Takeru V. Maeda

Takeru V. Maeda

5:00 AM - May, 7 2009

A Comparison of Israelis to Nazis Angers Students

At UC Santa Barbara, a sociologist, professor William I. Robinson, emailed his students images of Jewish prisoners from the Holocaust and prisoners from Israel's  Gaza to incite

opinion and criticism by comparison. Many of the students who received the email were shocked and disturbed by Robinson's pressing views on the subject and have filed complaints, while some having dropped the class entirely.

It was in January when the controversy began when the professor emailed the photos with the aim to provide "parallel images of Nazis and Israelis," followed by a note in the message that read: "Gaza is Israel's Warsaw -- a vast concentration camp that confined and blockaded Palestinians. We are witness to a slow-motion process of genocide."

Jewish groups have accused Robinson of anti-Semitism while students and faculty members agree that the professor over stepped a boundary in his teachings, resulting in a couple of Jewish students - out of the registered 80 - dropping out entirely in fear of Robinson's seemingly anti-Semitism perspective.

The two students, Rebecca Joseph and Tova Hausman, along with many others strongly believe that Robinson had no right to show and tell his opinion that is so strong, and where many would find disrespectful.

On the other hand some faculty members, as well as professors from other schools across the country, have shown support for Robinson, who all agree that the professor was well within the boundaries of academics. Robinson believes that the accusations against him and the schools investigation of the controversy is an attack on academic freedom, also citing that the students confused his criticism for anti-Semitism.

Some faculty members have even stated that the images Robinson used in the email were also well within the limits of academic use and that criticism of Israel was "ok", according to professor Harold Marcuse who teaches the Holocaust in his world history and German history classes.

"The whole nature of academic freedom is to introduce students to controversial material, to provoke students to think and make students uncomfortable," said Robinson.

Since the January uproar, a video interview of one of Robinson's former students was created by the Wiesenthal Center and uploaded onto youtube entitled, Jewish Students Under Siege from Professor at UC Santa Barbara . The video clip shows the student reading from Robinson’s email.

The Anti-Defamation League has also placed its foot in the circle after sending Robinson a letter in February to renounce his statements on Israel. And then in April, Abraham Foxman, the national director of ADL, in a meeting with faculty members on campus, pressed for an investigation on Robinson.

Other students have forged a group, the Committee to Defend Academic Freedom at UCSB, which closely keeping account of all the news and buzz on the investigation into Robinson.

 

5:00 AM -April 23, 2009

In the small district of Sherman Oaks in the San Fernando Valley , a classroom comprised of first and second-graders are learning what it takes - spiritually - to get through life.

Jenna Zucker, a teacher at the Kester Avenue Elementary school , heads the after-school program known as "Spirituality for Kids (SFK)," which is offered in several Los Angeles public elementary schools.

The goal of the SFK program is to help develop better instinctual decision-making skills while also boosting spirituality within the young students by teaching them how to make wise choices; to educate children that their actions bring about repercussions and consequences, while also teaching them to allow their inner "light" to shine by overcoming an internal "opponent" who urges the kids to make bad decisions.

Although many parents and board members have argued that Zucker's program illegally

and secretly teaches religious practices and beliefs.

"I think it breaches the separation between church and state,"said Margie Mulder, a guidance counselor at Utah Street and Novel Avenue elementary schools. "I wouldn't send my children to the group."

According to its website the program, which was created in 2001, offers a nonreligious "way of creating a better life," through the teachings of sharing, caring and tolerance; and with it, the students can obtain fulfillment.

It's creator, Karen Berg, also created and leads the Los Angeles kabbalah center with her husband, where the center was unfortunately rained on by critics claims of departing from many traditional practices.

Those who are opposed to the program feel that Kabbalah is being taught through the program.

Despite the program's claims of not using any kabbalah influence through SFK, its presence seemed distinctive where Zucker wore red knotted strings - which is

often seen used by kabbalah practitioners - on their wrists, while also using terms such as "light" and "the opponent".

