When Tantrums Put You in Handcuffs

Around the age of six years old, I engaged in my first fight…with my speech teacher. During one speech lesson, I became extremely irritable and could no longer sit through this woman’s tutoring. I proceeded to scream in defiance and kick her in her legs. After hearing, “No one kicks Mrs. Whoever,” I finally calmed down and the issue was resolved within five minutes. I was punished by my mother, but as I look back, at least I was not placed in handcuffs by three uniformed cops.

A young girl in a similar situation was not so lucky. According to MSNBC.com, the cameras were recording in a classroom at the Fairmount Park Elementary school in St. Petersburg, Florida as a five-year-old girl became upset over an incident that happened in her math class. As the video shows, the girl can be seen swatting her arms at the assistant principle as she tries to calm the child. After an hour after the situation began, three armed and uniformed police arrived at the school where they handcuffed the child and placed her in the police car. The teachers were apparently unable to handle the situation.

From the video, the child was not destructive nor did she in anyway cause pain to the teachers. A small five-year-old girl can swing her arms, but she cannot throw a punch. She acted unruly as any other child throwing a tantrum.

I would like to know the type of adult that is unable to deal with a child’s hissy fit. What kind of society have we become that handcuffs a child for displaying her anger at something? Where do the police come off thinking that this situation needed to be dealt with like they were arresting a robber or a murderer?

The young girl could be heard repeatedly screaming “No!” on the video. It is a disgrace to the police and to this school that they felt the situation could only end in handcuffs. Elementary school teachers are supposed to deal with the problems of young children. Part of dealing with anger and being reprimanded when appropriate is all part of the childhood learning process. If the police were called every time a child became upset and started throwing a tantrum, they would have no time to arrest those delinquents who truly should be placed in handcuffs.

Where has the public’s reasoning and morals gone? If you cannot deal with the emotions of a five-year-old, then do not be a parent or work with children. We are dealing with a kindergarten student. Her short life has already begun with a traumatizing situation. The social values of our society are deteriorating. We rush to blame everyone else besides ourselves and do not take responsibility for our own actions. Common sense has been replaced by stupidity and ignorance. I am pleased to know that this is the education my future children will one day receive.

This Article Published in "The Hurricane"

Bringing the “Relay” Home to UM

For the past five years now, I have participated in the American Cancer Society’s signature fundraising activity Relay For Life in my hometown of Sarasota, Florida. It is an overnight event where teams of ten to fifteen people walk or run around a track in an effort to fight cancer and support those affected by this disease. Relay was started in the mid 1980s by Dr. Gordon Klatt, a surgeon from Tacoma, Washington. He was looking for a way to raise the income of his local American Cancer Society. Money is raised before and during the event by individuals and through team fundraising that is donated towards cancer treatments and finding a cure.

The event opens with an honorary first lap by cancer survivors. It is followed by the special Luminaria Ceremony which begins at dark. Individual lights outline the track in a sentimental moment of inspiration and hope. The event continues into the morning where it ends with a closing ceremony.

On Friday, April 1^st, and into the morning of April 2^nd, I participated in the Pinecrest/ Palmetto Bay and University of Miami Relay For Life hosted by Palmetto Senior High; my sixth consecutive Relay. I was a member of one of nine teams that participated from UM; there were fifteen additional community teams. As I walked my share of laps and the Luminaria Ceremony brought tears to my eyes, I began to wonder why this Relay For Life was not held on UM’s campus. It would be to UM’s benefit to support the cancer patients and survivors who are a part of the UM community. “The American Cancer Society Relay For Life represents the hope that those lost to cancer will never be forgotten, that those who face cancer will be supported, and that one-day cancer will be eliminated.” (From www.cancer.org)

With a voice in this newspaper, I want express to my fellow students the necessity and importance of bringing an event of this positive nature to the school. Last year, UM participated in the Coral Gables Relay For Life, and with each year, the number of teams and money raised has doubled. This year roughly one hundred UM students raised over $10,000. Without question there could be hundreds more to line a track on the IM fields if Relay For Life came to campus.

