Bathroom Law Battle Begins to Take Hold in Texas

     So I know this issue has been brought to light especially when Target announced its new policy for the use of the restrooms for transgendered people. But it will soon be one of the main topics in Texas. The law that Texas wants to create is the same as North Carolina. The law basically states that "no men are allowed in women's bathrooms."

     There have been lots of talk and skepticism from "LGBT advocates,who say there is virtually no evidence to suggest that Texas — or any other state —has seen transgender people attacking others in bathrooms. Instead, the advocates say, efforts like those ramping up in Texas serve to further stigmatize transgender people and perpetuate violence against them."

     Now I understand, at least part of the reason, behind why so many people are for this. It is because they believe that sex offenders will claim to be a transgender and then assault women and children when they have entered the bathroom. I completely understand when it comes to that I do, but to an extent why would you let your children roam free in a bathroom if the laws to allow transgendered into the bathrooms? If you are so concerned about what someone is doing in the bathroom don't use it and don't let your children go in the bathroom alone. However, I know that is not a great solution.

     I believe that transgender people have been using our bathrooms for a very long time and because it is now being brought to light every thinks they have a right to lose their gosh damn minds. Lets just say that they do deny transgender people to use the restrooms they are most comfortable with, what then? If a sex offender wants to come and harass women or children in a bathroom they will find a way. Laws have never stopped them before so why would it stop them now? It won't. End of story.

     There are other solutions that could possibly help, but it wouldn't make a difference when Texas is so conservative and so republican that anyone who agrees that transgender people should be able to use the restroom they choose or anything remotely similar they are already being judged and criticized for their opinion.

    

     

How much is too much force?

I agree with the topic posted by Thinking like a Texan. This topic was basically about the extreme police brutality that has been going on, but the case she spoke about in particular was that of the 12 year old female who was slammed into the cement ground. I agree with her argument about there being too much force being used. Because honestly what thirty plus year old man needs to slam a skinny twelve year old female into the ground? None that's what. I had no complaints about this because I'm very biased about this. All these so called "officers" should be ashamed of themselves for committing such heinous crimes and claiming that they were "afraid for their lives." We should be teaching our kids to run to these officers instead we are hoping they never have to encounter them and that is just sad.

Abortion Limits Create Nightmare for Parents of Stillborn Baby

     A couple who went to St. David's North Austin Medical Center was in for a terrible surprise. They were told that Mrs. Mahaffey's cervix had prematurely dilated and that their sons legs were already emerging. This was devastating for them because they had already suffered a miscarriage during an early pregnancy and now they were about to lose their son. The doctors had done everything they possibly could to keep the fetus inside the womb, but nothing was successful. The Mahaffey's wanted to be induced, so that their son can be just be out and would not have to suffer anymore. When they told the doctor's this it was rejected because anti-abortion laws from House Bill two.

     House Bill two is the bill that states there is a ban on abortions at or after twenty weeks of gestation. The law only applies to abortions after twenty weeks when the mothers life is in danger or there is a fetal abnormality. St. David's policy states that it "only allows for terminating a pregnancy to avert death or substantial harm to the mother, or if a fetus is incompatible with life." The Mahaffey's were only seventeen weeks and they had stated  “I think they were afraid because we were so close." St. David's new that the fetus' life would not survive, but because of the House Bill two they were more afraid of what the law would do.  
    
     The Mahaffey's had delivered their still born son after Mrs. Mahaffey began bleeding. The husband stated “The whole thing was an absolute nightmare,” Mahaffey said of the three days they spent crying and waiting. “She could feel him moving around.”

     When it comes to House Bill two many things should be looked over and possibly revised. The fact that this family could not be induced, even though the baby would not live, is ridiculous and outrageous. Texas should consider reconsidering their House Bill two because of families that have to go through this. It has happened more than once and yet nothing has been done. Is Texas deliberately making these families go through this traumatic event? If so, many things need to change far beyond the House Bill two.

