_sandberg_why_we_have_too_few_women_leaders
[5] https://girlup.org/impact/challenges-girls-face/education/
Work Solution
“The main problem with employing the NEXT generation consists of this fatal loop : You can’t get a job which you’re qualified for without experience – and nobody gives you a chance to gain any experience because you don’t have any previous experience !” [2]
This quote from a Czech student interviewed by the Generation Europe Foundation for their report “Employing the NEXT Generation”, portrays the paradox that my peers and I will be faced with in the coming years as we finish our undergraduate careers and make out way into the world of work [2].
While career services, at least at City College, offer important resources such resume and cover-letter critiquing, and job search engines, they cannot offer what companies want and students need; experience. In my opinion, if the four years of work I am putting into a degree in Biomedical Engineering is not enough to get me a job in Biomedical Engineering, something is wrong. But is it the fault of the companies or the school?
Suggestions have been made by students in the European Union to make an incentivized system. This includes tax breaks for companies who are willing to employ young graduates with minimal experience, or make a legal percentage of people within a certain age range that must be employed in large companies. While this is a good start, just as we discussed with policing problems, legislation is often not enough, and would be difficult and expensive to keep track of [2].
I think the solution can only come from a collaboration between universities and employers. Most universities are currently not doing enough to prepare their graduates for the actual work that their field entails, but just the factual background. In addition, the companies are not willing to hire those without experience. A formula such as the one imposed at Drexel University offers a collaborative effort between the universities and employers [1].
The school uses a rotation of six-month cycles that alternate between classes and full-time internship and work experience. During this 6-month internship period students are matched to over 1,200 employers and can make up to $16,000. Some students can have up to three co-ops throughout their time at Drexel [1]. What this means is that the school has a working relationship with employers that are willing to hire recent graduates. And more importantly, students are gaining hands on experience in their fields and creating connections and relationships with possible employers. Being that most of the internships are paid, this also means that the measly coffee-fetching, copy-making internships that while fill up a resume have no real significance to the student. In fact, many of the students are offered jobs by their co-op employers upon graduation [1]. In addition, the school itself is working toward a more experiential learning experience, and producing the students that employers want.
If work is changing, so much education. Although this co-operative learning structure may not fit the structure of every university, I feel as though this approach to education will have to become more popular as the nature of work continues to evolve.
[1] http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/drexel-university-3256
[2] http://www.generation europe.eu/assets/what_we_do/research_and_surveys/GEFWFEmployingNextGeneration2010final.PDF
Questions – Topic II
How does the Brooklyn Fashion and Design Accelerator constitute what makes a suitable project for its facilities? How long are Venture Fellows and Members allowed to keep their spaces?
Your website describes the BF+DA as a hub for “ethical fashion and design”. How is this defined by BF+DA? How is it determined if incoming projects and designers are “ethical”?
Problem II – Work
As an undergraduate student during the age of surging technology, it is clear that my peers and I face an uncertain future in the workplace. The culture we grew up in, where adults became lifetime employees of one company or corporation, is rapidly disappearing. The incredible technological advances that are happening everyday compensate for, and even exceed, much of the work that humans now do. Moreover, new technologies make the work-“place” almost unnecessary.
This brings me to my first issue which is the change in the meaning of the word “work”. An article by New York Magazine stated that as new technologies make it possible for workers to be involved from the comfort of their own homes, “work” will cease to describe a place [1]. Less business space that companies have to rent and lower travel costs for employees; what could be the issue? As an interviewee from Knoll’s paper stated –“How do we make sure that the employee in their fuzzy bunny slipper and pajamas is still engaged with his/her co-workers and with our company?” [2]. Although video chat technology allows workers from all over the world to communicate and virtually “meet”, that might be the only interaction they have with their collegues. This creates an impersonal workplace, that lacks the support that can result from being gathered with people you know for a common purpose [1]. In addition, the spontaneous collaboration and networking that can happen when individuals share common space for 40 hours a week is lost. While the convenience and economic benefit of these new machines is apparent, workers will suffer a loss of interpersonal connections and skills.
According to an article by the Harvard Business Review (HBR) [3], the value of certain jobs are decreasing in this new age of work. As robots become increasingly popular, cheap and most of all more intelligent, more and more workers will continue to be displaced. For example, Foxconn, the world’s largest contract manufacturer currently has one million employees, and plans on installing one million robots that can do the same jobs [3]. This is just one corporation, but at this rate of growth, it has been estimated that almost 100 million workers could be displaced by 2025 [3].While new technology is creating jobs, at the same time many citizens are losing all economic value.
