Illinois Capitol Forum

Class Statements 2009

 

School: Alden-Hebron HIgh School

Class: American government & Honors United States History

Teacher: Matt Mayer

Class Statement: The issues pertaining to our generation should not be overlooked. These problems will shape the policies for America's future. The prevalent issues include the threat of genocide, global economy, nuclear weapons, the environment, and immigration. While witnessing the horrors of the Darfur genocide, America needs to stop turning a blind eye to the atrocities committed by the Janjaweed forces. While intervening within global humanitarian issues, it is also essential for the United States to become proactive in dealing with the economic issues facing our country today. Recently, issues concerning the weakening economy have been foremost in everyone's mind. From jobs being lost to houses being foreclosed, the state of the economy is the most imperative issue facing both America and the world. This, however, should not be the only issue we are concerned with. Iran is currently in a position of power over other middle-eastern countries because of their ability to engineer nuclear weapons. The environment is also becoming increasingly important, but other issues at this point in time force us to focus on the issues at hand. With immigration holding up the infrastructure of our economy, it is imperative that we do not make any rash decisions about restrictions on immigration. With the issues at hand, our generation will have to make a stand to preserve America's dominance with respect to global issues and affairs. It is the job of our future generation to do as has been specified many times in history and insure that this government is once again by the people, for the people, and of the people.

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School: Astoria HIgh School

Class: World Geography

Teacher: Doug Banwart

What specific international issues did your class discuss? Environmental Protection, Education, Economic Crisis, Healthcare, AIDS Crisis, Globalization and the Shrinking World, and Immigration.

Are there issues that you agreed are important? If so, what are they? Economy, Healthcare, and Education.

Did you agree that some issues are less important? If so, which ones? We felt that environmental protection was a very difficult choice to make, but given the circumstances it is not the most pressing problem.

Class Statement: As we look around our world and examine the many problems confronting it, we are left with a difficult and challenging reality. However, we realize that education is the building block to achieving social change, and we are convinced that having a conversation about the issues and learning/discussing them are the best way for the general public to become informed. It is the duty of all individuals to become educated in these fields, become aware of crises affecting everyone, and become "change agents" to make our world a better place. In these times, no one can afford to remain stagnant.

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School: Judah Christian School (Champaign)

Class: Juniors

Teacher: Casey Summers

What specific international issues did your class discuss?

Are there issues that you agreed are important? If so, what are they?

Did you agree that some issues are less important? If so, which ones?

Class Statement: The main priorities of the United States should be the Environment and terrorism. The Earth’'s natural resources are running out and we should try following already established international guidelines for protecting the environment. Terrorism should also be major concern and we should work with the United Nations to fight this threat.

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School: Carl Schurz High School (Chicago)

Class: Contemporary American History

Teacher: Megan McCarthy

Class Statement: More students expressed worry about protecting our own country's stability and security before playing a lead role in foreign policy issues. A common concern is that we are not going to be able to assist other countries or be a leader in the world if we are weak and unstable. Our first priority should be concentrating on our own issues. An effective way to continue to lead would be to lead by example. Other countries will see that a country should take care of its own issues whenever possible without relying on other countries. Protecting our homeland is the first step to take before being able to reach out to other countries. This will help to improve our international image and allow us to eventually take the lead again as a stronger country.

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School: Multicultural Arts High School (Chicago)

Class: Geography

Teacher: Ms. Sara White

Class Statement: We are most concerned with the Economy, Immigration, and the Environment. The foreclosures on homes are scary and with new rules it is more difficult to own a home. People are losing their jobs at an astounding rate. The immigration issue is always on our minds since we are an immigrant community. We fear that as the country's economic health decreases, immigrants will increasingly become targets. Lastly, as members of a lower income community surrounded by factories, we are concerned how the pollution affects our health and the environment in which we live.

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School: East Peoria Community High School

Class: Enriched Government

Teacher: Lamb/Green

What specific international issues did your class discuss?

Are there issues that you agreed are important? If so, what are they?
We believe the global economy and its impact on American interests is the most important issue.

Did you agree that some issues are less important? If so, which ones?
We feel that genocide, which is a desperately important issue, is being overshadowed by other world events.

