A 'Shamful' Education

After taking and performing poorly on the high school standardized test, Rhode Island lawmakers have deemed the tests unfair and are reconsidering the NECAP as a requirement for high school students to graduate.

Not only is standardized testing of high school students unfair and inadequate in assessing students’ abilities, but the entire foundation of higher education in the U.S.A. is a sham.

Anyone who thinks that the SAT is a true measurement of students' intelligence or ability is sadly mistaken. 

In my most recent stunt as an SAT instructor for a prestigious test prepping company, I can now confirm what many students have suspected: the SATs are unfair and biased.

In teaching how to take the SATs, one of the first things they train us to tell students is that getting a good score on the SATs has nothing to do with merit or how smart you are.

It is based on how well you can take the test.

And that is exactly what we teach the students. Rather than spending time on understanding the subjects they are tested on – algebra, reading, writing – my company has patented techniques which essential teach students how to “cheat” the test.

In fact, without revealing the company’s patented strategy, I was trained to teach students how not to do algebra or geometry when being tested on those sections. And it was the same for the vocabulary section.

I had to stand up in front of students and tell them that the reading section on the SATs doesn’t actually test them on their ability to read, but rather on how well they can take a timed test.

None of my students questioned the fairness of the SATs. The school I taught at was an alternative high school, where most of the students had a full-time job or for other reasons couldn’t function in a normal school. They probably felt lucky just being able to take a class that normally costs parents upwards of $2,000.

The remarkable part was seeing students who initially scored extremely low on their diagnostic test get high enough scores on the SATs to be competitive when applying for university.

But these were just a few lucky kids.

What does this mean? The most obvious meaning is that the test is not fair. But deeper, it means that the test which U.S. universities base their acceptance of students on is a sham.

And guess what? The College Board which governs our national university system knows this, since they hire the Educational Testing Service to create the tests.

ETS is constantly refining the SAT to make the test more difficult. This is why it puts an “experimental section” on the test which does not count towards the students’ final score, but the students have to take it unbeknownst to them. ETS uses the results of this section, which could be in math, reading or writing, to create their future tests.

But, the College Board will never admit that the SATs are deceitful, because it has no interest in an equitable system of education. The national university system is run like a corporation. Additionally, it is a powerful tool in maintaining the status quo, regardless of any inroads that open-minded people have been able to make.

In touting itself as an exemplary and progressive organization, the College Board states: “These exams provide a path to opportunities, financial support and scholarships, in a way that's fair to all students. The SAT and SAT Subject Tests keep pace with what colleges are looking for today, measuring the skills required for success in the 21st century.”

What a joke... except the joke is on us!

Obama Administration would (and does) support killing Americans with drones

Senator Rand Paul (R-Ky.): "Do you believe that the president has the power to authorize lethal force, such as a drone strike, against a U.S. citizen on U.S. soil?"

U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder: "The question you have posed is therefore entirely hypothetical, unlikely to occur, and one we hope no president will ever have to confront. It is possible, I suppose, to imagine an extraordinary circumstance in which it would be necessary and appropriate under the Constitution and applicable laws of the United States for the President to authorize the military to use lethal force within the territory of the United States."

Drones banned by first city in U.S.

Charlottesville, Va. has become the first U.S. city to ban the use of drones.

This comes on the heels of a leaked government document purporting executive power to the government to assassinate U.S. citizens, who are engaged in terrorist activities, using drone strikes but without due process.

John Brennan, the Obama Administration nominee to lead the CIA, has refused to state whether these powers could extend to U.S. soil.

Anwar Awlaki, a well-known Yemen-American religious leader, was killed by a U.S. drone strike in September 2011, along with another American citizen Samir Khan. Two weeks later, Awlaki's 16-year-old American son Abdulrahman was killed in a separate drone strike in Yemen.

But no one really cared because they were Muslim and non-Whites.

The Charlottesville anti-drone ordinance is not a complete ban on drones, but rather a "commitment" from the city not to use weaponized drones or use drones for surveillance purposes, according to Rootsaction activist David Swason.

But this cannot stop federal or state agencies from flying their drones over the city.

The threat of domestic drone use is becoming more apparent. Twenty-seven states are now hearing legislation that would ban the use of weaponized drones in their state and would additionally bar information gathered from them in courts, according to RT America.

One-Woman Protest during US-Syrian Deal

During a meeting between U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Syrian opposition leader Mouaz al-Khatib in Rome on February 28, an activist raises a sign that reads: U$A and its clients support terrorists, following a U.S. pledge of $60 million to aid the Syrian rebel military council.

