Bakerville Consolidated School
On March 22, 2016, the New Hartford Board of Education (BOE) voted to close Bakerville Consolidated School after the town had had a referendum a week prior to the meeting. Five board members voted to close the school and four opposed. The residents of New Hartford are now furious on this decision made by the board members. Bakerville School should remain open because the school has sentimental value, the BOE made the decision without listening to the town, and because there is no good reason for closing the school.
One reason Bakerville School should remain open is the school has sentimental value. The school has been open since 1941. The building is a living museum of history! There are water fountains and other things in the school that are older. Having these items around the school give children glimpses of the past. Also, Bakerville School is the reason people move to New Hartford. During an interview, Daryl Falk (a New Hartford resident) stated, “New Hartford, CT is a small, close-knit community that exudes a certain charm that is hard to find in our world today. This is why I choose to live here. A significant part of that charm is attributed to having the landmark Bakerville School as one of its two primary (K-2) schools.” Many residents would second this statement. Combining the schools may spark friendship and teamwork building, but New Hartford Elementary will be pushed to its full capacity. This means bigger classes sizes -- which as a result -- will make it harder for children to learn. One of the Board of Education’s reasons for closing the school was that enrollment was decreasing and there was no reason for there to be two primary schools. But, according to Tom Buzzi, the town is experiencing growth. In a recent article published by the Hartford Courant, home sales in New Hartford have grown by 123% over last year. With these new home sales comes an influx of new students. This pushes enrollment. Within the next 5-10 years, there will be an increase in enrollment, and if Bakerville School is closed, then what will they do? New Hartford Elementary will be too crowded. They can’t re-open the school. The BOE will be left with a problem that could’ve easily been avoided if the Board had decided to keep the school open. Clearly, Bakerville School should remain open because Bakerville adds dimension to the town.
Furthermore, Bakerville Consolidated School should remain open is the Board made the decision without listening to the town. At the BOE meeting on March 22, residents (and even teachers) spoke up about keeping the school open. During the public comments section of the night, not one person got up and spoke about closing the school. Fourth-grade teacher at Ann Antolini School and resident of New Hartford, Karen Jones, read a letter from the fourth-grade team stating reasons why Bakerville School should stay open. The reasons stated were on behalf of the children. Additionally, the BOE completely ignored the town’s referendum that was held on March 15. The outcome of the polls was double the outcome of other referendums held in the town. In a Facebook post on the Save Bakerville School Facebook page, Tom Buzzi stated, “...the Board of Education told New Hartford, ‘You don't matter.’ They told New Hartford, ‘Your opinions don't matter’. Against their own bylaws and mission statements, they told New Hartford, ‘You are most certainly not an equal partner in how your children are educated.’” This shows that the town is really involved in this decision and that the residents will not give up. The Board of Education did not do their job -- what is right for the children. Clearly, keeping a school open is the best choice for the children. I understand that the BOE members were elected to make their decisions for the town, but when the people in the town are begging for you to change your mind, and these are also the people that got you elected, you should definitely listen to them. This is not what the Board of Education did. As you can see, keeping Bakerville School open is the right thing to do, especially considering the town feels so strong about the situation.
Finally and most importantly, Bakerville School should remain open because there is no good reason for closing the school. The BOE may think so, but in reality, closing the school does more harm to the town than it does help. The Board of Education said that there would be huge savings if Bakerville was closed, but the truth is, there won’t be. The cost savings by closing the school is around $210,00 per year. Of that $210,00, $90,000 will be transferred to the town’s budget for maintenance of the school. This means that by closing the school, the average savings per household per year will only be $41.23. As you can tell by what the people are saying, the taxpayers will not mind paying an extra forty dollars to keep the school open. In addition to low savings, children’s bus rides will definitely increase if Bakerville School is closed at the end of this school year. According to DATTCO, the bus rides will increase an average of five to eight minutes. Some routes may even increase up to fifteen minutes longer than normal. This means that students could be on the bus for almost two hours every day. Extensive bus rides can be exhausting for children. This is a clear negative of what will happen if Bakerville Consolidated School is closed. On another note, home values in Bakerville will decrease if the school is closed. As Thomas Buzzi stated in his email to all of the residents of the town urging them to vote to keep Bakerville open, “We are beginning to fear that with no intended uses, the building will become abandoned and susceptible to theft and vandalism.” This is a huge problem; with no reason for the school, the taxpayers are paying to keep the building in shape while it has no intended uses. It is clear that Bakerville School should remain open. Not only does it give the building a purpose, but keeping the school open keeps the town happy.
Bakerville School isn’t just a school; it isn’t just a building. Bakerville Consolidated School is a landmark, a monument. Bakerville School should remain open for the 2016-2017 school year -- and many more school years -- because the school has sentimental value, the Board made the decision without listening to the town, and because there is no good reason for closing the school. Bakerville School inspires children to learn, and do well. It inspires kids to be creative and think outside the box. Many schools strive for the essence that Bakerville School possess, but none can reach it. Bakerville School is truly one-of-a-kind and should most certainly remain open.
Works Cited
"New Hartford Board Votes to Keep Bakerville School Open Republican American." New Hartford Board Votes to Keep Bakerville School Open Republican American. Web. 01 Apr. 2016.
