Should wearing of school uniforms be mandatory?

Wearing of school uniforms originated in the UK and spread to all its colonies and the rest of the world. the original reason for wearing a school uniform in UK was to distinguish between the rich and poor students. It was a marker of class and status and students who wore uniforms were from the lower class and poor families. However, with time uniforms became more associated with the upper class of society in Britain for instance students of the prestigious elite Eton college had to wear a black top hat and tails as their uniforms until 1972. This kind of dressing was reserved for the royal and upper class of the British society.

However, the US is one of the countries where its not mandatory for students to wear school uniforms. Before the 1980’s school uniforms were exclusively for the elite private US schools. According to statistics, in 2011 only 19% of the public schools in the US required their students to wear uniforms. No state law requires or bans the use of school uniforms, its a voluntary practice.

In Africa, the use of school uniforms was introduced by the early missionaries to the continent who used them to differentiate students from missionary schools from other kids. today school uniforms are more widely used in Africa than in any other part of the world

In Japan, the uniforms for girls was modeled after the sailors’ uniforms and for boys after the army uniforms.

Arguments for use of uniforms include equality to all students regardless of their parents’ wealth and status; sense of identity, cohesion and pride for the students; foster discipline, enhance unity of children from different social backgrounds; improved class performances; reduce expenses on clothing; and reduced instances of bullying.

Opponents of uniforms argue that wearing uniforms lead to loss of individuality, curtails freedom of expression; and why should the school decide what students should wear.

I wore school uniforms with pride all through my education until i reached university and i am a very strong supporter of school uniforms. what do you think????

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Roma, Romani, and the G-word

Last week we spoke in class about the correct way to refer to the Roma people. The article linked below shows all the complexities of the debate. On one hand, the title and the beginning of the article advocate to stop what the author would prefer to term the G-word.

But then, to provide context for the oppression of the Roma, she quotes statistics from National Federation of Gypsy Liaison Groups, one of a number of Roma coordinating organizations that still use the word Gypsy in their title (see also the Gypsy Union at: http://gypsyunion.tripod.com/) There is a sector of the community that insists on using the term Gypsy in order to reclaim it as a positive term.

And the situation is even more complicated if you speak another language which still freely uses the direct translation of the word Gypsy. I took the photo at left last night in Mercado Little Spain, the new food hall in the Hudson Yards area. At the counter that sells desserts they prominently feature two flavors of  “Brazo de Gitano”, which translates as Gypsy’s Arm (Or maybe Cream Roll Gypsy Style – in Spain and the Philippines “Brazo de ..” is a type of rolled cake).

The “G” Word Isn’t for You: How “Gypsy” Erases Romani Women  https://now.org/blog/the-g-word-isnt-for-you-how-gypsy-erases-romani-women/

 

 

 

 

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Artist Royalty Rights: How unAmerican

In 2018, global art sales reached $67.4 billion. Auction houses were responsible for over $29 billion of those sales, and an untraceable dollar amount is attributable to artworks sold through galleries doing business in the secondary market.

The auction and secondary market differ from the primary market, as the objects switching hands move from owner or dealer, to buyer.  The artist does not partake in any stage of the transaction.

Thanks to the adoption of Artist Resale Royalty Rights, however, auction and secondary market sales benefit artists in 70 countries world world. This is much the same concept as screenwriters and musicians receiving a portion of royalties from subsequent sales of their work.

However, in the United States, no such federal laws exist to protect visual artist.  States, for their part, have tried to adopt such laws only to be denied by federal courts. In 2018, for example, the Ninth Circuit court ruled that US Copyright law trumped California’s law requiring the payment of royalties to artists.  Making a distinction between compensation to visual artists vs. any other artist all the more bizarre, Congress launched a new attempt to grant music artists royalties for radio play in November 2019 – the Fair Play Fair Pay Act.

The list of countries with artist resale rights include Algeria, Bolivia, Chad, Congo, Ecuador, Georgia, India, Iraq, Kazakstan, Paraguay, Senegal, United Kingdom, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, the entire EU, and many more.  In these countries if a buyer purchases a painting for $900 from the artist and then flips the work at auction for, say, $85,000, the artist will receive anywhere from 5 – 15% of the hammer price – depending on the laws in that country. These numbers are, in fact, the exact prices from a case that emerged in 1973 around Robert Rauschenberg’s painting, Thaw. The argument against artist resale rights then, as well as today, is that “the resale right weakens the market.” (Merryman, et al. Law, Ethics, and the Visual Arts, 606 (5th ed., 2007)

Auction houses, galleries, and art collectors are aware of these laws. The profits they lose selling works in non-US markets drives their business back to New York City. No wonder the US has the largest art market in the world! Annual revenues continue to climb, auction records are broken every season, and more and more artists keep flooding into small Bushwick studios with leaky pipes, driving these sales and waiting for their piece of the pie.

To read more about this topic you can visit here and here!

