en-us https://www.intensedebate.com/users/3534563 Comments by dhess10 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/12/02/voices-from-the-classroom-89/#IDComment231875817 Penn State had such a good reputation, and it is up to the student body to keep that reputation forever. However, I do not think that the actions of only a couple leaders of our school should impact the student’s future and our behaviors. We should not have to sacrifice anything because only a few people tried to ruin the image of Penn State. Although, I do understand where Sam was coming from when he said that if we just keep being known as a huge party school and that we are not serious about anything, especially the recent events, then employers will get the wrong idea of what this school is all about. In my opinion, I work very hard while I'm here and it would be such a shame to see the academics suffer because some people couldn’t control themselves for one holiday. I think we do need to come together and do something to show the rest of the world and to everyone who doesn’t go here that Penn State is much more than this scandal and that we can rise above certain people who are morally wrong. State Patty’s day may be the start to doing this, but I do not think that the whole school would just not celebrate this known holiday. Fri, 2 Dec 2011 23:17:30 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/12/02/voices-from-the-classroom-89/#IDComment231875817 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/12/02/voices-from-the-classroom-89/#IDComment231875767 Most people outside of State College are not even aware that we have made up this holiday or that it even exists, so if we were to skip it this year, it is not like it would even get any media coverage. However, as Sam mentioned in class, it is not the outcome that comes from not doing it, it is the outcome that comes from doing it. Every year, there are always stories that are posted all over the internet and newspaper about events that occurred during the weekend of state patties. For example, last year there was an incident that dealt with a student throwing a huge tree log out of their window and it hitting and damaging a car. This is the kind of activity that we do not want to be covered on the media because it will just negatively affect Penn State even more. I think that our school needs to lay low for a while and let the recent events that happened this month blow over. Fri, 2 Dec 2011 23:17:18 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/12/02/voices-from-the-classroom-89/#IDComment231875767 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/12/02/voices-from-the-classroom-89/#IDComment231875660 I think that it is nearly impossible to cancel State Patty’s Day. Penn State students have come together and made this a known holiday all around campus and all around the city of State College. Because State Patty's is such a big deal and has been going on for several years, I find it very hard to believe that every single student would not celebrate it. There could be some that agree with the idea of not doing it this year, but there will always be those few who disagree and might even party harder because they feel so strongly about this topic. Do I feel that it will help the image of our school? I do not think it will help nationally, but maybe on a student body level. Fri, 2 Dec 2011 23:17:05 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/12/02/voices-from-the-classroom-89/#IDComment231875660 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/11/15/voices-from-the-classroom-78/#IDComment223103815 We are much more than the football program because we have the biggest run student organization and THON is what defines us. Not entertainment, but what students throughout all of Penn State's campuses do to raise money for the sick children. Our academics are what define us. Students continue to work hard and get into the best graduate schools and go onto to be the number one school for recruiters. This was one man’s evil mistake, and we should not be punished for this. I will forever remember this scandal and not see it as something negative, but something I can do to better my life and use it for whatever my future holds. Wed, 16 Nov 2011 23:52:33 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/11/15/voices-from-the-classroom-78/#IDComment223103815 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/11/15/voices-from-the-classroom-78/#IDComment223103753 It is important that the person that works higher above you knows, but also they might not do something, like in this situation. Joe Paterno even said in an interview that he "wished he could have done more." Looking back, I'm sure everyone involved, ranging from the witnesses to the victims, could have handled this better. Things in society are not always legal, they are also moral and I think how society is evolving throughout my generation is that people are losing this sense of being moral. However, I know that this scandal does not define Penn State University and as a pride Penn State student I will continue to support my school because we are much more than this one little scandal. Wed, 16 Nov 2011 23:52:24 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/11/15/voices-from-the-classroom-78/#IDComment223103753 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/11/15/voices-from-the-classroom-78/#IDComment223103706 There has been talk about some men going to the university police, but this obviously did nothing. I think that most of them were just trying to cover up the true name of Penn State and did not want to tarnish what Penn State football and it’s all around reputation actually means. This is such a shame that this scandal had to ruin several people’s careers and lives. As a student being here and experiencing this from beginning to end, from the riots to the candle light vigil, I can say that my view on dealing with certain situations has definitely changed. I now know that whenever I see something or even hear something that doesn’t really add up to me, to not just go to my boss, but to actually go to police officials who can and will do something. Wed, 16 Nov 2011 23:52:13 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/11/15/voices-from-the-classroom-78/#IDComment223103706 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/11/15/voices-from-the-classroom-78/#IDComment223103628 I think everyone who engaged in this scandal that everyone involved could of done more to not only prevent this from getting to this level but also on a moral level. In my opinion, all of the people that were involved in knowing about these sexual actions that were happening should have done more than what they each did. They all did the bare minimum legal actions to cover themselves legally. However, morally I think they really messed up and did not do the right thing. All of the men involved could have done more than just go to their superior or boss and say what they either heard or saw. When you see a coach showering with several young boys and bring him to his hotel room wouldn’t you begin to think that something is not right? Whoever the first person that saw this actually happening, whether it was