"Save Bakerville School." Save Bakerville School. Web. 01 Apr. 2016.
“Save Bakerville School.” Tim Goff’s email to the New Hartford residents.
One reason Bakerville School should remain open is the school has sentimental value. The school has been open since 1941. The building is a living museum of history! There are water fountains and other things in the school that are older. Having these items around the school give children glimpses of the past. Also, Bakerville School is the reason people move to New Hartford. During an interview, Daryl Falk (a New Hartford resident) stated, “New Hartford, CT is a small, close-knit community that exudes a certain charm that is hard to find in our world today. This is why I choose to live here. A significant part of that charm is attributed to having the landmark Bakerville School as one of its two primary (K-2) schools.” Many residents would second this statement. Combining the schools may spark friendship and teamwork building, but New Hartford Elementary will be pushed to its full capacity. This means bigger classes sizes -- which as a result -- will make it harder for children to learn. One of the Board of Education’s reasons for closing the school was that enrollment was decreasing and there was no reason for there to be two primary schools. But, according to Tom Buzzi, the town is experiencing growth. In a recent article published by the Hartford Courant, home sales in New Hartford have grown by 123% over last year. With these new home sales comes an influx of new students. This pushes enrollment. Within the next 5-10 years, there will be an increase in enrollment, and if Bakerville School is closed, then what will they do? New Hartford Elementary will be too crowded. They can’t re-open the school. The BOE will be left with a problem that could’ve easily been avoided if the Board had decided to keep the school open. Clearly, Bakerville School should remain open because Bakerville adds dimension to the town.
Furthermore, Bakerville Consolidated School should remain open is the Board made the decision without listening to the town. At the BOE meeting on March 22, residents (and even teachers) spoke up about keeping the school open. During the public comments section of the night, not one person got up and spoke about closing the school. Fourth-grade teacher at Ann Antolini School and resident of New Hartford, Karen Jones, read a letter from the fourth-grade team stating reasons why Bakerville School should stay open. The reasons stated were on behalf of the children. Additionally, the BOE completely ignored the town’s referendum that was held on March 15. The outcome of the polls was double the outcome of other referendums held in the town. In a Facebook post on the Save Bakerville School Facebook page, Tom Buzzi stated, “...the Board of Education told New Hartford, ‘You don't matter.’ They told New Hartford, ‘Your opinions don't matter’. Against their own bylaws and mission statements, they told New Hartford, ‘You are most certainly not an equal partner in how your children are educated.’” This shows that the town is really involved in this decision and that the residents will not give up. The Board of Education did not do their job -- what is right for the children. Clearly, keeping a school open is the best choice for the children. I understand that the BOE members were elected to make their decisions for the town, but when the people in the town are begging for you to change your mind, and these are also the people that got you elected, you should definitely listen to them. This is not what the Board of Education did. As you can see, keeping Bakerville School open is the right thing to do, especially considering the town feels so strong about the situation.
Finally and most importantly, Bakerville School should remain open because there is no good reason for closing the school. The BOE may think so, but in reality, closing the school does more harm to the town than it does help. The Board of Education said that there would be huge savings if Bakerville was closed, but the truth is, there won’t be. The cost savings by closing the school is around $210,00 per year. Of that $210,00, $90,000 will be transferred to the town’s budget for maintenance of the school. This means that by closing the school, the average savings per household per year will only be $41.23. As you can tell by what the people are saying, the taxpayers will not mind paying an extra forty dollars to keep the school open. In addition to low savings, children’s bus rides will definitely increase if Bakerville School is closed at the end of this school year. According to DATTCO, the bus rides will increase an average of five to eight minutes. Some routes may even increase up to fifteen minutes longer than normal. This means that students could be on the bus for almost two hours every day. Extensive bus rides can be exhausting for children. This is a clear negative of what will happen if Bakerville Consolidated School is closed. On another note, home values in Bakerville will decrease if the school is closed. As Thomas Buzzi stated in his email to all of the residents of the town urging them to vote to keep Bakerville open, “We are beginning to fear that with no intended uses, the building will become abandoned and susceptible to theft and vandalism.” This is a huge problem; with no reason for the school, the taxpayers are paying to keep the building in shape while it has no intended uses. It is clear that Bakerville School should remain open. Not only does it give the building a purpose, but keeping the school open keeps the town happy.
Bakerville School isn’t just a school; it isn’t just a building. Bakerville Consolidated School is a landmark, a monument. Bakerville School should remain open for the 2016-2017 school year -- and many more school years -- because the school has sentimental value, the Board made the decision without listening to the town, and because there is no good reason for closing the school. Bakerville School inspires children to learn, and do well. It inspires kids to be creative and think outside the box. Many schools strive for the essence that Bakerville School possess, but none can reach it. Bakerville School is truly one-of-a-kind and should most certainly remain open.
Works Cited
"New Hartford Board Votes to Keep Bakerville School Open Republican American." New Hartford Board Votes to Keep Bakerville School Open Republican American. Web. 01 Apr. 2016.
"Save Bakerville School." Save Bakerville School. Web. 01 Apr. 2016.
