Author: Veronica Armendariz

Currently a student at Trinity College with a strong interest in teaching mathematics, volunteering, and tutoring.

Avoiding Plagarism

Posted on Author Veronica Armendariz

In order to understand how NOT to plagiarize, one must actually know how to intentionally plagiarize. Knowing what plagiarism is allows writers to be able to write more carefully and avoid any trouble with academic honestly. The following are examples of what to do and what NOT to do. Enjoy!

Step 0: Original text: Select what you believe to be the most important passage from Susan Eaton’s book.

Portion: “‘I think that children can overcome the stigma of poverty…But, what they cannot overcome is the stigma of separation. That is like a damned spot on their being…a spot that, no matter what success you have, you van’t wipe it out. And that’s what segregation does to children; they see themselves as apart and separate because of the language they speak, because of the color of their skin.'” (1).

(1). Eaton, Susan E. The Children in Room E4: American Education on Trial. Chapel Hill, NC: Algonquin of Chapel Hill, 2007. 124. Print.

Step 1: Plagiarize any portion of the original text by copying portions of it word-for-word.

Example 1: I think that children can overcome the stigma of poverty…But what they cannot overcome is the stigma of separation.

Step 2: Plagiarize any portion of the original text by paraphrasing its structure too closely, without copying it word-for-word.

Segregation makes children see that they should be apart and separate because of what language they speak and the color of their skin.

Step 3: Plagiarize any portion of the original text by paraphrasing its structure too closely, with a citation to the original source (using any academic citation style). Remember, even if you include a citation, paraphrasing too closely is still plagiarism.

Segregation makes children see that they should be apart and separate because of what language they speak and the color of their skin (1).

(1). Eaton, Susan E. The Children in Room E4: American Education on Trial. Chapel Hill, NC: Algonquin of Chapel Hill, 2007. 124. Print.

Step 4: Properly paraphrase any portion of the original text by restating the author’s ideas in your own diction and style, with a citation to the original source.

Segregation makes children become aware of other people’s view of racism including the way they interact with each other and the different ways they look (1).

(1). Eaton, Susan E. The Children in Room E4: American Education on Trial. Chapel Hill, NC: Algonquin of Chapel Hill, 2007. 124. Print.

Step 5: Properly paraphrase any portion of the original text by restating the author’s ideas in your own diction and style, supplemented with a direct quotation of a key phrase, plus a citation to the original source.

When being exposed to segregation, children become more aware of the differences between each other. Children are able to still live their lives no matter hardships are coming their way, however, “they cannot overcome is the stigma of separation” (1).

(1). Eaton, Susan E. The Children in Room E4: American Education on Trial. Chapel Hill, NC: Algonquin of Chapel Hill, 2007. 124. Print.

 

Sheff v. O’Neill 2013

Posted on Author Veronica Armendariz

On April 20, 2013, the defendants and plaintiffs of the Sheff v. O’Neill met to discuss a year extension to the previous goals created because the goals of the Phase II Stipulation were not met this year by the defendant. Since both the defendants and plaintiffs have an interest in “reducing racial, ethnic, and economic isolation in Hartford Public Schools”, there can be a one-year extension to achieve “either 81% demand benchmark or 41% integration standard by June 2014” (1). Although there is an extension to aid in the efforts to reduce racial, ethnic, and economic isolation, both the plaintiffs and defendants are aware that this effort is going to go beyond June 2014 to rectify it.

Because of the failure to meet the goals previously set in the Sheff v. O’Neill case 2008, there was changes made to Section I of the Phase II Stipulation. In order to meet the new goals created by both parties, school districts outside of the “Sheff-region” are to participate in Scheff-related school choice programs and the students who attend or take part in the programs will be included in the data collected for the Phase II Stipulation. Moreover, existing magnet schools are not inter-district magnet schools for the 2013-2014 school year (2).  In order to meet the new goals set forth from the Phase II Stipulation, the defendants have to come up with the right resources to plan, reorganize, restructure, develop, and operate schools so that they can meet the requirements set forth, “80% or the overall of Hartford resident minorities in reduced isolation settings”(2-6). Throughout pages 2-6, the document goes over the plans for specific areas (New/Expansion of Magnet Schools, Designation of Magnet Status to Already Existing Schools, Extending Capacity of Existing Magnet Schools, Extending Capacity of Technical Schools, Charter Schools, Enrollment Management Plans, Modifications to Open Choice, and Interdistrict Cooperative Grants) that will help in accomplishing the goal for the Phase II Stipulation.