 

 

 

Iran's fleeting hope: Returning home

I recently took a three-week vacation to Iran. When people ask me how it was, I tell them it was awesome and can’t wait to go back.

What I came to know and love about Iran was a lot different from what many Americans, and even Iranians, had expected. Many bewildered Iranians have told me it is impossible to live in Iran; that it had nothing to offer me.

Doesn’t wearing the mandatory hijab bother you, people would constantly ask. Yes, I’d reply, but it’s not that important and I got use to it.

What could Iran possibly offer?

The main appeal for me, being half Persian and half American, is a strong and supportive family network and warm, hospitable culture that you can’t find in the U.S.

Growing up in San Jose, California with my parents and sister, I sometimes felt very lonely. In America, people’s lives mostly revolve around work – success is the American dream. I often reflect on the violent nature of American culture and it strikes me that when people are left alone with no support, they lose their minds.

In Iran, on the other hand, you just don’t hear about someone going berserk and shooting-up a bunch of people in a public place. It is very difficult to escape the watchful eye of an Iranian mother or extended family. Everyone knows what is going on with each other. This can sometimes feel suffocating, yet at the same time it helps to support and influence people to act in the best way.  

Iranians are famous for their hospitality. In being the perpetual guest, I was able to completely enjoy their generosity.

One custom that I love is tar’rof, which influences almost every aspect of Persian culture. It actually has no exact English translation; however, the word courtesy comes close. Tar’rof is such a prevalent custom that sometimes the receiver of the tar’rof cannot even recognize it.

So, you may be wondering what exactly is tar’rof? An example can be taken from a simple lunch break at work. Let’s say you forget to bring your lunch. There is no need to worry because your co-worker offers to share her lunch with you. Maybe you decline the offer, but she insists, and still persists, until you accept some of her food. You will not go hungry. This is the essence of tar’rof.

Iranians sometimes go so far as to give away their possessions, even if they do not want to. For example, every single time a customer goes to buy something at a grocery store, the clerk will tar’rof with him. Before giving the customer his bill or accepting his money, the clerk will tell the customer to take the items for free. But don’t be mistaken.The customer will always pay, and some believe that for this reason tar’rof encourages insincerity in the society.

To make the definition even more complicated, tar’rof can be given and received, all at the same time. Let’s say you are a guest at a dinner party. The host, usually the matriarch of the family, has made a lot of delicious food. You try a little of everything. Maybe you want more, or maybe you are full? The host, however, offers you more to eat. You decline the offer because you are full. Or is it because you are trying to be polite and are too shy ask for more? Either way, she will insist that you eat more. At this point, you both have tar’rof. If you do not accept the offer, it would be rude. If the host doesn’t insist for you to take more, it would be rude of her.

While still a place that is rooted in history and culture, the country is changing. More young people and women are educated. They have access to the world-wide web; they see what other, developed countries have, and they want that, too.

But progress will not be won easily.

The moment you step outside your home is the moment you lose your freedom and become a captive of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Most of the time, the only freedom people have to fully express themselves is in their homes. Every home is a sanctuary.

My aunt and I struggled with this issue when I was living with her in Tehran. A year after I arrived, I started to go out with one of my friend’s brothers. My aunt, who was responsible for my well-being, was in a constant state of worry every time I left the house with him.

In actuality, my boyfriend and I never had any problems and openly went out to restaurants, parks and sometimes held hands and kissed, like many young people in Iran. Although not strictly enforced, we knew that we were breaking the rules, which made it all the more exciting.

In a theological republic, women and men who are unrelated are not supposed to have relations with each other. If the government so wished, it could easily send its agents, or “committee,” to crack down on the young rule-breakers. And once in a while it did – young, unmarried couples or women who did not wear their hijab correctly would sometimes be arrested and punished.

Once, I remember that the government outlawed nail polish.

Not only do young people, especially women, have to worry about Islamic law being imposed upon them by the government, but they also have to worry about their families.

Although the society is becoming more liberalized, it remains a taboo to have a girlfriend or boyfriend. A lot of the young people choose not to tell their parents, or even their friends, about their romantic relationships.

What is even worse, in my opinion, is that young women are very concerned about being a virgin when they get married (although this way of thinking is also changing). In a twisted interpretation of “saving oneself for marriage,” a lot of women choose to have only anal sex with their partners, thinking that they won’t be able to find a husband should their hymens be broken. 

The young women I talked to also had a lot of misconceptions about sex. One girl told me that she knew someone that had so much anal sex that it messed up her digestive system, and she couldn’t keep her food down and was always throwing up.

