I wasn't able to attend the first half of the March 10 meeting as I was attending a mandatory study abroad session. I am completing this blog over the assigned readings for the day in order to offset my absence. I hope that this blog post finds you well. I know that writing it suited me as I was laying on my bed in my house, taking a couple days of rest before finals week.
I'm not a big fan of reading the transcripts of dialogues, which is one reason why I like the style of the piece, "Is the Welfare of Disadvantaged Children Improving?" Rather than presenting the issue with the two people engaged in a dialogue, it merely presents the writings of each side. My stylistic preferences aside, I thought the sides were distinct and each side was represented by a more-than-capable person. I would have to say that I don't think the welfare of disadvantaged children is improving, but not for the same reasons as Bennett. I don't think it is the decline of the traditional family or some type of moral confusion that is hampering improvement in the disadvantaged children's welfare. I think that the problem lies with failed policies that haven't addressed the issues that need to be addressed, not in some arbitrary measurement of moral stability.
I read an article a while back that talked about how rich people are more likely to be healthy and fit than those who are not rich. This surprises me none in the least, especially when looking at the prices of the healthier fresh foods. There are many other reasons that Gary W. Evans', "The Environment of Childhood Poverty," identifies some of these as: increased chance of exposure to violence and an increased presence of television programs instead of books or computers. This all seems to stem from their status as disadvantaged children. Most parents of these children do not have time to engage in learning with their child, as many of them are merely concerned with putting food on the table.
I'm not sure how well the class conversation went for these first two articles, but the third article ("Is Spanking Detrimental to Kids?") had its discussion pushed back to the next meeting, at which I was present. Our entire cohort engaged in the conversation, each one of us defending our ideas. I liked this activity because it got a lot of the class talking and it helped give our group a more group-ey feel, rather than being a basic three-man show.
I was spanked as a child and every school I have ever attended has practiced corporal punishment, so I can see both sides of this argument. One the one hand, spanking does seem to have a negative effect of the psyche of a child. One the other hand, it seems to stop the behavior immediately. I really feel that a child's development depends more on their own discoveries and through talking with a parent than it does on pain enforcement.
Sincerely,
Brady
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