The Uprising Of Gas Prices by Jessie Rivera

Rivera, Jessie
Period 5
Journalism
Thursday, May 19, 2011

The Uprising Of Gas Prices

Monday, May 16, 2011 many citizens dread driving due to the ridiculous gas prices that keep on rising. Gas has been rising since the early years of 1979, which was .80 cents per gallon. The highest amount of gas was $4.40 which was in 2008. The national average price for a gallon of gasoline is $3.96 and we wish it would be less. Gas prices started raising in the U.S. because the 9/11 attack they were furious with the Muslims.

Driving a car is inconvenient for many American citizens because the gas prices are so high. Many people have no other choice than to take their car to their preferred destination. Others have the luxury to take the metro or train to get to where they choose to go, but sadly not everyone has the advantage such as to ride the metro or train. In cities like LA (and most of the US) public transportation is in adequate. Another downfall to the gas prices rising is that many people are not going on vacation or road trips because it will cost them a bundle.

Even though the society is trying to help the cause by making energy efficient cars, it still isn’t good enough due to the fact that some can’t afford to buy a new car. Gas overall affects many, due to the fact that it is a necessity for all. Gas also affects the economy because if the gas prices rise then the bus fare will increase. The fruit will also increase due to the reason that the truck drivers also have to pay for gas. The gas rising affects all because not just the gas will rise but also other necessities that we need will begin to rise.

Gas has many reasons onto why it is so high. Greed is one of the main reasons why gas prices are so high, the other main factor is all of the wars that are going on in the Mideast, as shown on the Pew Research Center (http://people-press.org/2011/05/05/why-are-gas-prices-rising-a-mix-of-reasons/gas-1/). Most think that its due to the economy but actually it is one of the lowest factors. It also has other main reasons onto why the gas prices have been rising but those are the top ones.

My response to the gas prices rising is just to ride the metro, train, bus, or carpool because that way you waste less gas and you spend a lot less money. I was also surprised on how there are many reasons onto why gas is increasing and how it also effects all the other things that we need in life. I don’t think that many know the reasons why that gas prices raise and how they also affect just not drivers but almost everything else. Maybe we can have strikes to say that we disagree with the gas prices and that they are ridiculously high. We can even make it so we can get Obama`s attention and make him realize the prices are to high.

Cutting the School Calendar

By: Patrick Avognon

Ayo Hanciles

Robert Tapia

In the California education budget crisis, one solution that has been discussed is the possibility of cutting the school calendars. California school districts feel that by shortening the calendar they can save over $305 million. Some criticisms with the cutting of school days is the fear of not meeting state requirement standards. Also, by cutting days teachers are going to have to take a reduction in salary.

Anything that saves money and jobs at the same time is a big plus. The shortening of the calendar is small price to pay to conserve our budget and the job security of our teachers. We encourage more serious consideration of shortening the calendar because, if used correctly, the proposed $305 million we would save could possibly pump life in California’s dying budget.

“I’m not in favor for days being cut, but if they had to be I’d prefer if they were the days after CST Testing,” commented Math teacher Dan Cramer.

Critics of this idea to cut days would complain that the lack of time used for preparing for CST Testing would result in lower scores and overall grades. They might also argue that the last few weeks of school are necessary for culminating processes.

Majority of the school year is spent preparing for the California Standardized Tests (CST). In the beginning of the year the required standards are introduced to students, by the middle the year they are still being taught, and by the end they are being reviewed just in time for CST Testing. After CSTs are over, there are usually still about 20-25 days remaining in the school year, but this time is used for school finals and other common end of the year activities. If these days after the testing period were cut and finals were pushed forward there would be no use for those last 20-25 days of school.

Another excuse that those against cutting the calendar might use is that the positives for this plan don’t outweigh the negatives, meaning that the amount of money saved is not worth the amount of money teachers would lose towards their paychecks. They would argue that when the original calendar with only 7 days assigned as furlough days, they already are losing about $2000 a year. If California school districts were to add more furlough days to the calendar the teachers would lose even more money from their paychecks.

What most teachers don’t understand is that when the entire country is in an economic depression, certain sacrifices have to be made to ensure the safety of our country’s infrastructure. Would you rather take away from students, this country’s future, or its teachers? Making cuts in other areas would be another plausible solution, but it would elongate the problems and the budget crisis. Also when the recession finally ends, the sacrifices you made won’t be forgotten.

This proposed solution to cut the calendar might not be in the best interest of the state’s teachers, but it is definitely a preferred method of saving money for California’s school district.