Class Statement: The United States today is seen as a vast power and wields huge global influence. In order for the world economy to heal, and to improve foreign affairs, the United States must continue to develop and strengthen our interdependent relationships while simultaneously extending our hand to forge new and lasting associations. On the home front, the United States must take action to secure our citizens against foreign threats. The United States has and will remain a beacon of hope for all nations.

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School: SIUE East St. Louis Charter School (East St. Louis)

Teacher: Carolyn Breihan

Class Statement: Our class concerns for the world are the global economy, immigration, and national security. The global economy concerns us because the growing loss of jobs, financial crisis, and living costs are causing the American people to suffer. The increasing number of immigrants is causing financial problems and a contributing factor to our declining economy. US invasion of hostile countries have created groups that threaten the American people.

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School: Eureka High School

Teacher: Debra Blunier

Class Statement: The U.S. is a world power with financial and military leadership and influence, but as a class, we feel we should be smarter in our international role, recognizing our responsibility to listen to other countries, to understand the causes of conflicts, and then to give aid or apply pressure where it will help most. Being smarter about U.S. responsibilities should target decreasing our dependence on foreign oil and our military involvement in other countries, especially Iraq. At the same time, we must put more emphasis on developing green technology, while reforming our own health care, social security, and welfare system. These problems have a huge impact on the U.S. economy as well as the rest of the world, which adds to the negative U.S. image.

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School: Geneva Community High School

Class: Contemporary Issues

Teacher: Ms. Janie Doutsos

What specific international issues did your class discuss? We studied genocide as described in the Choices Program. To add to our understanding, we did research on various events of the past and present to evaluate whether or not they constituted genocide by the current UN definition. This included lives of the Native Americans, Australian Aboriginals, Kurds, Sudanese of Darfur, South Africans during Apartheid, Congolese of the DRC, and Tibetans.

Are there issues that you agreed are important? If so, what are they? We agreed that the factors that most affect this issue are as follows:

Did you agree that some issues are less important? If so, which ones? Our class was very undecided on how to prioritize the above list, but we did finally agree that preventative measures was the most important item on the list.

Class Statement: We, the students of Geneva Community High School, believe that the current laws that describe and deal with genocide are unclear, ineffective, and dissatisfying. The UN needs to redefine its protocol for suspected genocides. We feel if the international community is to err, it should be on the side of victims rather than state sovereignty. As a global community we need to put more resources into preventative measures to ensure fewer conflicts escalate to the point of genocide. This would include educating future generations to see one another as the same, rather than us and them. The US should take the lead in setting an example as a protector of human rights. We would gain more credibility if we began by admitting to our own ugly past and find a way to make some kind of restitution to our American Natives and African Americans.

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School: Greenview High School

Class: Social Studies Department

Teacher: Ryan Heavner

Class Statement: We at Greenview envision the US leading the world forward peacefully. We would like the US to lead by example and make the world a better place through all with our technology and strength.

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School: Homewood-Flossmoor High School

Teacher: Scott Aronson

Class Statement: In a world where every country can criticize our every action, and can watch our every move, image is everything. Our foreign policy needs to reflect our core values and we need to practice what we preach.We need to ask ourselves questions: Does the possesion of nuclear arms make us safer? Does it make other nations nervous? What about Darfur? Do have a responsibility to those people solely based on our ideological principles?What about immigration? These questions may not have the most obvious answers.That is why these issues need to be answered clearly, we can not afford to hesitate on these problems. Action must be put into place lest we flinch on the world stage and spur further American resentment.

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School: Lockport Township High School

Teacher: Jason Ozbolt

Class Statement: We, the students of Lockport Township High School, acknowledge that the United States of America faces a new and unique set of problems at the onset of the twenty-first century. We believe that today's world has changed in the past century the world is growing "flatter" and the sense of an international community is growing. Times are different and we need to realize that immigration, the struggling international economy, and violations of unalienable human rights are contributing to the current troubling state of the world. We need to work in unison with the international community to build trust; to form policies that would help to regulate the international economy and form a consistent policy on genocide. Working together, we can strengthen the current state of the world.