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Heterosexual marriages report more strain than Same-Sex marriages

Last week, the NYTimes Opinion section had a piece called How to Make Your Marriage Gayer” where they went over a study that looked at the strain and distress levels across different-sex (heterosexual), gay, and lesbian marriages.  Women in different-sex unions recorded higher levels of strain and distress in their relationships. While, men in same-sex marriages reported the opposite, low levels. The men and women married to women reported about the same levels of distress. A previous research study had already concluded that women generally show most of the distress in relationships, but what this study found is that it’s only women married to men.

Why? You ask?

The short answer, stereotyping of gender role duties increases in heterosexual marriages causing tension. One of the researchers’ states, “The gender expectations traditionally associated with being a wife seemingly encourage married mothers to do more housework than their unmarried counterparts, and their husbands to accept that as normal.” While same-sex couples don’t fall in the traditional stereotyping of gender roles they consequently end up sharing housework and parenting duties more evenly, taking on both traditionally “feminine” and “masculine” tasks. 

Its clear equity of housework is important to everyone, but especially for women. 

Here is a graph I found on Statista that shows how housework is divided among genders in different countries.

 

 

 

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Differences in Education Around the World

There are so many differences in the world. Recently I came across an article on the differences among the schools around the world. Some of the interesting findings are below.

 

Chinese Education Emphasizes Memorization and Learning by Drill

Chinese schools lean very strongly towards the memorization and retention of facts. This is demonstrated in the gaokao, the university admissions exam, which depends on what a student can memorize and repeat; analysis and critical thinking are not tested. This is one of the reasons why China excels so much in producing scientists, engineers and mathematicians.

 Religious dress is banned in French schools

In France there is a belief that religion and public life should be kept as far apart as possible. Therefore, French public schools ban the wearing of any religious dress, a move that was seen as principally targeted at Muslim schoolgirls wearing headscarves, but that also affects Sikhs wearing turbans, Jews wearing yarmulkes, and Christians wearing crucifixes.

Ireland’s take on Catholicism and Schooling

In Ireland, there are 2,884 Catholic schools, which teach religious education from a Catholic perspective and may choose not to employ non-Catholic teachers or accept non-Catholic pupils. Many parents have their children baptized not because they are themselves religious, but for the sake of securing a place in the local school if there’s a danger it will be oversubscribed.

In Bangladesh the Schools are Often on a Boat

Bangladesh’s population is 165 million and 32% are under the age of 15, so the school-age population is huge and places a significant financial burden on state finances. Conventional schools have to close during flooding, leaving millions of children with no access to education, so Bangladesh has had to come up with an innovative solution: flood-proof schools on boats. Non-profits working in Bangladesh have played a significant role in providing these floating schools, often powered by solar panels, so that children can get an education even when the floods are at their worst.

 Japanese Schools Teach Moral Education

Japan’s school system appears to prioritize producing good citizens. Moral education has been taught informally in Japan for decades, but it is gaining ever more prominence in the Japanese curriculum, being taught in some schools on a par with subjects such as Japanese or mathematics. The subject covers many topics that seem uncontroversial, such as compassion, persistence, and some life skills.

The majority of South Africans pay for their children’s education

There are very few developed nations in which primary and secondary school education is not provided for free for the majority of the population. South Africa is one of the rare exceptions, where the default is not a school funded wholly by the state, but a state-aided school, in which the state subsidizes education, but parents who can afford to do so are still expected to contribute financially towards their children’s education.

The South Korean school day is very long

South Korean students in secondary school can be at their desks for 14 to 16 hours. The standard school day is 8am until 4pm. But students in the last couple of years of school will then go home for some dinner, and head out again to a private school from 6pm to 9pm for intensive revision.

 Dutch students all start school on their 4th birthday

In the Netherlands is that all students start school on their 4th birthday, whenever that may be, so throughout the year there are always new students joining. While this does mean that older students get more time to settle in and make friends, it does at least mean that students should be at a similar development level by the time their first day at school rolls around.

https://www.oxford-royale.com/articles/schools-around-world.html#aId=b6efedda-339e-47e9-b47a-2ad5e2eafd9e

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Different Countries, Different Work Cultures

With globalization leading to more interactions among cultures, it is important to be familiar with the preferences and behavioral patterns of one’s boss and colleagues, particularly when those individuals come from a different continent or when you are working in a foreign country.  Below are a few interesting examples from an article I just came across. I believe it will be an interesting reading to all of you. Enjoy!

1. The Israeli Workweek

In Israel, the workweek runs from Sunday-Thursday, so the citizens are free to observe Shabbat, the Jewish Holy Day, from sundown on Friday to Saturday evening. The standard Israeli work week is 43 hours. In some industries some exception exists and Western schedule have adopted to keep in touch with international counterparts of the company. More info about this:  43 hours

2. Logging Off in France

French workers are protected by a Right to Disconnect Law, which stipulates that most French professionals are not responsible for responding to emails that come in after hours. The measure was adopted to protect employees from being overworked. This is something we can only dream about in the U.S., but in France, it’s regarded as a necessary means to ensure a healthy work-life balance. You can find more info here: Right to Disconnect

3. Meeting Start Times in India

In India being 15 minutes late from a meeting still considered to be on time. If you are interested to learn more, please check the report here:   The Economic Times.