Vacation Time

In the Daily Texan, Leah Kashar did an editorial on mental health and how students need vacations. The title of this opinion piece was called Vacations necessary for students' mental health. Leah Kasha, the author, is directing her argument towards the United States, especially their colleges, and is making them their intended audience. We know that Kashar has made them her intended audience because she specifically specifies it in her editorial. She states " The United States’ culture values work much more than it does breaks, which are seen as unproductive. Other countries boast siestas, two-hour long lunches and 40, yes 40, days of paid vacation." From this statement we can understand that she is comparing the United States to other countries whose footsteps we should be following. Kashar's credibility comes from a company called the Fast Company who experimented with unlimited paid vacation time. The results might be surprising to many of us because we do not offer this kind of luxury. "People did not increase the number of days they took off despite the ability to do so. Rather, they found that their employees trusted the company more because they saw that the company viewed them holistically rather than simply as workers. They saw the company as more compassionate towards their personhood." She also used percentages to demonstrate that allowing more paid vacation days makes a difference. Kashar claims that people who take more vacations tend to have lower stress and suggests that UT should make a policy where breaks, such as spring break, are a more effective stress relieving experience. The evidence that Kashar has to back up with this claim is the evidenced from other countries. She stated that when we are given paid vacation, or longer breaks, we tend to respect our employer more and that we feel we are viewed more holistically and that we are also more compassionate. I would agree with Kashar's editorial partially because, well, I am a student who would love a stress free break and just longer breaks especially if it meant my health would be better. But I also think this is logical because if this works for many, maybe even most, other countries and lowers stress levels as well as increases respect in the work place then why could it not work for us?

Girl Power

In the Dallas Morning News, there was an editorial published about private, same-sex schools. The editorial was titled Dallas ISD should figure out how to expand on this girl-powered success story. The author is directing their argument to the Dallas independent school districts and more so the private schools. You can tell that this is the audience they decided to pursue because of the latest success story explained in their editorial. The author repeatedly talks about the independent school district and the all girl private schools success. The authors credibility comes from the statistics they state in the editorial. They get the statistics from the Irma Rangel Young Women's Leadership School which they present in the editorial. It states that they have a one hundred percent graduation rate and that over ninety percent of students graduate in six years. The author claims that something remarkable is going on and that the rest of the school district needs to follow.However, when the school first opened in 2004 they were struggling. But as of today, the school is bursting with five hundred teenagers with at least one hundred more on a wait list. With the young women attending these schools and the success it has had they have brought in roughly nine million dollars in scholarship money. They will be opening thirty-five "choice" schools and around eight to ten "brand-new transformational" schools. The author also believes that opening these schools will be the best way to move the needle on closing the achievement gap. I agree with what the Dallas Independent School District is trying to do because it can help result in a better rate of success and close the achievement gap that's throughout the district.

Texas Legislature Tweaks Old Law

On January 27, 2016 I read an article from the Texas Tribune that had the headline Criminal Appeals Court Clears Way for New Trial in Toddler's 1998 Death. The article is about a man named Neal Hampton Robbins who was accused of murdering his at the time girlfriends daughter, Tristen Skye Trivet. The first part of the story introduces us to Mr. Robbins being granted the relief "that he has been due", as well as what happened the day the 17-month old died. Back in 1999 when the tragedy occurred Mr. Robbins was convicted and sentenced to life in prison, but new evidence had come to light when the coroner recanted her statement back in 1999 and stated that she should have ruled the death "undetermined" instead of "homicide." Once 2013 came and the Texas legislature moved around a few things in the law that gives defendants a new challenge if they could prove that there had a been a change in evidence, Mr. Robbins took the chance to send again to be relived from the conviction. Now that the new modified law, which gives criminal defendants the right to challenge ther conviction not onily if science behind evidence used at the orginal trial had changed but also if the scientific conclusions by a testifying expert had change, Mr. Robbins was "improvidently granted" his relief and now roams free. I think this would be a a article worth taking a glance at because it shows that although the court, witnesses, and testifying experts are suppose to make sure they are doing everything right the first time this shows that there should have been more done, not just for this case, but for all future cases alike.

Hello.