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School: Bureau Valley High School (Manlius)

Teacher: Michael Grossman

Class Statement: The future is ours and the time is now to change the course of our country and take our place among the world as a leading nation. The United States of America needs to set a model society for other countries to follow and it is up to us to create this future where peace is possible. As the future leaders of America, we take extreme pride in our country and have the obligation to lead the world to Democracy, protect U.S. global interests, build a more cooperative world, and protect our homeland.

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School: Illini Central High School (Mason City)

Class: International Relations

Teacher: Donnie Bowman

What specific international issues did your class discuss? Global Economics, Genocide, Nuclear Proliferation, China, and Iran

Are there issues that you agreed are important? If so, what are they? Yes. Global economy very important.

Did you agree that some issues are less important? If so, which ones?
Yes, global warming.

Class Statement: We, the class of Illini Central, believe that during these turbulent times we must make many difficult decisions. Our country as well as the rest of the world is faced with issues that have controversial solutions including the global economy, the war on oil, the environment, and immigration laws. After much deliberation we have decided that the global economy is of the utmost importance. We have come to realize that the important issues are all tied to the economy. With a poor economy the United States cannot help its own people or other countries in need.

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School: Mount Olive High School

Class: World History & American History

Teacher: Stacey Steiner

What specific international issues did your class discuss?

Are there issues that you agreed are important? If so, what are they?
We believe the most important issues are nuclear proliferation and the global economy; specifically, the current financial crisis in the United States and its impact on other nations.

Did you agree that some issues are less important? If so, which ones?
Although the environment is of great concern, we believe it is less important at this time. We believe stabilizing the world market and addressing nuclear proliferation requires immediate attention.

Class Statement: The United States faces many worldwide challenges including, but not limited to, the global economy, the environment, human rights and peace. For the continued success of the United States, we must initially correct the problems facing America's economy, which will result in stabilizing the global market. We also believe that the United States must find a balance between protecting its borders and deterring the production of nuclear weapons, thus promoting world peace.

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School: Newark High School

Class: 1A - U.S. History

Teacher: Michael Hall II

Class Statement: The economic stimulus package is the most important policy of the year. We need to help keep jobs in America and help the unemployed get back to work. Getting out of Iraq and turning our focus on Afghanistan should be a priority of our new administration. We must also work on our relationships with Russia and China if America wants to stay on top as one of the world's most influential countries.

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School: Newark High School

Class: 2A - U.S. History

Teacher: Michael Hall II

Class Statement: In order to improve the economy, the U.S. government needs to cut spending, be more self-dependent, and have fewer taxes. We need to tighten our borders so the U.S. can be more secure. Our military needs to get out of Iraq, but only when the time is right. If we leave too early then problems will arise. American should be a major player in world affairs for the foreseeable future.

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School: Normal Community West High School

Class: International Relations

Teacher: Mr. Klokkenga

What specific international issues did your class discuss?

Are there issues that you agreed are important? If so, what are they?

Did you agree that some issues are less important? If so, which ones?

Class Statement: Our focus as the United States should be fixing our internal struggles first, i.e. the economy, joblessness, housing crisis, etc. before we shift our focus to our external struggles such as Iraq, Afghanistan, nuclear proliferation, and the larger war on terror. Our class agreed that creating an interdependent world should be a top priority of the new Obama administration but when we put this in practice it should be multilaterally led, not unilaterally. One area the world should confront sooner rather than later are human rights violations namely the conflict in Darfur and the trafficking of humans in lesser developed countries.

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School: Maine East and West High Schools (Park Ridge)

Teacher: Jennifer Conlon

Class Statement: Looking to the future, U.S. should maintain good relationships with other countries by diplomacy and humanitarian relief, and militarily we should become isolationist. The United States upsets more countries by ineffective or offensive intervention (or the lack thereof), than it pleases other countries by the U.S. imposing its value choices. We need to rethink our military model to respond to a new threat - which is unpredictable and dispersed, lacks a chain of command, has independent access to destructive technology, and lacks identifiable leadership which may not be legitimate.

In those cases where the United Nations believes intervention is necessary, the United States would intervene only if the affected nation requests our help and only with the assistance of other nations, in a multilateral action.