4. Collective Fitness in Japan

In Japan, employees and students engage in a 15 minute exercise together before they start their work days or classes. It intends to build morale, reduce stress and create a feeling of unity among employees/classmates. Learn more here: Radio taiso

5. Swedish Coffee Breaks Are Serious Business

The Swedes believe that taking breaks seeds productivity, which is why they take coffee breaks, or “fika” seriously. The coffee breaks give Swedish workers an opportunity to relax and get to know the colleagues better. For more info on this: fika

6. Supporting Icelandic Parents 

Iceland has an impressive set of standards for parental leave. Each parent gets three month of parental leave, followed by an additional three months of leave to share. Each parent earns 80% of his or her salary while on leave. More info: parental leave

7. Prayer Time Trumps Meeting Time in the UAE

In the United Arab Emirates prayer times should always be respected. Prayer times take priority over any phone call, event or any work related engagement. Find more on this here: prayer times

8. Rules of Thumb in Nigeria

When you work with a Nigerian colleague don’t give her/him a thumbs up a sign because the gesture has a completely different meaning in Nigeria and it is indeed considered very offensive. More info:  Nigerian

9. Un Beso in Argentina

A kiss on the cheek in Argentina in both professional and social spheres is a way of showing welcome, respect and affection. It is a traditional greeting that is extended with respect and warmth. More info: un beso

10. Finding Balance in Taiwan

Employees in Taiwan have long viewed their loyalty to their employers as their top priority, and they regard personal requests, like time off, as rude. In January 1, 2017 however a Law went into place giving Taiwanese professionals two days off per week. More info:  Taiwanese professionals

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The Roads of Adventurism

There is a profound disparity in motorized vehicle driving norms around the world. The difference is even more pronounced when observed from a motorcycle. Can the driving customs of a particular country provide insights to interpret societal culture? I leave potential explanations to that question for the reader in the comment section below. 

I first started riding motorcycles fifteen years ago in Indonesia. These early misadventures lead to a passion for piloting anything with two wheels and a powerful engine. 

The contrast in driving norms between countries comes into more light when observing two cities like Kuta, Indonesia, and Montpellier, France. 

The former, when measured in terms of adherence to driving laws is for all intents and purposes lawless. Void of speed limits, adherence to intersection traffic lights a kind of death-defying chaos ensues while driving. By some indiscernible madness, the flow of traffic gels together, but how and why are any ones best guess. This short video illustrates the point. Of course, the tragic reality is there are many traffic-related fatalities, but such is the case around the globe.  

On the other hand, in the city of Montpellier driving is governed by rules of the road so exact they seem robotic at times. This is especially evident in passing vehicles, remaining in the “flow” of traffic or driving in the slow verses fast lanes. 

I don’t have a preferred preference for driving in either system. Both offer a kind of unbridled freedom when on the driver seat of a motorcycle.

Happy trails

 

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Burning the Amazon to Feed China

Could an increasingly large middle class in China be accelerating deforestation of the Amazon rainforest?  According to Melissa Chan and Heriberto Araujo in a recent article for The Atlantic this is indeed the case. A growing middle class is increasingly looking to incorporate more meat into their diet, which is increasing demand for feedstock, such as soy, and Brazil is happy to meet those demands. I find it fascinating to look at the impact that market demands like this from China can have on a country like Brazil on the other side of the world. I also find it so interesting to observe the impacts of third countries, such as the United States, on further fueling this demand for Brazilian soy and the subsequent incentive for deforestation in Brazil. The US trade war with China has led to China seeking out new markets for agricultural imports, such as soy. Retaliatory tariffs placed on US soybeans have driven up costs and created further incentive to turn even greater portions of the Amazon into farmland.

I would be very interested to hear from the rest of the class on what you think the de-escalation of Chinese tariffs on US soybean could have on the Brazilian soybean industry and the rate of deforestation in the Amazon.

You can find the original article from The Atlantic here.

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Ranked Choice Voting

Here is the NYT Op Ed on Ranked Choice Voting from earlier this week.  I would be interested to hear what any of you think of the merits of the arguments of the the proponents and the critics

 

 

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Photo of mice squabbling on subway platform wins prestigious photography award

https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/wildlife-photographer-peoples-choice-winner-scli-gbr-intl/index.html

I found this article very interesting of two rats on the London tube fighting. New Yorkers are no strangers to rats they have integrated pretty well into the life of the city. Even though I think NYC rats  are much bigger, bolder and probably stronger than the  rats we saw fighting on the London Tube. I think the article and the photos  is quite incredible. Who would ever thought that two British rats fighting on the subway would win and award photo. Totally Awesome!! bring a little wild life to the big city.

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