In a culture where a bachelor’s degree is becoming increasingly popular, it takes even further education to set graduates apart. In addition, an article called “Employing the Next Generation”, states that employers often turn down college grads because of a “lack of experience” [4]. Although students with a degree may have gained a factual understanding of their particular major, industry experience is missing in most undergraduate educational tracks. Most students need to find some sort of volunteer experience or industry internship to even be considered by an employer upon graduation [4]. If institutions of higher education are not turning out career-ready individuals, the workforce will severely suffer, and this is yet another social issue with the rapidly changing nature of work that must be addressed.
Sources:
[1] http://nymag.com/scienceofus/2014/12/what-we-give-up-when-we-become-entrepreneurs.html
[2] https://www.knoll.com/knollnewsdetail/five-trends-that-are-dramatically-changing-work-and-the-workplace
[3] https://hbr.org/2014/12/what-happens-to-society-when-robots-replace-workers
[4] http://www.futureworkforum.com/PDFs/NEXT%20Report%202010.pdf
Questions for the Centre for Social Innovation
In this class we are currently speaking about the changing nature of work. How do the facilities at CSI reflect these changes? What aspects of the space mimmick those of the traditional workplace and what aspects of that is CSI trying to change?
According to the CSI website, each organization has access to a private office space, so how are collaborations made between organizations? Are there any collaborations between organizations or ventures currently happening at the center?
Solution I: Solitary Confinement
In my last post, I addressed the problems of solitary confinement, violence and corruption in prisons. Initally, when researching these issues, solitary confinement stood out as the most pressing, possibly because of the moving personal account of Kalief Browder. This past Tuesday, Brenden Beck came to visit our class from Milk Not Jails, an organization that advocates for prison reform. He described their approach using the steps of incarceration. This gave me a new perspective on the problems I was analyzing. I thought by focusing on solitary confinement, I could not only tackle the issues in the “prison” part of the process but also in “re-entry”.
According to a report by the New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU) [1], there are currently 4,500 prisoners in solitary confinement in New York, most of which spend 23 hours a day locked alone in their cells. Such extreme isolation has been shown to cause severe emotional and psychological trauma, even for prisoners with no history of mental illness [1]. The New York Campaign for Alternatives to Isolated Confinement (CAIC), states that those with mental illness are disproportionately likely to be put in isolation [2]. By putting vulnerable inmates in cells the size of elevators, their condition – possibly the reason for their “unruly” behavior- is not being addressed, but ignored. Thus the prospect of recovery and, ultimately, a healthy “re-entry” into society is almost impossible. What these prisoners need is rehabilitation and counseling services.
As Mr. Beck mentioned, Milk Not Jails is currently lobbying for the passage of the SAFE Parole Act, which aims to ease up on parole laws, and ultimately minimize incarceration. In the same manner, I feel that changes in solitary confinment need to start with a legislation that reforms the way extreme isolation is both sentenced and carried out. The two solitary confinement-only facilities in New York cost about $76 million a year to operate [1]. By drafting stricter laws on what sanctions officers to sentence solitary confinement, and therefore downsizing the number of beds needed in these facilities, this money could instead be spent on social workers, therapists and other rehabilitation programs for those prisoners.
As far as this legislation, there are several core issues which I believe it needs to address. Although the UN has declared isolation exceeding 15 days as torturous, New York City has no limit on the rules of isolated confinement [2] In addition, the process of getting into solitary confinement is extremely unfair. It often results from an arbitrary decision from prison guards who have no training in how to handle the mental and emotional conditions of the inmates [2]. I propose a solution in the following; an increased budget for rehabilitation of these prisoners, along with legislation that not only limits the amount of time in solitary, but also looks to extreme isolation as a last resort. In this way, not only are prisons being reformed but the inmates have a much higher chance of a healthy and productive reintegration into society.
Sources:
[1] http://www.nyclu.org/files/publications/nyclu_boxedin_FINAL.pdf
[2] http://nycaic.org/facts/
Comments by Skye Wright
"Les, I think you touched upon a very serious and important, and yet very complicated issue related to healthcare, not only in New York City, but nationwide. The cost of healthcare is incredibly high in the United States, making it incredibly difficult for many low-income citizens to keep themselves healthy. One can leave a life-saving treatment or surgery with the same, if not more debt, than a four-year college degree. Although no patient will be turned away in such a situations, the cost of healthcare will deter many from receiving the necessary preventative care to prevent them from reaching that state.