“Save Bakerville School.” Tim Goff’s email to the New Hartford residents.
August Is Brave
In R.J. Palacio’s famous novel, Wonder, the main character and narrator, August (Auggie) Pullman, is brave. Auggie is brave because he gives people a chance to prove themselves, he doesn’t let people intimidate him with their words and actions, and he does things he hadn’t done before. Auggie has a severe facial deformity which causes people to stare at him frequently. This can make simple things like walking through the school hallways difficult for Auggie because as much as he tries to push past the staring, he can feel people’s eyes on him, which once again makes Auggie a brave character to even walk outside.
Auggie is brave because he gives people a chance to prove themselves. When Auggie overheard Jack Will make fun of him on Halloween, he was hurt because he thought that his own buddy had betrayed him; but when we saw Jack’s perspective, we realized that Jack was only going along with Julian and the other boys to look “cool”. When Auggie found out, he believed Jack Will and gave him a second chance. I can infer from the emails that Auggie and Jack were sending each other over winter break that Auggie forgave Jack after he explained himself. Few people would do this. Another reason that shows Auggie gives people chances is when Amos, Henry, and Miles wanted to be his friends after he was picked on the nature retreat, Auggie let them be his friend. This may not seem like a big deal because kids gain and lose friends all the time, but based on how Amos, Henry and Miles stuck with Julian at the beginning of the year, Auggie didn’t know if he could trust them. This is brave because he didn’t have to let them be his friends; he also didn’t know if they would be mean again once they were back with Julian. Finally, I know Auggie is brave because in The Julian Chapter (the companion to Wonder), Auggie forgave Julian for all the mean things he had said about him and to him throughout the year. For instance, Auggie called Julian and said to him, “... I got your note… thanks for writing it. No need to call me back. I just wanted to say hey. We’re good…” This proves that Auggie is brave because when someone bullies you, you typically never want to forgive them. A reader may think that Auggie marked Julian off as a bully at once, but when Auggie’s mother was shocked after he told her what Julian had said to him, he defended Julian by saying, “He didn’t say it in a mean way… He was just asking.” As you can see, Auggie didn’t think that Julian would be mean, just curious like everyone else. Standing up for a someone who was mean to you is such an audacious thing to do, especially for a ten-year-old boy. It takes a character with bravery to do this. Auggie is brave. He gives people a chance to prove themselves.
Another reason Auggie is brave is he doesn’t let people intimidate him with their words and actions. For example, when August was in school with Julian, Julian made a rude remark on his face. Auggie was really into Star Wars, so Julian made the comparison between Darth Sidious and Auggie. Darth Sidious’s face was burned in a fire, so Julian was intentionally hurting Auggie without the teachers knowing. Even though this made Auggie feel bad, it didn’t make Auggie afraid of Julian. Additionally, Auggie was brave when he wasn’t bothered by children’s reactions to his face. The constant gasps and attention are what Auggie has gotten used to, although he dislikes it. This makes him brave because going out in public knowing that people are staring at you can be hard for a child to take in -- or anyone for that matter. The author wrote, “But I’m kind of used to how I look by now. I know how to pretend I don’t see the faces people make.” Lastly, Auggie was brave when he didn’t get mad at Julian for writing loathsome notes and placing them in his locker. Even though Auggie never got mad, he still put silly little notes into Julian’s locker; but Auggie’s intention was to be funny while Julian’s intention was to be cruel. Clearly, August is brave because not letting other’s rude actions get to him is a hard thing that many people could not handle -- but Auggie didn’t allow others to make him feel like less of a person for long. He pushed past the times he was hurt quickly, and with a good outlook, hoping that things would get better.
Lastly and above all, Auggie is brave because he does things he hadn’t done before. Because of all of Auggie’s surgeries, he had been homeschooled by his mother for all of his life, until now, when he enters fifth grade. Auggie then found out that his parents had enrolled him in Beecher Prep Middle School. It is not unusual for a normal kid to go to school, but Auggie is not a normal kid. Auggie was scared of going to school because he had never been to a real school before. According to the novel, Wonder, Auggie said, “Since I’ve never been to a real school before, I am pretty much totally and completely petrified.” Auggie has a severe facial deformity, and many people stare at him. But Auggie went to school, even though he knew it would be emotionally challenging for him. In addition going to school for the first time, Auggie was brave when he went to the nature retreat at his school -- a three day and two night overnight trip. Auggie had never slept away from his parents before; he had tried sleeping over his friend Christopher’s house once, but he couldn’t sleep. In the middle of the night, Auggie had to go home. In the text, the narrator stated, “So my one and only sleepover, up until now, was pretty much a disaster, which is why I’m a little nervous about the nature retreat.” Auggie went to the nature retreat even though he had never slept away from his parents before. Furthermore, Auggie was brave when he went to bed by himself on the night that Daisy (his dog) died. On page 225, Auggie said, “So I went to my bed and put on my pajamas without anyone telling me to and put the night-light off and crawled into the little mountain of stuffed animals I had left on my bed earlier.” Auggie was used to his parents tucking him in before bed, but his parents were in his big sister Via’s room consulting her (because Daisy’s death had a strong effect on Via). Auggie didn’t want to disturb them, so he went to bed by himself. As you can see, Auggie is brave because few people try new things -- especially if they know that it will be difficult for them. Many people would avoid facing their problems head-on, but Auggie is not one of them.
