Assignment:
Part:1 Review the film -"Dropout Nation"
Answer the following questions:
1. Ultimately, only Marco succeeds in graduating. What advantages (discuss 2) do you believe he had over the others?
2. There are several programs or interventions or efforts discussed in the film that you might have thought would help the students succeed. Select 2 and explain why you think it worked or did not work.
3. Assess Marcus and Sparkle's long-term likelihood of graduating from high school. Explain.
4. What event/topic in the film surprised you the most? How is your educational background similar or different from the situations profiled in the film? How did those differences affect your education?
Part:2 Sanctuary Cities, Local and State Governments
1. Read the following articles in the order listed.
How sanctuary cities work, and how Trump’s blocked executive order could have affected them By Darla Cameron
The Brief: "Sanctuary" law fight heats up by Cassandra Pollock and Bobby Blanchard
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signs "sanctuary cities" bill into law by Patrick Svitek
Everything you need to know about Texas’ “sanctuary cities” law by Sanya Mansoor and Cassandra Pollock
Where Do Texas Cities Get Their Money?
'Mi casa es su casa': Houston's mayor on 'sanctuary cities'By Olivia P. Tallet
2. IN YOUR OWN WORDS, how would you define a "sanctuary" city?
3. For each of the articles above, what did you learn from reading the article that contributed to your understanding of sanctuary cities? (minimum of 3 sentences for each article)
4. Assume that you are the police chief of a large metropolitan city in Texas. What 2 arguments from above would you believe to be strongest in defense in Sanctuary cities? What 2 arguments would be strongest against Sanctuary cities?
5. If you were the mayor of the city of Houston or the County Judge in Harris County, would you join other counties in lawsuits against the state? Why or why not?
Part:3 "The problem we all live with"
1. Go to the following website. The audio broadcast is from a radio program called "This American Life." Click on the podcast/audio broadcast.
The entire broadcast is approximately 57 minutes long. You can pause the broadcast and resume at any time.
https://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/562/the-problem-we-all-live-with?act=0#play
2. According to the author, what is the most statistically significant change that a school district can make to improve the education of minority schoolchildren in the U.S.?
3. From what piece of art does the author get title of this broadcast? What event does the title exhibit? Why do you think that the author chose to give this piece the same title as the work of art?
4. There are a number of disturbing events discussed in the broadcast. Which two events bothered you the most and why?
5. How easy do you believe it would be to enact the proposed changes in the Houston area? Explain.
6. Finally, relate the broadcast to your own educational experiences: How is it different? How is it similar?