In moving forward, both parties had to come to an agreement with creating a plan for a Phase III Stipulation by May 8, 2013. The documents largely discusses the SDE and its plans to implement the Phase II Stipulation and making the data of the progress being made available to those who want to use the information through a marketing campaign with Hartford Public Schools and CREC. The SDE then would have to provide reports on the performance of both Hartford Public School Students and non-Hartford Public School students participating in Sheff related school choice programs or in the “Sheff-region”.

Discussion Questions:

1.  Do you believe that the plan set forth will be able to accomplish the goals in the year extension given? Why or why not?

2. Is there anything else in the reports for the plaintiffs made by the SDE that should be included to ensure that the Phase II Stipulation is met?

3. Are there any other changes or goals that should be added to the Phase II Stipulation that would aid in raising student academic performance?

Some Real Estate Agents Discriminate Against Black Home Buyers

Posted on Author Veronica Armendariz

The article I examined was “Some real estate agents discriminate against black home buyers” which is an article in the Hartford Courant published on May 21, 1989 (1). In 1989, the Courant conducted a random test in which two potential home buyers of different race would enter a real estate agency with the same financial backgrounds and attempt to buy homes. Both the results and reactions towards the random testing proved something very significant to future home buyers in the Hartford metropolitan area: there was a plethora of evidence demonstrating that there was discrimination between each buyer in each of the 15 real estate agencies investigated.

When investigating each agency, the “home buyers” were each treated differently. The African American home buyer would constantly be under scrutiny because of their financial status and never told about the type of education that would be received in the neighborhoods when asking the realtors. Moreover, the African American buyers would only be shown a couple of houses in the suburbs, but steered towards predominantly African American towns and cities (such as Hartford and Bloomfield). However, the white home buyer would not be questioned about their financial status and would be shown a number of homes in suburbs such as West Hartford. Also, white buyers would be taken to see the homes, and they were told all of the success schools have been having in the area. This practice of “steering” home buyers to a certain area had been practiced before he 1980’s with the start of the Great Migration leading a large number of African Americans to Hartford in 1910 (2). Having the ability to sell these people homes in the Hartford metropolitan area gave real estate agents the advantage to change the reputation of a city or suburb through the buyers’ “anxieties about racially mixed schools” (3).

Similarly the same prejudiced that African American home buyers experienced, African American real estate agents would experience when working at a predominantly white real estate agency. In the article “Black agents learn to deal with the real world”, the article exposes the hardships of African American real estate agents in the Hartford Courant. When showing a house to a potential African American buyer, the white real estate agent always scrutinizes the capability in which the buyer can afford the house even though the previous agent (who is African American) has already concluded that the buyer can afford the home. The only way for African American realtors to make sure racial discrimination does not happen is by “threatening them with the rules”(4).

Sources:

(1) Bixby, Lyn, Brant Houston, Jeffrey Williams, and Larry Williams. “Some Real Estate Agents Discriminate against Back Home Buyers.” The Hartford Courant 21 May 1989: n. pag. Print.

(2) Tuckel, P., K. Schlichting, and R. Maisel. “Social, Economic, and Residential Diversity Within Hartford’s African American Community at the Beginning of the Great Migration.” Journal of Black Studies 37.5 (2007): 710-36. Print.

I found this citation through JSTOR by searching under “Hartford”, “real estate”, and “discrimination”.

(3) Dougherty, Jack. “Shopping for Schools: How Public Education and Private Housing Shaped Suburban Connecticut.” Journal Of Urban History 38, no. 2 (March 2012): 205-224. America: History & Life, EBSCOhost (accessed September 15, 2013).

I found this journal through America:History and Life by searching the key words “Hartford”, “discrimination”, “1989”, and “real estate”.