Auggie is so brave to be doing such bold things for a child with his condition. He proves that his facial deformity placed no limits on him, even though people may try to do so. Auggie proves he does not differ from anyone else in Beecher Prep Middle School. This makes Auggie a brave character; specifically because he gives people a chance to prove themselves, he doesn’t let people intimidate him with their words and actions, and because August does things he hadn’t done before. As Mr. Tushman said, when it comes to facing the world, Auggie does it with courage, kindness, friendship, and character, and his strength carries up the most hearts.
Works Cited
Palacio, R. J., R. J. Palacio, R. J. Palacio, and R. J. Palacio. Auggie & Me: Three Wonder Stories. Print.
Palacio, R. J. Auggie & Me: Three Wonder Stories. Print.
Palacio, R. J. Wonder. Print.
Palacio, R. J. Wonder. Print.
Auggie is brave because he gives people a chance to prove themselves. When Auggie overheard Jack Will make fun of him on Halloween, he was hurt because he thought that his own buddy had betrayed him; but when we saw Jack’s perspective, we realized that Jack was only going along with Julian and the other boys to look “cool”. When Auggie found out, he believed Jack Will and gave him a second chance. I can infer from the emails that Auggie and Jack were sending each other over winter break that Auggie forgave Jack after he explained himself. Few people would do this. Another reason that shows Auggie gives people chances is when Amos, Henry, and Miles wanted to be his friends after he was picked on the nature retreat, Auggie let them be his friend. This may not seem like a big deal because kids gain and lose friends all the time, but based on how Amos, Henry and Miles stuck with Julian at the beginning of the year, Auggie didn’t know if he could trust them. This is brave because he didn’t have to let them be his friends; he also didn’t know if they would be mean again once they were back with Julian. Finally, I know Auggie is brave because in The Julian Chapter (the companion to Wonder), Auggie forgave Julian for all the mean things he had said about him and to him throughout the year. For instance, Auggie called Julian and said to him, “... I got your note… thanks for writing it. No need to call me back. I just wanted to say hey. We’re good…” This proves that Auggie is brave because when someone bullies you, you typically never want to forgive them. A reader may think that Auggie marked Julian off as a bully at once, but when Auggie’s mother was shocked after he told her what Julian had said to him, he defended Julian by saying, “He didn’t say it in a mean way… He was just asking.” As you can see, Auggie didn’t think that Julian would be mean, just curious like everyone else. Standing up for a someone who was mean to you is such an audacious thing to do, especially for a ten-year-old boy. It takes a character with bravery to do this. Auggie is brave. He gives people a chance to prove themselves.
Another reason Auggie is brave is he doesn’t let people intimidate him with their words and actions. For example, when August was in school with Julian, Julian made a rude remark on his face. Auggie was really into Star Wars, so Julian made the comparison between Darth Sidious and Auggie. Darth Sidious’s face was burned in a fire, so Julian was intentionally hurting Auggie without the teachers knowing. Even though this made Auggie feel bad, it didn’t make Auggie afraid of Julian. Additionally, Auggie was brave when he wasn’t bothered by children’s reactions to his face. The constant gasps and attention are what Auggie has gotten used to, although he dislikes it. This makes him brave because going out in public knowing that people are staring at you can be hard for a child to take in -- or anyone for that matter. The author wrote, “But I’m kind of used to how I look by now. I know how to pretend I don’t see the faces people make.” Lastly, Auggie was brave when he didn’t get mad at Julian for writing loathsome notes and placing them in his locker. Even though Auggie never got mad, he still put silly little notes into Julian’s locker; but Auggie’s intention was to be funny while Julian’s intention was to be cruel. Clearly, August is brave because not letting other’s rude actions get to him is a hard thing that many people could not handle -- but Auggie didn’t allow others to make him feel like less of a person for long. He pushed past the times he was hurt quickly, and with a good outlook, hoping that things would get better.
Lastly and above all, Auggie is brave because he does things he hadn’t done before. Because of all of Auggie’s surgeries, he had been homeschooled by his mother for all of his life, until now, when he enters fifth grade. Auggie then found out that his parents had enrolled him in Beecher Prep Middle School. It is not unusual for a normal kid to go to school, but Auggie is not a normal kid. Auggie was scared of going to school because he had never been to a real school before. According to the novel, Wonder, Auggie said, “Since I’ve never been to a real school before, I am pretty much totally and completely petrified.” Auggie has a severe facial deformity, and many people stare at him. But Auggie went to school, even though he knew it would be emotionally challenging for him. In addition going to school for the first time, Auggie was brave when he went to the nature retreat at his school -- a three day and two night overnight trip. Auggie had never slept away from his parents before; he had tried sleeping over his friend Christopher’s house once, but he couldn’t sleep. In the middle of the night, Auggie had to go home. In the text, the narrator stated, “So my one and only sleepover, up until now, was pretty much a disaster, which is why I’m a little nervous about the nature retreat.” Auggie went to the nature retreat even though he had never slept away from his parents before. Furthermore, Auggie was brave when he went to bed by himself on the night that Daisy (his dog) died. On page 225, Auggie said, “So I went to my bed and put on my pajamas without anyone telling me to and put the night-light off and crawled into the little mountain of stuffed animals I had left on my bed earlier.” Auggie was used to his parents tucking him in before bed, but his parents were in his big sister Via’s room consulting her (because Daisy’s death had a strong effect on Via). Auggie didn’t want to disturb them, so he went to bed by himself. As you can see, Auggie is brave because few people try new things -- especially if they know that it will be difficult for them. Many people would avoid facing their problems head-on, but Auggie is not one of them.