On another note, I think your “ugly foods” campaign idea was a different and interesting solution. You mentioned that “ugly foods” such as fruits and vegetables are sold at lower costs to promote them in European countries. Building off of that, I wanted to offer something that I mentioned in my post. I tackled the same problem, and spoke mostly about food deserts. One approach I found was to tax the unhealthier, sugary drinks and fatty snacks, and use that extra revenue to subsidize the cost of the “ugly foods” that you mentioned, in order to make them more accessible overall. I think advertisement and campaigning, as you mentioned, can be an incredibly useful tool in that process as well."
--( posted on May 18, 2015, commenting on the post
Public Heath Problems and Solutions )
"Your statistics on HIV/AIDS in New York City were shocking, and although we were limited to one solution, I think a really important compenent to reducing the number of new cases would be a more thorough curriculum of sexual education in the New York City Public school. You did, however, choose a solution that focused within the New York City Public school system. As you mentioned in your post, and as many of us have experienced growing up through the New York City public school system, school lunches have hardly any nutritional value to them. I think it speaks for itself that they are able to classify pizza as a vegetable. The nutritional habits that are developed during these early years could set many young adults up for an unhealthy life, and I agree that something must be done.
My question for your solution, is what would entice the NYC DOE to buy local farm-fresh foods to supply their schools with? As we discussed with food deserts, buying fresh food at, say, farmers markets can be overwhelmingly expensive. For the DOE in particular, which has to serve hundreds of thousands of school lunches each and every day, the cost would be offputting from a financial standpoint. Although we would like to think that it is all in the interest of the students, I wonder how this solution would be received by school officials."
--( posted on May 18, 2015, commenting on the post
Public Health )
"I thought the way you approached the problems you identified was thoughtful and well-constructed. Although I have spoken a lot both in my posts and in class about the problem of women in leadership positions, I had never considered the possibility of a gender quota. In fact, when the discussion came up in class about how women are paid and promoted less and in turn might only seem qualified for lower paying, lower ranking jobs, I saw it as a viscious cycle that would take generations to break. After reading your post, I think gender quotas are needed as the initial push to get women into these leadership postitions. Ideally, in time, such a high percentage of powerful women would be so normal quotas would not be necessary.
Your strikethrough of the word “maternal” replaced with the word “parental” was extremely powerful and captures the issue at hand perfectly. Which parent gets to stay home and care for a child in their early years could greatly influence the child’s perception of gender roles. Adopting the idea of providing both maternity and paternity leave, as Max discussed, would eliminate those gender assignments. I think gender language in schools would be a lot more effective if the children did not already have preconcieved notions about gender from home."
--( posted on Apr 26, 2015, commenting on the post
Gender Gap & Economic Growth Solutions )
"I could not agree more that the issues facing women in the workplace stem from much more deeply rooted biases. There is no reason that women should be paid or promoted less, but unfortunately, these (not always) subtle biases have been around for centuries and will take time to eradicate. Just as we discussed with policing issues, legislation is often overlooked, so I agree that that would not be the way to resolve this. Moreover, one can not be legislated to let go of their biases nor to teach their children the same, it has to be slowly woven into societal norms, just as the biases were in the first place.
One thing I would consider about your solution would be the possible side effects of company transparency. This could potentially raise a lot of privacy issues with individiuals, as well as tension both between employees and with the employer. In addition, just like any other legislation, this could be manipulated or avoided especially by more powerful companies. I think, however, that the Scandanavian idea of maternity/paternity leave could be a really powerful legislative tool. Incentivizing both men and women to take on childcare duties creates a neutral environment for children, where they do not associate gender with childcare or professional careers."
--( posted on Apr 26, 2015, commenting on the post
Gender Lens on Economic Growth: Solutions )
"It seems as though every issue being discussed comes back to your final point on gender roles. Through our discussions in class and in the posts I have been reading, it seems that the idea of what women “should” do or have always done is the most deeply rooted issue. The remarks “go back to the kitchen” or “make me a sandwich” that I have so frequently heard said to girls throughout my adolescence, although laughed about in our generation by many, represent a stigma that keeps many women, as you described, from advancing to where they should be. This is why, I think, the idea of “lean in” will not solve the gender disparity. Women can “lean in” and try to fight for their equality alone, but as long as some boss, coworker, or even classmate, still thinks “go back to the kitchen” our hands are tied. While not surprising, I found your statistic that 82% of women do household chores daily interesting, but more than anything I was curious to what the percentages looked like for men? Or was this even a statistic taken? I think you touched on some of the most prevalent gender issues, and look forward to reading your solution."