(4) Williams, Larry. “Black Agents Learn to Deal with the Real World.” The Hartford Courant 21 May 1989: n. pag. Print.

(5) Beeching, Barbara J. 2005. “Reading the Numbers: Census Returns as Key to the Nineteenth Century Black Community in Hartford, Connecticut.” Connecticut History 44, no. 2: 224-247. America: History & Life, EBSCOhost (accessed September 15, 2013).

I found this article by searching through America: History and Life by searching “Hartford”, “discrimination”, and “real estate”.

Discussion Questions:

1). The accounts given from the real estate agents all claim to have said that they were keeping the best interest in mind for each buyer when choosing to show them houses. Do you think there was a different between whether an African American real estate agent or white real estate agent was dealing with a buyer with the opposite race? Why or why not?

2) In considering the different options given from each real estate agent, do you think a buyer that was African American could receive more options from consulting with numerous real estate agents? Why or why not?

3) Some real estate agents chose to show some African American home buyers a select couple of houses in suburbs in West Hartford and suburbs similar to it. Why do you think real estate agents did this? What kind of conditions do you think these homes were in?

Home Buying Simulation

Posted on Author Veronica Armendariz

During this simulation, I was given an annual income of $30,000 which breaks down to $2,500 a month as income. For a downpayment, I had saved $5,000 dollars but had a debt of $100 a month to pay for a car that I own. Because of the income I have, the downpayment I can put down, and the debt I owe, my price range for buying a house was $79,856 – $105,266 (using an online mortgage calculator). Moreover, the possible rent I would pay for an apartment if a house were not possible would be approximately $833.33 (a third of my monthly income). Judging by my price range for houses, there was a small possibility that I could find a house in either West Hartford or Wethersfield. However in my decision to buying a house, I wanted to make sure that there were district schools near by because the lottery system for magnet schools did not guarantee a spot for both my 3rd and 6th graders. Furthermore, I wanted to make sure that the schools were fairly close to the house so that commute would not be an issue. During my search (using Zillow), I was given a lot of results with condominiums for sale two of which I considered: 100 Oakwood Ave. in West Hartford and 60 Mountain Laurel Dr. in Wethersfield. All of the houses I researched were within my price range; however, I narrowed my choices down to two houses each in pretty great and different school districts: 6 Fenwood Ave. in West Hartford and 18 Marguerite Ave. in Bloomfield.

Credit: zillow.com
Credit: zillow.com

Both houses were within the price range I had. However 6 Fenwood Ave. in West Hartford seemed to offer more than the house in Bloomfield. The house is priced at $99,900 which lies right in between my price range for houses. There is only 2 bedrooms which means the children would have to share. However, the schools for each of my children each are really great schools and perform really well. The 3rd grader would attend Bugbee Elementary located at 1943 Asylum Ave with grades K – 5th. The school is about 4.1 miles away meaning I would have to drive him/her to school or they would be provided with bus transportation. Bugbee Elementary has 95% of its students meeting the testing goal for Connecticut, and they are showing +4 growth in its testing which is above the average for Connecticut. Similarly, the school for my 6th grader has similar results. The 6th grader would attend Bristow Middle School located at 34 Highland St. approximately 2.8 miles with grades 6th – 8th. Since the school is a little far to walk, I would also drive the 6th grader to school or they would also have bus transportation provided. Bristow Middle School has 85% of its students meeting the test goals for Connecticut which is also higher than the average for Connecticut. Although the school seems to have dropped a bit (-3) this past year, their achievement on meeting the test goals are high. The children would be in great schools earning a quality education in the West Hartford School District.

Finding the different places to live along with really great schools for a family is really difficult. There’s a lot to consider when buying a house in a specific district and considering the quality of education your children will receive. I learned that the process become a double edged sword. There’s the possibility of living somewhere really amazing in a really great school district. However, the downfall is the amount you have to pay for it. I found a lot of places that were really nice, but didn’t have great school districts. I also had other places in which were really tight living quarters and not the best but remained somewhere that had a quality education. With living somewhere not so great with the quality of education being average or below, the price maybe much more affordable and easier to deal with.