Auggie is so brave to be doing such bold things for a child with his condition. He proves that his facial deformity placed no limits on him, even though people may try to do so. Auggie proves he does not differ from anyone else in Beecher Prep Middle School. This makes Auggie a brave character; specifically because he gives people a chance to prove themselves, he doesn’t let people intimidate him with their words and actions, and because August does things he hadn’t done before. As Mr. Tushman said, when it comes to facing the world, Auggie does it with courage, kindness, friendship, and character, and his strength carries up the most hearts.
Works Cited
Palacio, R. J., R. J. Palacio, R. J. Palacio, and R. J. Palacio. Auggie & Me: Three Wonder Stories. Print.
Palacio, R. J. Auggie & Me: Three Wonder Stories. Print.
Palacio, R. J. Wonder. Print.
Palacio, R. J. Wonder. Print.
Rats Are Harmful
Imagine this, your family buys two chickens, and they are the perfect additions for your family. Now you can have fresh eggs and a lovable companion around the house all the time. You let your chickens outside in their coop, and then go to bed, dreaming without a care, when little did you know that your precious chickens are being eaten alive and attacked by a vicious, evil, disastrous rat. Their eggs that they laid are being destroyed! You wake up to find both of your beloved chickens dead and gone, and all that is left is a cluster of their blood splattered feathers. Rats are clearly harmful because they bite people and spread disease, they gnaw on important things, they kill creatures, and rats destroy food. This makes them a huge threat to our society.
Rats are harmful because they bite people and spread disease. The most common time for rat bites is at night, because rats are naturally nocturnal. Many people think that the chances of getting bitten by a rat is very slim, but rats bite 4,000 Americans each year, with nearly 1,000,000 bites worldwide! Would you like to be one of those one million citizens who are faced with painful, unhealthy bites? Equally, rats saliva contains hazardous diseases such as leptospirosis and hantavirus; rat urine is responsible for the wide spread of leptospirosis. As Albert Marrin said in his book Oh, Rats!, “Rats are disease carriers. Scientists nicknamed them ‘germ carriers,’ for they bring up microorganisms, or minute-life forms, from streams of sewage that flow beneath the Earth’s surface.” Although some people believe that rats can help sniff out diseases, they’re spreading diseases by the bite, which is definitely more harmful than helpful. Humans that are bitten are susceptible to tetanus infections. When you are bitten, bleeding occurs, with open wounds that could become infected. A human that is bitten by a rat can have liver and/or kidney damage in the future. Clearly, rats are harmful because they’ve been responsible for several widely-spread diseases. Doesn’t this seem like a threat?
Another reason rats are harmful is they gnaw and chew on important items. Evidently, a rat’s jaw is one hundred times stronger than a human’s jaw. This makes sense because their teeth are stronger than copper. Rats can gnaw through almost anything; wood, concrete, cement, you name it, rats can chew through it. Rats also chew up paper money. One man didn’t believe in banks, so he put his money in wooden chests. When a swarm of rats got to it, two million dollars (in bills) were shredded. Rats also destroy lives by causing disasters. For example, in one village a swarm of rats chewed through a dam, flooding the entire town! Although some people may think that floods are just a force of nature and that if there wasn’t a dam in the first place then the village wouldn’t have been flooded, but dams are a water supply, and you can’t expect people to take away a water supply because of some loathsome creatures! Rats also gnaw on wires, causing deadly fires that can spread easily. This proves that rats are harmful because they clearly destroy property -- twenty-nine percent of Americans have rodent problems in their home.
Furthermore, rats are harmful because they kill creatures. Rats are omnivores, meaning that they will eat both animals and plants. For instance, in Germany, a zookeeper had to put to sleep three elephants that were crippled by rats. Besides chewing elephant toenails, rats are harmful because they love to eat bird’s eggs. As I noted earlier in the text, rats enjoy eating birds and their eggs. Many people say that this is just the circle of life, but rats have wiped out eighteen species of birds and have put forty more species on the endangered list. This is not the circle of life, this is the circle of death for those poor birds! Rats have also eaten one man alive in the sewers. One man might not seem like a lot, but that is one life that was lost due to these repulsive rodents. As you can see, rats are harmful for they destroy lives. Think of how you would feel if you lost a family member or a pet to these vexing rodents!