the social icon and head football coach for several decades, Joe Paterno, or whether it was the janitor just cleaning the locker room, they should have went straight to the police office. Wed, 16 Nov 2011 23:52:01 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/11/15/voices-from-the-classroom-78/#IDComment223103628 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/11/10/voices-from-the-classroom-71/#IDComment220198588 I think because they made it such a big deal and blew it out of proportion by taking drastic measures, students reacted this way. If they quietly settled this, then riots might not have happened, or at least not at this magnitude. However, we cannot get away from technology because that is what our generation is all about, so in the end, it does not matter how people heard about the scandal or riots, everyone eventually heard and everyone did what they felt was right. Fri, 11 Nov 2011 04:08:41 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/11/10/voices-from-the-classroom-71/#IDComment220198588 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/11/10/voices-from-the-classroom-71/#IDComment220198543 I will always stand behind my school and I agree with why everyone wanted to riot and stand up for what they thought should have been the decision, but in the end it doesn’t matter. What has happened is in the past and we need to move on with a new president and new coaches for our football program. Social media has played a huge role in this whole scandal, not only with the riots. The media has been doing interviews all around campus and letting the scandal been known to everyone all around the world. I think that if it was not for so much media coverage and social networking sites that the scandal would not have been so big and obviously had less drama. I know that it is important that all students and former students become aware of problems around campus, especially as big as this, but the way that they blew it up was too much. Fri, 11 Nov 2011 04:08:31 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/11/10/voices-from-the-classroom-71/#IDComment220198543 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/11/10/voices-from-the-classroom-71/#IDComment220198446 So when I take a step back and think about it this way, I actually do believe that social media has played a major role in the awareness and involvement of not only the rioting, but also the knowing of what actually was the decision of the Board of Trustees. I think that the riots had a true meaning behind them, but they got out of hand way too quickly. There was no clear reason for why student's had to destroy our campus and downtown by knocking over a media van, breaking down light poles and setting off fireworks and fire crackers. This is just displaying us in a negative way and it was the last thing we needed. The media was already all over our school and making us seem embarrassing because what actually happened in the scandal, but this just made it worse. Fri, 11 Nov 2011 04:08:18 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/11/10/voices-from-the-classroom-71/#IDComment220198446 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/11/10/voices-from-the-classroom-71/#IDComment220198352 The main reasons that the riots happened all around campus and downtown State College is because students were outraged by what the Board of Trustees decided to do with the scandal going on. I personally heard about the riots through Facebook and people texting me to my mobile phone as well as twitter. However, I know for a fact that not everyone has a Facebook or twitter, a may not have received a text from a friend. Do I think social media network sites and the use of cellphones attracted more people to the riot? Yes. And I also think that it raised a huge amount of awareness that otherwise would not have been known. If anyone turned on ESPN they could see what was going on downtown as well. The riots were going to happen no matter how people heard about it. But when I really take a step back and think about this question, it occurs to me that the reason why people were rioting was because of the firing of Joe Paterno and our president Spanier. But how did we hear about this? Social media and friends telling us via a mobile phone. Fri, 11 Nov 2011 04:07:57 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/11/10/voices-from-the-classroom-71/#IDComment220198352 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/11/01/voices-from-the-classroom-59/#IDComment215967973 For example, if the come here to better their opportunities for a job, they will most likely not get the job if they can barley speak English. No one wants to visit a doctor or lawyer if they can barley understand them, no matter how smart they are. This will also help their children in school. I know in my school system there was a special program for students in which English was their second language, but I'm not sure how well these students actually got educated. It would just be an easier transition for everyone of they were to learn English. Wed, 2 Nov 2011 21:09:32 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/11/01/voices-from-the-classroom-59/#IDComment215967973 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/11/01/voices-from-the-classroom-59/#IDComment215967881 This will not only be easier for them to get around and learn things, but also for everyone else. It is very hard to help someone with directions on campus if there is a language barrier. For example, a couple of weeks ago a young couple drove up in a car to me and asked where a building was. They were of some Asian decent and they barley spoke English. It was very hard to understand them and because of that, it was more of a struggle for both of us to help each other. If they just knew a little more English, it would have been much easier for both sides. I do not understand why they would also not want to learn English for their own personal advantages. Most people come to the United States for the pure reason of seeking a better life. This can be either in the work place or for their family and children in the school system. Either way, knowing the prominent language would help them out so much more. Wed, 2 Nov 2011 21:09:20 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/11/01/voices-from-the-classroom-59/#IDComment215967881 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/11/01/voices-from-the-classroom-59/#IDComment215967791 This does not mean that they should let go of the culture that they grew up with and that their parents practice, because then the world would not be as diverse as it is and diversity is very important. If I was to walk past a group of students on campus and they were speaking a language other then English, I would not be offended. That is what they either grew up with, or their parents did. It is important to them and that is perfectly fine with me. However, if I were to ever decide to study abroad, I would want to learn the language in the country I am in. I think that this would just be an easier transition and I could easier communicate with the people around me. There is signs and directions in other languages, but that still will not always be there. I