However, some have claimed that those universal terms can be found in almost any other form of religion, including Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Buddhism, Oprah, Eckhart Tolle, Deepak Chopra, and by many yoga practitioners.

Those that believe in the program, despite opposers claims of religious influences in its teachings, feel that it offers crucial skills for the students, regarding the program as nonreligious.

"Spirituality for Kids is not religious," said Karen Timko, a top elementary counselor for the Los Angeles Unified School District. "It's tools for navigating your life."

Donald Wilson, a current principal of Wonderland Avenue Elementary, admitted his concerns for the program before it was offered in the school (before he became principal).

However, after reading the curriculum and sitting in on a class, Wilson was convinced that SFK contained no evidence that religious practices were being taught

and pedagogically sound.

"They are more than sound, they're engaging," said Wilson . "The lessons are lessons that parents want their kids to have."

The SFK Foundation offers its program in many schools across the globes; from New York to Florida, Mexico to Malawi, while also having the support of some of Hollywood's big names, such as Ashton Kutcher and Madonna - who is one of the program's funders.

State Department Legal Advisor Says: "Adapt to World Law"

In the latest of political moves by president Obama, Harold Koh - the former dean of Yale Law School - was appointed as one of the nation's top lawyers. His aim for US courts is to adopt Sharia law, where the American courts must take the laws of our constitution and interpret

them according to the legal norms of other nations.

While having to handle international agreements in arms and trade control, Koh will take into account the World Law mindset and hope to extinguish the barrier between American law in the courts and the laws of Europe and the UN, thus, a transnational legal process; for instance, if the European Human Right Commission and the United Nations agree on legalizing gay marriage, then the US government will legalize despite state voters supporting against it.

Other issues will vary between the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, affirmative action and interrogation.

Basically, the American constitution will have to evolve into adapting to certain laws according to the foreign influences. Many have understandably feared the loss of the United States sovereignty and judicial sovereignty as a result of Koh's plans. Many consider Koh and his views to be somewhat radical. Along with his views for adopting international laws for the US legal system, Koh has also caused a bit of a stir up with his political standpoints.

In 2004, Koh listed countries that ignored international law; some of the more prominent countries being North Korea , Iraq , and the United States - naming the list of the "axis of disobedience." He has also went on to publicly accuse of President Geroge Bush Sr. of abusing international law to justify the invasion

of Iraq during the Gulf War.

5:00 AM - April 2, 2009

Colleen Morrison

Outer space looks a lot closer to Earth for students at Dunellon Middle School in Florida these days. That's because when NASA's space shuttle Discovery (STS-119) lifted off from Florida's Cape Canaveral Sunday, March 15, the crew included a former teacher from the

school, Joseph Acaba. Not only is Acaba a former science teacher, he is also the first US  astronaut of Puerto Rican descent.

Astronaut Acaba was born and raised in southern California. He earned his BS in Geology from the University of California-Santa Barbara and his MS in Geology from the University of Arizona. He served in the Peace Corps in the Dominican Republic and managed a marine biology research facility in the Bahamas.

His friends say Acaba is proud of his heritage; in fact, he planned to carry a flag from Puerto Rico into space with him. A member of the United States Marine Corps, Reserves, Acaba learned to fly military jets to help prepare for his career in space; he also completed survival training in Wyoming's Wind River mountains.

A New Wing for the ISS

The Discovery crew is delivering a new solar wing to the International Space Station to bring the ISS up to its full power capacity. The crew is also helping to test a new water purification system on the ISS. Acaba is working and walking in space with fellow (former) teacher Richard Arnold II to help install the solar wing.

NASA is winding down its space shuttle program; the final flight will launch in 2010. NASA is still discussing a replacement system.

A Global Approach to Space

It's no surprise that scientists and pilots from around the globe live and work together on the International Space Station - after all, it's the work of a consortium of 16 nations to build a scientific laboratory in space. Diverse backgrounds and perspectives are part of the point. So when Discovery departs the space station at the end of March, it will leave behind crew member Koichi Wakata, of the Japanese Space Agency. Wakata will be a part of the crew on the ISS for the next three months.