Finally, rats are harmful because they destroy and eat food that could help feed the world. Rats can eat 1/10 of their body weight every single day. This is shown because rats in Asia consume forty-eight million tons of rice -- enough to feed a quarter of a billion people. Many people think that rats could solve the problem of world hunger because there are so many of them and people enjoy eating them, but evidence suggests otherwise; in India, rats spoil enough grain each year to fill a freight train three-thousand miles long. How could they solve world hunger when they are stealing so much food from people? One-fifth to one-third of the humans food supply is spoiled by rats! This is shown because every year, 400,000 tons of food is spoiled with rat urine and feces alone. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) sets standards for the amount of rat hair and feces allowed in our everyday foods, like peanut butter. It is clear that rats are harmful because they spoil and eat millions of tons of food that could be given to starving, emaciated people.
As you can see, rats are very harmful animals to our society. They bite people and spread disease, they chew on important things; rats kill creatures, and they destroy and eat food. These are threats to not only the human race, but to other animals as well. Although many humans have tried to fix these problems, they seem almost impossible to fix. What people must understand is that even though rats are always going to be around, they are most definitely harmful.
Works Cited
Marrin, Albert, and C. B. Mordan. Oh, Rats!: The Story of Rats and People. New York, NY: Dutton Children's, 2006. Print.
"Of Mice and Men: Rodent Infestations Plague Nearly A Third of Americans." Oh Rats: Rodent Infestations Plague One-Third of Americans – PestWorld. Web. 22 Feb. 2016.
Rats are harmful because they bite people and spread disease. The most common time for rat bites is at night, because rats are naturally nocturnal. Many people think that the chances of getting bitten by a rat is very slim, but rats bite 4,000 Americans each year, with nearly 1,000,000 bites worldwide! Would you like to be one of those one million citizens who are faced with painful, unhealthy bites? Equally, rats saliva contains hazardous diseases such as leptospirosis and hantavirus; rat urine is responsible for the wide spread of leptospirosis. As Albert Marrin said in his book Oh, Rats!, “Rats are disease carriers. Scientists nicknamed them ‘germ carriers,’ for they bring up microorganisms, or minute-life forms, from streams of sewage that flow beneath the Earth’s surface.” Although some people believe that rats can help sniff out diseases, they’re spreading diseases by the bite, which is definitely more harmful than helpful. Humans that are bitten are susceptible to tetanus infections. When you are bitten, bleeding occurs, with open wounds that could become infected. A human that is bitten by a rat can have liver and/or kidney damage in the future. Clearly, rats are harmful because they’ve been responsible for several widely-spread diseases. Doesn’t this seem like a threat?
Another reason rats are harmful is they gnaw and chew on important items. Evidently, a rat’s jaw is one hundred times stronger than a human’s jaw. This makes sense because their teeth are stronger than copper. Rats can gnaw through almost anything; wood, concrete, cement, you name it, rats can chew through it. Rats also chew up paper money. One man didn’t believe in banks, so he put his money in wooden chests. When a swarm of rats got to it, two million dollars (in bills) were shredded. Rats also destroy lives by causing disasters. For example, in one village a swarm of rats chewed through a dam, flooding the entire town! Although some people may think that floods are just a force of nature and that if there wasn’t a dam in the first place then the village wouldn’t have been flooded, but dams are a water supply, and you can’t expect people to take away a water supply because of some loathsome creatures! Rats also gnaw on wires, causing deadly fires that can spread easily. This proves that rats are harmful because they clearly destroy property -- twenty-nine percent of Americans have rodent problems in their home.
Furthermore, rats are harmful because they kill creatures. Rats are omnivores, meaning that they will eat both animals and plants. For instance, in Germany, a zookeeper had to put to sleep three elephants that were crippled by rats. Besides chewing elephant toenails, rats are harmful because they love to eat bird’s eggs. As I noted earlier in the text, rats enjoy eating birds and their eggs. Many people say that this is just the circle of life, but rats have wiped out eighteen species of birds and have put forty more species on the endangered list. This is not the circle of life, this is the circle of death for those poor birds! Rats have also eaten one man alive in the sewers. One man might not seem like a lot, but that is one life that was lost due to these repulsive rodents. As you can see, rats are harmful for they destroy lives. Think of how you would feel if you lost a family member or a pet to these vexing rodents!
Finally, rats are harmful because they destroy and eat food that could help feed the world. Rats can eat 1/10 of their body weight every single day. This is shown because rats in Asia consume forty-eight million tons of rice -- enough to feed a quarter of a billion people. Many people think that rats could solve the problem of world hunger because there are so many of them and people enjoy eating them, but evidence suggests otherwise; in India, rats spoil enough grain each year to fill a freight train three-thousand miles long. How could they solve world hunger when they are stealing so much food from people? One-fifth to one-third of the humans food supply is spoiled by rats! This is shown because every year, 400,000 tons of food is spoiled with rat urine and feces alone. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) sets standards for the amount of rat hair and feces allowed in our everyday foods, like peanut butter. It is clear that rats are harmful because they spoil and eat millions of tons of food that could be given to starving, emaciated people.
As you can see, rats are very harmful animals to our society. They bite people and spread disease, they chew on important things; rats kill creatures, and they destroy and eat food. These are threats to not only the human race, but to other animals as well. Although many humans have tried to fix these problems, they seem almost impossible to fix. What people must understand is that even though rats are always going to be around, they are most definitely harmful.