--( posted on Apr 2, 2015, commenting on the post
Gender and Economic Growth Problems )
"I really liked your take on the gender wage gap and traditional gender roles. In particular, I like that you looked not only at the effect on women, but on men as well. For example, while the gender pay gap is a serious obstacle for women in the workplace, childcare policies present a gender gap from both sides. Not only do women not get proper compensation for having a child, but in the United States, men typically get none at all. While this seems like an obvious unfairness on both ends, I had not previously considered how this problem furthers traditional societal “gender roles”. As we spoke about in class, things such as barbies and tutus only being for girls, assigns clear gender roles at a very young age. This makes it very difficult to change these underlying sexist norms, because they are so deeply rooted in every aspect of our culture. What I had not considered it that the issues of maternity/paternity leave only deepens the issue. By only potentially offering leave for mothers, how are women supposed to step outside of the traditional role of the “caretaker” and be taken more seriously in their careers? These will not be easy problems to tackle but I am excited to see how you approach your solution."
--( posted on Apr 2, 2015, commenting on the post
Gender Inequality Problems )
"When I read your post, particularly the part about students “thinking about the opportunities outside of the traditional workplace”, it occurred to me that many students might not even be aware that these opportunities exist. In this seminar, we are exposed to the changing nature of work and encouraged to learn about possible alternatives, but I myself was not aware of all of these changes before beginning this course. Similarly, many of our peers might be entering the work world in the next few years unaware of these changes. This brings me back to a point the Yeji made in her post about seminars like this, that prepare students for the work force, being more common in university cirriculum. I think this kind of approach could help young adults “develop a sense of awareness”, as you put it, and be able to adapt to the more flexible working conditions that the future holds. As Yeji stated, it would also help them learn how to be best prepared for the new world of work. I think this could stretch even to meet another one of the problems that you identified and promote the “open work space” concept that you spoke about in your first paragraph."
--( posted on Mar 19, 2015, commenting on the post
Future of Work Solutions )
"As I think many of us can agree, it is scary to think that our degree is no longer enough to qualify us for future jobs. It seems as though, in coming years, we will need much more than that to stand out to our future employers. I think creating a mandatory experiential requirement is an interesting, but questionable idea. While it works for a school like Drexel University, who has established working relationships with the companies that hires its co-op students, would it be the same if every school adopted the same type of program? I wonder, would we eventually run out of employers who were willing to hire undergraduate students? After all, this does not eradicate the fact that employers are looking for experienced workers, it just gives them inexperienced workers without a degree. This also raises a point that was brought up in class; would employers only be willing to participate so that they can exploit the students and pay them less than they would an experienced employee doing the same job? I wrote my solution in the same line of thought as yours, but Tuesday’s class made me rethink the practicality of manditory internships as part of a degree. I do, however, agree with establishing mandatory seminars that help students prepare for a job within their major."
--( posted on Mar 19, 2015, commenting on the post
Work Solution )
"The lack of experience that comes with an undergraduate college education in our generation seems to be a recurring problem. As I have read in many posts, and also wrote about in my own, it seems as though industries are looking for candidates with, not only a degree, but a working application of this knowledge. This is why I was shocked by your statistic that only 8% of college students had actually completed an experiential internship during their college years. I agree that this is an issue that needs to be resolved as the workplace continues to evolve. If universities are unable to meet the changing outlooks of the workplace, it creates a generation of college graduates who are unprepared for the field they expected to enter upon graduation. I do not believe, however, that this means a college degree is becoming unnecessary. I think quite the opposite, actually. In my opinion, the fact that companies are seeking out these highly experienced and educated individuals, pushes the limits of what is expected of the average worker. It makes even further education, such as graduate school or internships and apprenticeships, almost necessary to guarantee a place in the workforce."
--( posted on Mar 12, 2015, commenting on the post
Work Problems )
"Your final point on maternity leave caught my attention. A world of freelance workers would create a culture where companies had no ties to those that they employed. Short-term contracting, while gives more freedom to the work schedule of a new or expecting mother, does not account for compensation during that lost time. With the changing nature of work, many are worried about where working individuals will get health insurace, retirement plans and many other benfits of the traditional workplace. The difference with maternity leave, is that unfortunately, new and expecting mothers do not really benefit at all in the traditional American workplace. As you mentioned, companies are not required to give any paid leave to pregnant women, and freelance or small business workers are not guaranteed any leave at all. In addition, modern society is becoming a place where men are increasingly more involved in childcare. In many European countries not only are women given often given a significant maternity leave, but paternity leave also exists. Despite the incrediable advances in the workplace, it is clear that the US is far behind the rest of the Western world in this respect. The issue you present is a serious one, but I believe it is one of the current American workplace, and I only see it worsening in the future of work that we have been discussing."
