Darshan Blog

As the school year starts, focus in the DC metro area turns to the ongoing struggles in the Districts Public Schools. There are several new initiatives underway to energize the system. One is paying students for being good students. Students could receive $100 a month for doing what they should be doing in the first place. There are many people upset about this program for several reasons. Past payment options for students have not gone well. A summer program was to pay students for working in the private sector. Unfortunately the program was not monitored and many conscientious students never received a paycheck and those who would have been fired if they had been employees of the company received double pay. Many critics argue that the paying for grades program is taking money away from other important needs. This isn’t the case as the money comes directly from a grant that is studying the effects of paying students for grades.Many students in affluent neighborhoods have always received incentives. Sometimes it is cash for grades and other receive items for goals reached. I remember receiving fun pencils and buttons for getting perfect scores on spelling tests. But shouldn’t students be getting paid for bigger goals than just those of the basics of good behavior and attendance?The problem is in many of these underperforming schools the issue is greater than just test scores. Some students come to school with empty stomachs as their home situation is so dire they cannot be fed. Some students act out in class because the situation outside the school is one of violence. These are young people who can’t focus on the 7 hours in school because the other 17 hours are too much to handle for minors.My issue with the payment program is the long term effects on the kids. Recent college graduates are of the generation that played sports where there weren’t any losers and went to schools that didn’t hold the to deadlines and grades. This has created a group of young employees who don’t understand why it is important to have work done on time and how important teamwork is to succeed in a timely manner in the business world.My fear is that in 2020 corporate America will be hiring students who feel entitled to being rewarded for doing minimal work. They won’t understand the concept of paying ones dues and simple congratulation gifts for going above the call of duty will have to be restructured.At the same time it could be offering a parachute to some of our most promising students who aren’t given a chance. Giving already needy students a chance to learn both content and how spending more time in class may lead to more money down the line may keep kids in school and striving for success so they can graduate with enough money to think seriously about a college education. Lets not worry too much about the long term effects of the students who wont succeed with the program. Lets think instead about the few who can really succeed with it. Let us think about putting their money in a safe place where it can build and be there as college money to be used in addition to the scholarships these high performing students from tough backgrounds will be able to use for future success.Sonya Gavankar

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The government of Utah is moving to a 4 day work week to deal with the energy crisis. The plan is to make the 40 hour work week fit over Monday through Thursday. This is the first state to mandate an adjusted workweek. Somehow this plan will effect the carbon foot print of the state.But I don’t understand how this could really make an effect. Instead Ithink that Utah’s government is trying to latch their plan onto the
Green train. I think it the plan has more to do with the pinch families are feeling at the pump and in the grocers and how all these extra pressures effect the modern family.

I am not suprised that a state like Utah is taking this step first. Ifit really would have an effect on the carbon footprint I think we would be more liekly to see this move done in Oregon or Washington state. But Utah has a concern about the family. A state with strong conservativevalues and one where the family is at the forefront. I understand why they are making a move like this. The availability to save the statemoney, means more money for projects in the state that will enhance the services they can offer to their citizens while also giving them more time with their families

If you live in Utah don’t worry about suddenly not being able to make it to your dry cleaners on Friday. This mandate is for the state worker.
This effects how you pay your parking ticket and the state universities. The government controlled offices will now be open from 7am to 6pm and moving many more services online.

Sonya Gavankar

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In the ongoing Presidential Elections, there hasn’t been much talk about improving the education system here and research shows, there is lot of disparity between the candidates, regarding their education plan.

There are currently 3.2 billion teachers in the U.S public schools, an estimated number of 2.8 billion new hires are needed by 2015. Research shows, 30% of an estimated percentage of these new teachers quit the profession within the 3 years.

The top reasons for teachers quitting their profession in 2001 being :

a) 60% of teachers said they did not have enough time to prepare.

b) 51% of teachers complained of having too heavy a teaching load–one of the reasons for this is the classes being too crowded.

c)50% quit because class sizes are too large–will not get proper attention and results in poor quality of education.

d) 48% quit because of poor salary or benefits–survey shows average annual salary for teachers is $47,000.

e) 44% quit because of student behaviourial problems.

 Such issues are neglected today when the focus of the country is elsewhere. These are the foundation of our future. The government money, if funded in a proper way, then we could have a better education system in our country.

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