Works Cited
Marrin, Albert, and C. B. Mordan. Oh, Rats!: The Story of Rats and People. New York, NY: Dutton Children's, 2006. Print.
"Of Mice and Men: Rodent Infestations Plague Nearly A Third of Americans." Oh Rats: Rodent Infestations Plague One-Third of Americans – PestWorld. Web. 22 Feb. 2016.
Dress Codes- Better For Everyone
If you went to a public school until 3rd grade, and then switched to a private school, what do you think would be different. For one thing, there would be smaller classes. What about students wearing a uniform, or a dress code? That is common in almost all private schools. Dress codes help schools by preventing bullying, having less distractions in the classroom, and it shows students what it would be like dressing for work everyday as an adult.
Dress codes help schools because they prevent bullying. They prevent bullying because if everyone is wearing similar things, kids have less reasons to pick on other kids. In schools without dress codes, bullying is a big problem. Even schools that have dress codes have bullying problems, but one of the ways a child can get bullied is if they aren’t following a ‘trend’. They might get picked on for that, or if they aren’t wearing something cool, they might be told that they looked ugly. Dress codes enforce the rule of wearing things that are appropriate for school. If everyone is wear a collared shirt with 3-4 buttons and a long skirt or khaki shorts, then you can’t pick on someone who is wearing the same things as you. Some children take forever to get dressed, just because some kids at school told them that they didn’t look ‘cool’. They get really nervous about what people will think about their outfits. Dress codes stop all of that.
Dress codes help schools by having less distractions in the classroom. Neon colors are on a lot of sports jerseys or athletic wear. Colors like fluorescent yellow, bright orange, and neon green can be very distracting for students who have a hard time focussing without any distractions. Hair is another problem. Mohawks are becoming more and more popular, and sometimes really tall! If you’re sitting behind some kid who has a bright purple, tall mohawk, then how can you A) See the teacher, and B) Concentrate? Dying your hair unnatural colors may look cool, so lots of students might comment on it, and lead the whole class off topic. Which does not help the teacher who is trying to help students learn.
Dress codes help schools because they show students how you would have to dress in the work world. Inappropriate items like short shorts, spaghetti straps, sleeveless shirts, mini skirts, hats, and flip flops are being worn by students to school. When these children grow up, they will be in the work world which means that they can’t dress like that depending on the job that they have. Why not prep them for that at a young age and keep the inappropriate attire for outside of school? When TIME For Kids interviewed children on the streets of NYC, one child said, “I feel like it makes sense that we have a dress code because a lot of kids are walking around in stuff that’s probably a bit inappropriate...”. This student’s school did have a dress code and the person also went to a public school.
In conclusion, dress codes help schools because they prevent appearance bullying, they help have less distractions in the classroom, and they teach kids how to dress for success and prep them for their future. The National Center for Education Statistics says that 57% of public school now have dress codes, and most private schools already have dress codes. Dress codes are better for everyone, don’t you think?
My Sources
TIME For Kids- School Dress Codes
Dress codes help schools because they prevent bullying. They prevent bullying because if everyone is wearing similar things, kids have less reasons to pick on other kids. In schools without dress codes, bullying is a big problem. Even schools that have dress codes have bullying problems, but one of the ways a child can get bullied is if they aren’t following a ‘trend’. They might get picked on for that, or if they aren’t wearing something cool, they might be told that they looked ugly. Dress codes enforce the rule of wearing things that are appropriate for school. If everyone is wear a collared shirt with 3-4 buttons and a long skirt or khaki shorts, then you can’t pick on someone who is wearing the same things as you. Some children take forever to get dressed, just because some kids at school told them that they didn’t look ‘cool’. They get really nervous about what people will think about their outfits. Dress codes stop all of that.
Dress codes help schools by having less distractions in the classroom. Neon colors are on a lot of sports jerseys or athletic wear. Colors like fluorescent yellow, bright orange, and neon green can be very distracting for students who have a hard time focussing without any distractions. Hair is another problem. Mohawks are becoming more and more popular, and sometimes really tall! If you’re sitting behind some kid who has a bright purple, tall mohawk, then how can you A) See the teacher, and B) Concentrate? Dying your hair unnatural colors may look cool, so lots of students might comment on it, and lead the whole class off topic. Which does not help the teacher who is trying to help students learn.
Dress codes help schools because they show students how you would have to dress in the work world. Inappropriate items like short shorts, spaghetti straps, sleeveless shirts, mini skirts, hats, and flip flops are being worn by students to school. When these children grow up, they will be in the work world which means that they can’t dress like that depending on the job that they have. Why not prep them for that at a young age and keep the inappropriate attire for outside of school? When TIME For Kids interviewed children on the streets of NYC, one child said, “I feel like it makes sense that we have a dress code because a lot of kids are walking around in stuff that’s probably a bit inappropriate...”. This student’s school did have a dress code and the person also went to a public school.
In conclusion, dress codes help schools because they prevent appearance bullying, they help have less distractions in the classroom, and they teach kids how to dress for success and prep them for their future. The National Center for Education Statistics says that 57% of public school now have dress codes, and most private schools already have dress codes. Dress codes are better for everyone, don’t you think?
