Write an Op-Ed, get paid and published!

[KPalicz]

GUIDELINES FOR YFEN OP-EDS:

1. Keep track of any sources/books/newspaper articles you use, as we may
need to review them before publishing the Op-Ed

2. Keep the Op-Ed between 500 and 1,000 words long.

3. All articles will be subject to editing for length, clarity, and grammar.

4. We will try to publish all articles in other media outlets, including the
Free Expression Network site (www.freeexpression.org) and hopefully a few
newspapers -- but can't make any promises.

5. If we use your piece, we can pay an honorarium of up to $50

Possible topics for Op-Eds include the following:

1. Abstinence-only sexuality education
2. Internet Filtering software in schools and libraries
3. Suppression of Gay/Straight Alliances on high school campuses
4. Censorship of student newspapers
5. Censorship of student websites
6. Lack of representation of young people of color in the media
7. Self-censorship in communities often victimized by hate crimes, including
Muslims and gays/lesbians
8. School Dress Codes
9. Withholding of money for school programs and projects deemed
"controversial"
10. Removal of "controversial" books from school libraries

We are also very open to suggestions -- as long
as the topic in some way deals with free expression/censorship. The most
important factor is that the issue you write about truly resonates within
you -- that is, you feel quite impassioned by a certain censorial measure
and have taken a personal stand against it. All writers for YFEN must also
be 21 or younger.

Send your Op-Ed to: sgriest (at) ncac.org


------------------
Alex Koroknay-Palicz
President & Executive Director
National Youth Rights Association
www.youthrights.org


(http://www.youthrights.org


)

[Fabuluke]

Boy, I've got a lot to say on all of that! I could also use the money...

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"For I so loved the world that I sacrificed Myself to Myself to appease My own anger at My own creation." -- God

[KPalicz]

Go for it Jess! http://www.ecg.net/nyra2/df/ubbhtml/smile.gif

Welcome back btw, you haven't been around the last few days.

But yea, essays are good. Not only does it give us a chance to get youth rights out there with more papers and more arguments, but you folks can also make some money. So I highly recommend people write some essays.

I'm too old http://www.ecg.net/nyra2/df/ubbhtml/frown.gif Missed it by a year. Ageism!

------------------
Alex Koroknay-Palicz
President & Executive Director
National Youth Rights Association
www.youthrights.org


(http://www.youthrights.org


)

[Yasha]

would be great if we knew how many op-eds were submitted through nyra.

[XavierAKadafi]

You know what..


I think I might do this..



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MSN - demonlord666@hotmail.com

[KPalicz]

Did anyone end up sending something? If you haven't gotten around to it yet, I do encourage you to. This is a great opportunity to get the word out.

------------------
Alex Koroknay-Palicz
President & Executive Director
National Youth Rights Association
www.youthrights.org


(http://www.youthrights.org


)

[XavierAKadafi]

Alex, I wrote one:


The Disruption of a Class

According to Dictionary.com the word disrupt means as follows:

1. To throw into confusion or disorder.
2. To interrupt or impede the progress, movement, or procedure of
3. To break or burst; rupture.

When I decided that I didn’t believe in the pledge and chose not to stand for it; I saw no disruption in the classroom . I continued to see no disruption as I began to stand less and less. The class remained orderly, nobody became confused, it continued to run at the same speed of progress, and followed it’s regular procedures. On occasion, one person might ask me after class why I had not stood, and I would tell them that I didn’t believe in it. After this, they’d answer with some simple form of agreement like okay and never think twice about it.

At the change of semesters, my first period class changed, and I no longer had a teacher who believed in the rights of her students. In the beginning of the term, there was a student teacher. The first problem with my not standing was this student teacher telling me that I had to stand. She received the same treatment of anybody else would if they tried to tell me something like this: she was ignored. The next time (Every Monday we were asked to stand for the pledge) I was called into the hall by my actual teacher who attempted to tell me that I had to stand. I said that I didn’t and she attempted to compromise with me saying that I didn’t have to say it, but I did have to stand for it. I refused. The next Monday, I was shot dirty looks from the teacher. during the pledge while I sat. The following week, I was called to the office and told that I had to stand for the pledge. I was told that they were looking into if they could force me to stand or not, but they suggested I stand.

The vice principal told me a story of a teenager at another school he taught at dressing like Marylin Manson. He said that I was acting like said student by disrupting class. When I asked how my not standing for the pledge disrupted the class he said it didn’t matter, and that it only mattered if the teacher thought I was disrupting class.

I’ve yet to see any other action taken against me besides the dirty looks from the teacher. I find these looks to be rather insulting and disrespectful, but alas, students may not write up teachers for detention if they disrespect them.

Since these incidents, I talked to one of my friends who didn’t stand for the pledge. She told me that she’d already been through the entire process and that it was over for her. Now, I’m puzzled with the fact that if they had already been through the situation with her, then why were they telling me that I had to stand? It seems to me that they were using their authority to attempt to force their beliefs onto me.; however, I cannot guarantee this thought.

Lately, I’ve looked back at the situation. It seems to me that by looking at me dirty and calling me into the hallway, the teacher was disrupting class, not me. Now, of course, you can follow this back to my not standing for the pledge causing her to disrupt the class. But, you can also take that back to my guidance counselor who made my schedule in a way that I had that teacher during the pledge. Then, you can follow that back to the school for asking me to recite the pledge in the morning. You can also lead it back to my mother for choosing to live in Boardman, Ohio where the schools do this. Then, you can follow it back into my grandparents who lived in Boardman and didn’t move my mother to another different area where she would have settled instead of Boardman. You can lead it back to the government for forcing me to go to a school that I hate through truancy laws. You can lead it back to Christopher Columbus for discovering America, if you want to; the point is, that she is the one who caused the disruption and by saying my not standing for the pledge caused her disruption is a scapegoat.

My grandfather and I argued over this, and he said that I was setting a precedent. Other students would not stand for the pledge. I still do not see how that would disrupt the class. Actually, the pledge coming on is disrupting the class, if I’m not mistaken.

Some people may even say that this is disrespect to those who fought and died for this country that gives me the rights that I have. I do believe that in those rights is the right to not stand for the pledge. Also, I did not choose to live here. I am forced. And, where are my rights? I am not allowed outside my home past 12a.m. I am not allowed to see a movie rated R without my mommy seeing it with me. I am not allowed to purchase a game rated M without my mommy being with me as well. I am not allowed to vote against the laws that govern me. I am forced to pay taxes that I did not have a say as to whether or not they were passed. I am denied work, and I may not drive a car. What great freedoms do I have? The freedom of speech and religion? I can’t tell a teacher to f*** off. I’m taught christianity in school, and am forced to abide by christian law-makers. The pledge that I am told I have to recite every day teaches that the government believes in Christianity (or at least monotheism). Allow me to set this clear: I will stand for the National Anthem in respect to those who gave me the rights I will have after I’ve lived on this earth for 18 years, but I will not stand for a pledge that blatantly lies.

I would still like to know:

How is it that I disrupt the class when I choose to express my rights and not stand for the pledge?

[This message has been edited by XavierAKadafi (edited April 05, 2004).]

[This message has been edited by KPalicz (edited April 05, 2004).]

[Yasha]

Are they still doing this? It would be a good thing to put in a prominent place if they are...

Always good for youth rights supporters to be able to get published somewhere.

[XavierAKadafi]

they never even e-mailed me back on that. I never heard anything.