I had spent two and a half years living and working in Iran from 2008 until 2010, which put me right in the midst of Iran’s cultural and political upheaval, when the Green Movement was born.  Iranians, especially the youth, are ready for a more open and free society. They have been for some time. Especially now, since they have experienced some of that freedom, it will be hard for them to turn back.

One difference the Green Movement has had with other uprisings such as in Libya and Syria is its nonviolent nature. Although we don’t hear much about it anymore, it isn’t dead; it’s just gone dormant.

Young pro-Mousavi supporters ride by me during an election rally in the capital Tehran in 2009

 

A young woman is decked out in support of Mir Hossein Mousavi during a legal, election rally in 2009

I remember arriving at the Khomeini International Airport for the first time ten years ago, with jumbled images of family members I met for the first time -- people I had never heard of, but who knew of me, their American cousin.

My father had left Iran in 1977 with my American mother just two years before the Islamic Revolution deposed of the Shah, ending any hope of returning for the next 25 years. People usually think that my parents met in America. But before the 1979 revolution, Iran was a fairly open country with Americans and other foreigners working and living in Iran, such as my mom.

Coming from and going to Iran now is no easy task. KIA lies approximately one hour outside Tehran’s city center. Additionally, there are no direct flights from the USA to Iran, and all the flights arrive or depart in the very early morning. People don’t usually return to their homes until three or four o’clock in the morning, and sometimes later.

This does not keep an entourage of family and friends from coming to the airport for your arrival or departure. When I arrived this time, I was greeted by my aunt, two uncles and their families. The group had dwindled since the first time I came. The only reason why my grandmother did not come was because she has become too old to make such a journey.

After sneaking out at night, we wait for a friend to arrive from the USA via Qatar Airways at Khomeini International Airport in Tehran. His flight was delayed from 3:40 a.m. to 5:00 a.m. 

During my stay, Tehran had been experiencing one of the worst levels of air pollution in its history. A week before I arrived this past January, the government had called a five-day long public holiday due to the air pollution and announced that more than 4,000 people had died due to the pollution in 2012.

Needless to say, people don’t play outside very much. I mostly traveled from house to house – going to visit my grandmother for lunch, having tea at friends’ homes, sitting around and talking.

The mood had changed in Iran since I was last there a year and a half ago.

Iran made headlines when the government hung two young men who had robbed a man at an ATM machine. The hanging was carried out at the place where the robbery occurred, across from a very popular park near my uncle’s house.

That morning, the Alborz mountains that surround Tehran received snow, and much needed rain accompanied it that night. One of the young prisoners was photographed crying on the shoulder of his executioner. While many have condemned this ruthless act, including the victim of the robbery who pleaded to the court not to have these young men executed, many Iranians were satisfied with the results.

They reasoned that harsher punishments would deter the increasing crime.

Alireza Mafiha, 23, and Mohammad Ali Sarvari, 20, before their execution, January 21, 2013. [UK Daily Mail]

Since the most recent round U.S. imposed sanctions took effect last year, the value of the dollar against the Iranian rial has increased more than three-fold. Everything has become more expensive, including staple items such as food. This has hit the working class and unemployed the hardest, hence the increase in petty crime and robbery. Iran had already been experiencing inflation due to President Ahmadinejad’s fumbling of the economy, but now the country is in hyperinflation mode.  

I was warned numerous times during my trip to be very careful with my purse and money when I went out. Thankfully, I had no problems. Interestingly, one cab driver I spoke to told me that he didn’t think Iran has changed all that much; that the people are the still same.

Most Americans who have never met an Iranian before usually picture Iran as an American-hating country of extremists. The media, as well as the countries’ leaders, are responsible for this image.

However, most Iranians love Americans and do not hate the U.S. government. Like many indigenous cultures, Iranians are a gentle people who try to avoid conflict. Many loathe the current regime precisely because of the hardline position it has taken towards the West. And while some more liberal Americans have applauded Iran’s president for his denunciation of Israel and the West, a lot of Iranians want diplomacy.

There was a fleeting hope in the 2009 Iranian presidential elections that if a reformist such as Mir Hossein Mousavi was elected, the door to diplomacy would have been wide open.

Richmond community calls for shut down of Chevron refinery

Richmond residents have called for the Chevron oil refinery to be shut down at a town hall meeting held in response to the massive fire at the No. 4 Crude Unit.

The crisis began just after 6 pm on Monday when a vapor leak triggered a huge blaze lasting well into the early morning, as the facility had no other choice than to let the remaining oil to burn out that was not yet processed. The refinery processes 245,000 barrels of oil per day.