My Sources
TIME For Kids- School Dress Codes
Colonial Judgement
Many people could care less about how colonial people felt about others; but they shouldn’t! I think it is important to know how colonial people felt about others because they felt that others were evil witches and did the work of the devil, they singled out other religions because they thought that Puritans were the best (purest), and if you didn’t go to meeting, you had to pay fines.
I think it is important to know how colonial people felt about others because some people thought others were evil and did the work of the devil. When the crops stopped growing, the cow stopped producing milk, and a person fell ill, it had to be a witch doing the work of the devil. But who was it? Puritans were scared to hear that there were witches among them so they had witch hunts to find their witch before he/she got someone else to sign the devil’s book.
In 1692, in Salem Massachusetts, Elizabeth Parris and Abigail Williams started seeing “specters”. They said that they were afflicted by Satan (the devil). They claimed that three witches were biting and pinching them. Sarah Goode, Sarah Osborne, and Tituba Indian were the so-called witches. The book of Genesis says, “thou shall not suffer a witch to live” so they arrested the three and put them on trial. Only Tituba confessed of doing the work of Satan. Goode and Osborne claimed that they were innocent. Sarah Goode and many others were hanged at Gallows Hill. Tituba Indian was never executed, because of her confession. Many people were harmed by The Salem Witch Trials like Rebecca Nurse, Giles and Martha Corey, and Dorcas Goode (Sarah Goode’s toddler). The little village had been in an uproar because of what some children “saw”.
I think it’s important to know how colonial people felt about others because they singled out other religions because they thought that Puritans were the best (purest). In the time of King Charles II and King James II, there were these religious people called Puritans. They left England and came to the 13 English colonies in the New World. These Puritans believed that they were the best religion. They singled out other religions because they thought everyone should worship like they did (but that was why the Pilgrims left England, because the same thing happened to them). Religions like the Quakers and The Church of England (which was Protestant). If you weren’t Puritan, people didn’t respect you at all! That is why some people joined the Puritan religion.
I think it’s important to know how colonial people felt about others because if you didn’t go to meeting, you had to pay fines. On Sundays, the Puritans would gather in their meeting house. Here they practiced their faith. The Puritans weren’t the only religion though, there were Quakers and even some members of the Church of England. They didn’t want to believe the same thing as the Puritans. They didn’t want to practice a different faith and live their life like the Puritans so they didn’t go to meeting. But they had to pay fines. Those are taxes. That was unfair.
You are very lucky that you didn’t live in the time of Colonial America because some people were very cruel to other people! I think it’s important to know how colonial people felt about others because some people felt others were evil witches and did the work of the devil, they singled out other religions because they thought that Puritans were the best (purest) and if you didn’t go to meeting, you had to pay fines. Don’t you think it’s important?
I think it is important to know how colonial people felt about others because some people thought others were evil and did the work of the devil. When the crops stopped growing, the cow stopped producing milk, and a person fell ill, it had to be a witch doing the work of the devil. But who was it? Puritans were scared to hear that there were witches among them so they had witch hunts to find their witch before he/she got someone else to sign the devil’s book.
In 1692, in Salem Massachusetts, Elizabeth Parris and Abigail Williams started seeing “specters”. They said that they were afflicted by Satan (the devil). They claimed that three witches were biting and pinching them. Sarah Goode, Sarah Osborne, and Tituba Indian were the so-called witches. The book of Genesis says, “thou shall not suffer a witch to live” so they arrested the three and put them on trial. Only Tituba confessed of doing the work of Satan. Goode and Osborne claimed that they were innocent. Sarah Goode and many others were hanged at Gallows Hill. Tituba Indian was never executed, because of her confession. Many people were harmed by The Salem Witch Trials like Rebecca Nurse, Giles and Martha Corey, and Dorcas Goode (Sarah Goode’s toddler). The little village had been in an uproar because of what some children “saw”.
I think it’s important to know how colonial people felt about others because they singled out other religions because they thought that Puritans were the best (purest). In the time of King Charles II and King James II, there were these religious people called Puritans. They left England and came to the 13 English colonies in the New World. These Puritans believed that they were the best religion. They singled out other religions because they thought everyone should worship like they did (but that was why the Pilgrims left England, because the same thing happened to them). Religions like the Quakers and The Church of England (which was Protestant). If you weren’t Puritan, people didn’t respect you at all! That is why some people joined the Puritan religion.
I think it’s important to know how colonial people felt about others because if you didn’t go to meeting, you had to pay fines. On Sundays, the Puritans would gather in their meeting house. Here they practiced their faith. The Puritans weren’t the only religion though, there were Quakers and even some members of the Church of England. They didn’t want to believe the same thing as the Puritans. They didn’t want to practice a different faith and live their life like the Puritans so they didn’t go to meeting. But they had to pay fines. Those are taxes. That was unfair.
You are very lucky that you didn’t live in the time of Colonial America because some people were very cruel to other people! I think it’s important to know how colonial people felt about others because some people felt others were evil witches and did the work of the devil, they singled out other religions because they thought that Puritans were the best (purest) and if you didn’t go to meeting, you had to pay fines. Don’t you think it’s important?