--( posted on Mar 12, 2015, commenting on the post
Problems with the Workplace )
"This solution stood out to me because while we addressed very similar problems in policing, our solutions varied. I focused on the problem of solitary confinement. From what I read, many of the people who are put in solitary are in dire need of rehabilitation, and isolation only worsens their condition. This makes their reintegration into society even more difficult, and in some cases nearly impossible, much like what you wrote about. In my solutions, I spoke mostly about legislation that would create programs, such as rehab and therapy, as an alternative for isolation. I proposed that troublesome inmates be sent to a professional that can attempt to rehabilitate them, instead of instantly punishing the smallest offense with an exuberant amount of time in solitary confinement. An incentivized program, however, such as the “Honor Program” that you mentioned, could serve as a preventative measure. While it is important to reform the way troublesome inmates are handled, I think it is equally as important, if not more to reduce the violent and disruptive crimes that generally land prisoners in solitary confinement. I think a combination of our solutions would be a step in the right direction to creating social change within the prison system."
--( posted on Mar 3, 2015, commenting on the post
Policing Solutions )
"It is hard to disagree with your argument that there is a need for increased firearms training in the police department. As you have highlighted, and as we discussed in class, there have been far too many mistakes made, both in when and how to use weapons. I agree that firearms training and certification should be made stricter, but as we spoke about in class, I also believe that there should be more training done without weapons. As human beings, our first instinct in a life threatening situation is to protect ourselves. Many officers do so by drawing their gun. In theory, conducting completely weaponless training, would help officers to develop instinct to use hand-combat rather than drawing a deadly weapon. The legality of owning firearms in the United States makes it difficult to completely do away with police weapons, as is the way in many European countries who have far less deaths by police. I think your approach of having only the most trained officers carry firearms, is a reasonable way to compromise in this situation. Proposing a reduction in the number of officers as an option for financing this training also shows that your idea is economically feasible."
--( posted on Mar 3, 2015, commenting on the post
Solutions 1: Police Firearm Training )
"The problems in policing that stem from misjudgement, and abuse of power was apparent in your description of the abuse of civil forfeiture, and I thought you wrote very eloquently on the topic. However, I disagree that the role of police is misplaced. In your conclusion, you wrote that “the police are not the correct organization to promote lawful conduct”, but I believe that is exactly what they are meant to do. As law enforcement officials, society relies on them to maintain law and order, which is in itself the promotion of lawful conduct. While I do agree with you that the police are not responsible for creating long term solutions to crime, it is their duty to enforce the existing ones. You mentioned that “the problem with policing is that we are policing instead of legislating”, but the criminal justice system requires the cooperation of many entities – police, government and citizens included - to function properly. Removing police from the equation makes governement legislation pointless, and, similarly, without legislation there are no laws for police to enforce. I think rather than changing the structure of the system, a closer look needs to be taken at the roots of the issue, which are as we discussed; discretion and abuse of power."
--( posted on Feb 19, 2015, commenting on the post
Policing is the Problem )
"The issue of reintegration of ex-convicts into society really caught my attention. While reluctancy to hire an ex-con is understandable from an employers point of view, it puts the former prisoners in a compromising position and makes it very difficult for them to break out of the cycle of crime. This presents a difficult question; how is a problem, so deeply rooted in societal stigmas, resolved? Can employers be forced to hire criminals? Or is it the job of the government to create programs to reintegrate ex-convicts? Reintroduction into society was a matter that was extremely prevalent in the article “Before the Law” about Kalief Browder. The article spoke about the detrimental effects that his incarceration had on his life after prison. His harsh treatment, by inmates and officers alike, created severe psychological issues which made it difficult for him to find employment and placed him in this same cycle of crime. I thought it was interesting that you brought up both the reintegration of ex-convicts and police brutality, because I think the article made a connection between the two. The brutality that some prisoners experience can deter them from actively contributing to society after being released. All of these factors create a viscious web of societal opression for ex-convicts and I am interested to see how you choose to tackle this problem."
--( posted on Feb 19, 2015, commenting on the post
Problem 1 )