In a city of just over 100,000, Black and Latino communities stand to bear a disproportionate burden of the health effects, as the population of Richmond is composed of 40 percent Latino and 27 percent Black. This is while they represent respectively 17 and 13 percent of the nation's population, according to US Census data.

Additionally, research has shown that hazardous waste facilities are repeatedly located in communities where the percentage of Black and Latino populations are greater than their respective national percentages, begining with the breakthrough study by the United Church of Christ in 1987, Toxic Wastes and Race in the United States.

More than 5,700 people reportedly visited hospitals with breathing, throat and eye problems from enhaling the contaminated air in the week following the fire, according to the San Jose Mercury News.

(Subsequent fire at the Chevron oil refinery in

Richmond, California, August 6, 2012/Photo: Unknown)

The mayor of Richmond, Gayle McLaughlin, has called the situation a "collective plight" while stating that she is negotiation with Chevron.But outraged community members have called for Chevron to shut down its facility and compensate all who have experienced negative health impacts.

Acute impacts have included trouble breathing, while other health impacts may not show immediate signs. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), a compound similar to dioxins and known to cause birth defects, developmental disabilities and cancer, were released in the soot that has covered neighborhoods.

Residents have been advised not to touch or come into contact with soot lying on their houses and in their yards. People who rely of growing their own food are now seriously concerned with the safety of utilizing their crops. 

Other hazardous compounds have been released in the air, including hazardous particulate matter and other criteria air pollutants.

While not much can be expected of the government, grassroots organizations such as Communities for a Better Environment and others are taking action, with expert analysis now being solicited on the situation.



Chevron reportedly has delayed installation of an advanced air quality monitoring system, which it agreed to in a settlement deal reached two years ago with the City of Richmond over a tax dispute. The missing equipment would have allowed precise measurements of emissions caused by the current crisis.

Since 1999, the refinery caused eight similar accidental releases of air pollution, five of which were fires. More disturbing is that other refineries, such as the Tesoro plant in Concord and ConocoPhillips in Rodeo, have had 23 and 13 major toxic accidents, respectively.

How much longer can communities bear the burden of this unstainable and inefficient system from which we get our energy? It will take as long as it takes for people to start caring about the rest of humanity and the consequence of  cheap and dirty energy.

Aurora shooting reveals double standard for terrorism suspects

Although heartbreaking and sickening, there is a certain sense of relief Muslim Americans felt that a gunman, who shot and killed 12 in a packed movie theater, was white.

James Holmes, 24, stepped into a packed Aurora, Colo. movie theater just after midnight on Friday, armed with an AR-15 rifle, a 12-gauge shotgun and a .40-caliber handgun, wearing bullet proof gear and a gas mask. In a premeditated move, Holmes tossed tear gas into the audience before shooting at random while people tried to escape with their lives. In total, 12 were killed and at least 58 wounded.

Jim Yacone, special agent in charge of the Denver FBI, stated at a press conference on Friday, “I want to emphasize at this point we do not see a nexus to terrorism.” Yacone's statement displays the double standard that U.S. officials hold when it comes to terrorism cases -- reserving the label only in instances involving people of Muslim heritage.

In essence, this double standard is furthering prejudice and hatred (known as racism) and helps to further justify military aggression in the Middle East.

Take the 2010 New York bomb threat as an example, where Pakistani-born Faisal Shahzad failed to detonate a car bomb in Times Square. Although no one was killed, Shahzad was labeled and charged with terrorism by a U.S. federal court and in the media.

But in reality, the U.S. is the number one producer of terrorism worldwide. Just ask any African or Native American person -- America's history is rooted in violence and the subjugation and genocide of entire peoples.

In no other developed nation is there such a high incidence of such premeditated violence by  disgruntled citizens. Look at the incidences of Columbine, Virginia Tech and Oikos University (there are even more incidences) where innocent people were murdered.

The lax U.S. gun control laws enable terrorists like Holmes to murder. According to a New York Times article by Dan Frosch and Kirk Johnson, "the last 60 days Mr. Holmes had purchased four guns at local gun shops ... And through the Internet, he bought more than 6,000 rounds of ammunition: more than 3,000 rounds for the assault rifle, 3,000 rounds of .40 caliber ammunition for the two Glocks, and 300 rounds for the 12-gauge shotgun. The guns were all bought legally."

The irony is that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, FBI and Obama Administration have done a pathetic job in protecting us from acts of terrorism. They are too busy pouring resources into fighting the War on Terrorism in other countries rather than preventing psychopaths such as Holmes and narcotraffickers from obtaining weapons to carry out their sick agendas.