Rationality of Poverty

I was having a discussion with a friend on why friends that we grew up with make the decisions they make and why they can not see beyond the neighborhood or local community.  The Central Valley is very poor.  I call this phenomena the rationality of poverty.  Being impoverished can dictate a lot of choices and the immediate need for food and shelter can drive decisionmaking where, to the outside eye, the decisions look illogical.  There becomes a point where the decision making methodology becomes hardwired in our day to day actions.  I came to this realization when I go to fill gas in my car and how I may drive another block or mile to save another penny a gallon.  That makes no sense but in the rationality of poverty, it makes sense to save all that you can.

Developping the Talented Tenth versus a Functional Vocational Society Through Education

What is the role of education?  “Education” in French translates “to raise” a child.  Is that what a system is supposed to be doing?  And if so, is it doing a good job of that?  Fundamentally, is education for society or is it for the development of the individual?  In terms of resourcing and funding an educational system, who is the primary benefactor of the education system?  We know that, theoretically, an education system should afford all students an opportunity to be successful but one must question whether the role of education should benefit society.  Outside the United States and in other developed nations, the education systems have a role in benefiting those societies.  While higher education may be free or much more affordable than the United States, there are limitations on who has access.  The reason is not to be punitive but rather to address the needs of the nation.  There is a need for professionals in a myriad of occupations and the education systems of these countries address that.  Only so many students will get into higher education just as there will only be so many apprentices to learn carpentry.  School is a method to “educate” the children to build capacity within the national interests.  Juxtaposed to the United States where there really is no cap or limits on who can access higher education.  Education is seen more in the lens of a personal benefit; a social equalizer.  American schools are utilized as a form of equality and equity.  If one fails to access or take advantage of educational opportunity it is more of a personal choice in light of a European model where only so many lawyers, doctors, and clocksmiths may be needed to keep society function.

   

School budgets are a reflection of a community’s values.  The money will be allocated to either what matters or what is mandated by government.  Equity and equality drive a lot of the budgets in California which leads to the idea of personal development.  The equity vs equality debate is not much different than the W.E.B DuBois versus Booker T. Washington debates of 100 years ago.  Do we want to fund the “Talented Tenth” (DuBois, 1903) or do we want to build capacity in society by teaching life and professional skills (Washington, 1901)?  The DuBois (1903) method is more focused on the individual in hopes of finding society’s brightest which will then lift up others and, therefore, improve society.  Washington’s (1901) method is more of exponential capacity building.  By allocating resources to developing many needed occupations, education is being used to ensure that a community is functional.

A focus on allocating resources based on standardized testing is problematic in that one separate but equal system is being replaced by another.  While race was the primary focus of segregation and offering inferior education to a class of students so too is what happens when testing is used to justify limiting resources to one group for that of another.  Especially when the outcomes are similar to what they were under a race based allocation system. 

When it comes to budgeting and fairly allocating resources, leadership must have values and priorities beyond metrics which are inherently biased.  Regardless of what the data says, it can never supersede the equal protection clause of the Constitution nor does it overturn the Brown vs. Board (1954) decision.  Those are codified values which require a form of equality and equity in how budgets are planned and how we educate our children.      

Rethinking Society with an Aging Baby Boomer Population

With more people over the age of 65 than under the age of 5 (for the first time in history) we need to rethink our values as a society.  How will we care for the aging population?  I think creating public service opportunities focus specifically on caring for an aging population is something we should consider.  Also, how will we fund are current priorities (i.e. military spending, social security, pensions)?  

Fresno State Gender Equity in Student Aid

Fresno State student aid for women and men’s is about the same.  While spending for women’s teams has increased and, in recent years, has exceeded the men’s team it still is not reflective of equity.  $2,697,380 was spent on men’s teams in 2014 while only $2,669,639 was spent on women’s teams.  This is also factoring in that there were 233 ($11,457.68 per student athlete) women participants in athletics compared to 212 ($12,723.49 per student athlete).

    

Fresno State Athletic Department Expenses by gender vs Mountain West Conference

There is a disparity in the expenses of men’s and women’s teams, as well.  In 2003, the disparity gap is $5.6 million and balloons to $6.9 million in 2012.  An explanation can be the cost of equipment (i.e. football) is the reason for the disparities in expenses but the gap widens in 2014 in relation to 2003.  Spending has increased for men’s and women’s teams but the rate of increase favors the women (80% to 50%).  The expenses of men’s team is almost double that of the women’s teams, historically.

Fresno State’s answer to the discrimination lawsuits has been to increase spending in gender neutral expenses.  Athletic departments allocate funds to men’s and women’s teams but they also have expenses that apply to the department as a whole.  The data suggest that Fresno State used a “gender neutral” approach to remedy gender equity.  Instead of specifically allocating funds to women’s programs, facilities, and coaching salaries, monies have been allocated to resources that benefit the entire department.  Philosophically, the Athletic Department may see the solution as to not recognize gender or differences as a solution to systemic discrimination and denial of gender equity.

Fresno State has taken action to address gender equity at their institution but it has still failed to reach equality in many factions.  Fresno State has added women sports over the 25 years since the inception of the OCR investigation and also eliminated men’s sports.  The failure is in its commitment to uphold its Action Plan to address the lack of equity.  Also, Fresno State went to extra measures to obstruct chances to ameliorate in gender equity status yet ignored internal complaints and advice of its administrators.  The data has also shown that when they are subject to litigation, the disparities in wages and resources between men’s and women’s teams improves.  Fresno State still needs to examine and refine its courses of action and how it addresses gender equity in its athletic department.

Fresno State Women's and Men's Head Coaching Salaries

Looking at Fresno State’s head coaching salaries shows a disparity that is evident in the quest for gender equity.  When scrutinizing the data further, what is apparent is that Fresno State’s head coaching salaries are the norm for the Mountain West Conference.  From 2006-08, their salaries are above the conference average (it should be noted that there were not yet a member of the Mountain West Conference).  By 2012, the head coaching salaries for men’s and women’s teams (and salary disparity) are similar.  Historically, Fresno State coaches were paid above the conference average but Fresno State women’s salaries have decreased thus increasing the gap between men’s and women’s teams head coaches.

There is a disparity in the expenses of men’s and women’s teams, as well.  In 2003, the disparity gap is $5.6 million and balloons to $6.9 million in 2012.  An explanation can be the cost of equipment (i.e. football) is the reason for the disparities in expenses but the gap widens in 2014 in relation to 2003.  Spending has increased for men’s and women’s teams but the rate of increase favors the women (80% to 50%).  The expenses of men’s team is almost double that of the women’s teams, historically.

Bryan Pagliano and the Missing PST Files

Where are Bryan Pagliano's emails? The error in finding the missing pst files is probably in the data transfer process.  When you transfer files to another drive, outlook pst files normally don't transfer over.  You have to manually export them from the appdata file in the end user's Outlook folder.  I am thinking that is what happen with Bryan Pagliano's missing emails.  he saved them in a folder he added to his government account and when they backed up the files, they never moved over the hidden pst files.  The solution is to find the device that he used and to extract them off his files...hopefully the device hasn't been re-imaged.