Universal Pre-K

President Obama’s proposal for providing a Universal Pre-K program may not be as effective as is expected to be. Obama urges for an early education initiative, relying on studies that show the sooner children begin learning, the better they do down the road. However, studies made have not demonstrated to provide lasting benefits for children who attend early childhood programs compared to those who do not. In theory, Obamas early education initiative is good, but if it is actually followed through, it may have counterproductive effects on education in general. As Senator Johnny Isakson, Republican of Georgia said in an interview, “President Obama’s call is a great idea, but the government must find a way to pay for the program that would not add to the deficit or force taxpayers to foot the bill” (Gentile).

First of all, we should first look into the programs that states currently have such as Head start. We should look at what has been and has not been working in such programs.  Early education intervention is important, but creating new programs on top of those existing may weaken what we already have. There is also no guarantee or evidence to verify that a new program will actually provide lifetime benefits to those who participate in them. A new program may have the possibility of being successful if it actually had the funds to launch for itself. Educations current position within the economy cannot afford to add additional costs that will produce cutbacks on top of the numerous budget cuts education is already facing. Isakson also stated. “You can’t just hope the payback comes in dollars. The payback comes in a better life for those children, better quality of their health, and better quality for their education” (Gentile).

Government should invest on our current educational system at all grade levels. The quality of education will provide brighter futures rather than the quantity of a few extra number of years spent in school. I am not at all against early childhood education, but why give up on the initiatives we already have. We should improve Head start programs and look for ways to make such programs available to more children without affecting the quality of their future education. Education nationwide is suffering many budget cuts and adding new unproven effective programs may actually contribute to its negative outcomes rather than contribute to an overall improvement. Obamas initiative is honest and positive if it was actually guaranteed to work, which unfortunately is not. Our Nation’s current economic status is already affecting education. Education in general truly cannot afford any more budget cuts that may be caused by the creation of new programs.

Works Cited

Gentile, Sal. "GOP Senator Calls Universal Pre-K a 'Great Idea,' but Questions Funding." MSNBC. NBC

     Universal, 2013. Web. 28 Mar. 2013. <http://tv.msnbc.com/2013/02/16/

     gop-senator-calls-universal-pre-k-a-great-idea-but-questions-funding/>.

Is TSA serious about letting people carry knives?

Tiffany Hawk, former flight attendant wrote a Special to CNN titled “Is TSA serious about letting people carry knives?” Apparently the Transportation Security Administration will soon permit passengers to carry small knives on airplanes. 

Tiffany Hawk critiques this change as being absurd and completely inappropriate. Her arguments are made from a very personal point of view, giving that she was a former flight attendant with United Airlines and Virginia America. One of her main arguments is against what TSA chief Kip Hawley told CNN about sharp objects no longer being able to bring down an aircraft. She notes that he used the word “aircraft“ rather than “people” which is what should really matter. 

She also argues that the 9/11 Commission found that terrorist used knives such as Leatherman tools to overtake the crew, but even if small knives were no longer a threat, what is really the point of allowing them again. TSA claims that the new policy will benefit all passengers who currently carry a small knife with them and must give it up because they are not permitted on board. That will help lower the amount of banned goods that are surrendered each month, which is currently about 850 pounds. I believe this argument made by TSA is very weak, because those 850 pounds are not composed of only small knives. 

Tiffany Hawks also argues that people who continue to bring small knives should be fined rather than changing the policy just to “benefit” those who “forget” to leave their pocket knives at home. Her last argument states that we need faster and easier checkpoints, but it seems as if TSA’s approach is going backwards. 

I believe Tiffany’s arguments were acceptable and personal, but I would have liked her to include more details on what TSA finds as “beneficial” in this change. There may not be any more reasons other than the one mentioned, but I find it hard to believe that, that may be the only one. But all in all, I do agree with her standing point and am also concerned of what may happen if this change really does occur.