Cancer does not discriminate against anyone. Every dollar donated towards the American Cancer Society is a step towards finding a cure. If Relay For Life is held at UM, I know that the number of people participating, the number of teams formed, and the amount of money raised will greatly exceed what was achieved this year and last year. Contact umrelay4life@hotmail.com to get involved with UM’s Relay For Life and visit www.cancer.org to visit the American Cancer Society’s website.

This article published in "The Hurricane"

Thank You Chartwells: A Response

This is in response to my article about Chartwells, the University of Miami food service. I had a meeting with the Director of Auxiliary Services and this is in response to that.

Three days after the publication of my opinion piece regarding Chartwell’s hours of operation in the March 25^th issue, I received an email from Mel Tenen, Director of Auxiliary Services. He wanted to meet with me regarding my article to discuss my ideas and what Chartwells has done in the past with its hours. At first, I could not believe that my article had sparked enough interest to elicit an email, let alone a personal meeting.

With great ease, I spoke with Mr. Tenen for about an hour. He was very receptive to listening to the concerns of the students. I learned that the hours of operation are not determined by Chartwells; they are determined by Auxiliary Services and have been improved from recent years. To my surprise, Mr. Tenen was already working with Chartwells and Student Government to improve the hours of operation. He is looking into extending breakfast past 10 A.M. during the week and extending dinner past seven P.M. on Sundays. My constant nightly prayers were heard.

I want to thank Mr. Tenen for his time and seeking solutions for all of our concerns. He is extremely willing to work with students and student organizations in matters like Chartwells and other departments within the Auxiliary Services. His goal is to help us get the most out of our college experience and the meal plans.

On a final note, I am going to put an end to rumor that has been circulating the dining halls. Laxatives are not used in the food.

Can Pro-Life and Marriage Go Hand-In-Hand?

The man who wants to keep the sanctity of marriage between a man and a woman now is taking the necessary steps to intervene between the rights of a husband and wife. If our country wants to preserve the biblical sacredness of marriage, revoking the rights of a spouse in favor of parents is hypocrisy.

The Terri Schiavo life or death case returns to the news as President George W. Bush and the Republicans try to pass a bill that would reinsert Schiavo’s feeding tube. According to MSNBC, On March 18^th, Michael Schiavo, Terri’s husband and legal guardian, requested the removal of her feeding tube. As the bill to prolong Terri’s life passed through the Senate, Democrats are scrambling to stop the bill from passing through the House of Representatives. Now President Bush waits with pen in hand to sign the bill as soon as it reaches his desk.

The Republicans in our government, backed by our president, are attempting to overrule Michael Schiavo’s legal guardian status and side with Terri’s parents. With a legal marriage comes guardianship. Married couples become the decision makers for each other, not their respective parents.

Michael Schiavo has publicly stated that before his wife’s brain damage, she confided in him that she would not want to live if ever left paralyzed in a vegetative state. As this man is the legal guardian of his wife, his voice becomes the voice of his wife. We see the intervention of the U.S. government because we are dealing with conflicting feelings over the life of a human.

Here is the perfect chance for Republicans and Democrats to make advancements in the issue of pro-life versus pro-choice. President Bush continues to follow his religious-born ideal of pro-life. However, the Bible never stipulated whether the parents or spouse should have control over the other spouse when in a vegetative state. (Dramatic gasp.) President Bush may have to come to his own conclusions. In this case, he will put aside his deep feelings for the sacred bond of marriage in favor of his pro-life beliefs.

There is the possibility for exceptions to rules. If there is to be the exception to allow Schiavo’s parents to take control of their daughter’s life, then this must lead to further exceptions. When and if the bill to reinsert Schiavo’s feeding tube passes, homosexuals should then allow to legally marry. The laws passed in several states that have outlawed gay marriages must be overruled. Our president cannot show a strong stance on an issue, if in one instance he makes a rejection and then makes an exception.

As the 2004 Presidential Election neared, both candidates took their stances on defining marriage between a man and a woman. As our country elected President Bush, he was in control to ensure the blessed union of marriage. Now as a conflict arises between guardianship of parents versus married couples, President Bush and Republicans want to break the cherished bond of marriage. Who would have thought that both 2004 Presidential candidates were “flip-floppers?”