think that if people who come to the United States are here to stay and really want to try to be the best United States citizen they can, then they should put the effort in and learn the language. Wed, 2 Nov 2011 21:09:04 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/11/01/voices-from-the-classroom-59/#IDComment215967791 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/11/01/voices-from-the-classroom-59/#IDComment215967706 The United States has become a very diverse nation and becoming accepting of all cultures is a very important factor to have in your life. My high school was very diverse, there were whites, blacks, Latinos and several other races and ethnicities. I heard people speaking English and I also heard people speaking Spanish. Did this bother me to hear other languages besides English being spoken? In my personal opinion, I think that immigrants should be allowed to speak whatever language they want because it is not impacting my life. However, I do think that they should at least try to learn English because assimilating to a country is very important. If they plan on being a permanent resident, I think it is very important that they try as hard as they can to assimilate to American culture. Wed, 2 Nov 2011 21:08:46 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/11/01/voices-from-the-classroom-59/#IDComment215967706 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/10/20/voices-from-the-classroom-51/#IDComment212197318 For myself, I grew up in a very white community and didn’t have the chance to really notice race until high school, when blacks and other races were allowed to go to our school because of the way the district is split up. However, when I did encounter other races I was not only excited, but very interesting. When the first couple of white students started to hang around the African American's, people immediately started to talk and stare at them. Some students did say that the white student just wanted to be accepted by the African Americans, but I think that they just wanted to fit in with everyone and get to know every student, no matter what their race was. Hanging out with other people besides your race does not make you a poser, unless you are doing it just to get attention. These people just want to get along with everyone and find different interests in people that have a different race then them. Tue, 25 Oct 2011 16:45:21 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/10/20/voices-from-the-classroom-51/#IDComment212197318 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/10/20/voices-from-the-classroom-51/#IDComment212197228 This is not a good mindset to be in because everywhere in the world today, people of different cultures and backgrounds are migrating into places that were once only one race for their population. For instance, Penn State's campus is very large with over 40,000 undergraduate students. Even though that statistics prove that this campus is predominately white, as soon as I walk outside I see several different races, such as African American and Asian American. I think that diversity is very important to have in a person's life and by hanging out with other people does not really make you a poser of your motives are clear and honest. If someone just wants to get to know other backgrounds and branch out from what they grew up with, then this is very brave of the individual and then should be allowed to do this without being starred at or talked about for doing this. Tue, 25 Oct 2011 16:45:07 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/10/20/voices-from-the-classroom-51/#IDComment212197228 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/10/20/voices-from-the-classroom-51/#IDComment212197122 If a person hangs out with a different race then their own does this make them a "poser?" This is a very difficult question to answer because every individual is different and their motives are going to vary depending on what they want out of this interaction. For example, if people just want to get to know other races and explore how different cultures affect others, then their motive is honest and I do not consider this person a "poser." However, if they are hanging out with other people not of their race just because others are doing it or to prove a point to someone they know, then this people might have a motive that is not so honest and I would consider them a "poser." I think that hanging out with other people that are outside your race is very important because the world is so diverse and everyone should get out there and get to know each and every single person and their background and lifestyle. When people are so close-minded and only see their race and their race only, they begin to think that other races are inferior and that nothing in the world can change this. Tue, 25 Oct 2011 16:44:48 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/10/20/voices-from-the-classroom-51/#IDComment212197122 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/10/13/voices-from-the-classroom-46/#IDComment209375879 However, I cannot relate to this. Stage five is when people stop taking things personally, but still need approval from people of color. Stage six, where most people do not reach, deals with full awareness of race and embrace all cultures. I think that some people might say they are at stage six, but to me I think this is fully impossible. No one can embrace all cultures all the time because you grew up hearing different things about different people. You have been conditioned to believe certain things about racial groups, and no matter how hard someone tries to forget them, I think that people will always harbor unconscious feelings towards other groups of race. In order for me to change my ways of being in stage two, I think that I would have to go out and experience all the different races and cultures that society has to offer. By this I mean really talk to and get to know someone of a different race, and hopefully learn that we are all the same. Tue, 18 Oct 2011 23:24:36 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/10/13/voices-from-the-classroom-46/#IDComment209375879 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/10/13/voices-from-the-classroom-46/#IDComment209375811 In culture today, some words are loosing their actual meaning and are used freely, so since words are changing, I never know how to describe or approach someone of a different race them me. When we move into stage three, it deals with almost white bashing and white guilt. However, very few feel this. I do not think I feel guilty for what I have and others of color don't have. It is not my fault that I was born this way, and because of my color I might have gotten certain advantages that others did not. I am obviously thankful for this, but I do not feel guilty for being given these advantages in my life. State four deals with being angry at people for color because their tired of the continuous beat down. I can see how people of color would feel this way because after a while I'm sure the discrimination does get old. Tue, 18 Oct 2011 23:24:23 +0000 http://www.worldinconversation.org/2011/10/13/voices-from-the-classroom-46/#IDComment209375811