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School: Maine South HIgh School (Park Ridge)

Class: International Relations

Teacher: Kevin Hansen

Class Statement: Maine South high school believes that in an ever changing world, the United States needs to make decisions more carefully than ever. Unlike the past, when our most important issues mainly affected America alone, our largest problems today affect the entire world.

The economic recession that started September 2008 has reached out to economies all over the world. Because our economy is so heavily linked with others around the world, the United States needs to work cooperatively with the international community. As we participate in an international community it also our responsibility to protect our relationships. Not only our relationship with other countries but also with our earth.

The amount of pollution has increased and we create more waste than our world can handle. We must look for ways to reduce green house emissions and air and water pollution. Nuclear power is one such solution. However, the United States has failed to lead the world in environmental action. It is unacceptable for the United States to do so.

In addition, the United States must deal with the danger of nuclear proliferation. The United States can not reduce the amount of fear others have for nuclear weapons alone; but as a global community we can overcome the terrors of such things as nuclear weapons and use the wisdom we have to plan, to regulate, and succeed in taking control of our fears.

As a country alone we have had our glories and have had our downfalls, but we never stay down. We are creative and intelligent, but it is essential to grow. In order to grow we need to learn from others. If we come together, through numerous initiatives we will not only benefit ourselves, but also as a world.

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School: Pontiac Township High School

Class:

Teacher: Mr. Bohm & Mr. Treadway

What specific international issues did your class discuss?
The specific international issues that we discussed were the global financial crisis, the environmental concerns, immigration policies, terrorism, nuclear proliferation, and the war in Iraq.

Are there issues that you agreed are important? If so, what are they?
The most important issues are the global financial crisis, terrorism, and internal issues regarding the United States.

Did you agree that some issues are less important? If so, which ones?
Yes, we see that nuclear proliferation is not as big of a concern as terrorism in general.

Class Statement: As a group, we would like to address the concerns within the United States first and foremost, while recognizing global issues and their implications to the United States. From this, we look forward to the opportunity as students and youth to present our views on maintaining our founding fathers' ideals for the future of our country.

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School: Quincy Junior High School

Class: Freshmen

Teacher: Ms. Lisa Goughnour

What specific international issues did your class discuss?
The specific issues our class discussed were: the immigration policy, the environment, international trade, nuclear proliferation and genocide.

Are there issues that you agreed are important? If so, what are they?
After an in-depth discussion, our class has come to the conclusion that all of the topics are of equal importance and are deeply intertwined. By implementing a solution that deals with just one of these delicate subjects, we are then progressing to fix the others. Due to this, we cannot afford to dedicate resources toward a single goal, but instead, must put forward the greatest and fullest of ideas and people toward each issue.

Did you agree that some issues are less important? If so, which ones?
No

Class Statement: Immigration has always affected America, but with today's economic crisis, we need to monitor how many people enter our country.

The condition of our environment affects our lives today and the lives of future generations.

International trade affects America's ability to deal with problems that plague our economic health at home and abroad.

The prevention of nuclear proliferation is important not only to protecting the welfare of our citizens, but also to project a sense of peace and security through the world.

Genocide has become a pressing problem that if not dealt with will come to affect immigration, trade, environment and nuclear proliferation that could affect America's future.

Our class believes that there is not a single issue that is more important than the other. Whether in America or the world all of the issues are interdependent and each issue deserves a fair hearing.

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School: Streamwood HIgh School

Teacher: Vassolo

Class Statement: As we have spent many classes discussing the many topics that effect the United States we have come to a self evident conclusion. Whether the issues is a matter of global economy, trade deficits, genocides that are resultant from failed states, the threat of nuclear material falling into the “wrong” hands, or the myriad other topics that impact our world as Americans, the conclusion is the same; no matter what choice America makes in our foreign policy there will always be detractors to criticize our choices as either imperialistic, self serving, or protectionist.

As a country, we waste time on worrying how other countries will view our actions. By coddling the sensitivities of the world we’ve skewed our vision of the world’s order and America’s place in it. It’s been near a decade since the last major domestic policy was instituted. We have spent billions fighting unpopular wars, rebuilding destitute countries, and propping up marginal regimes all at the cost of having our own society, economy, and infrastructure crumble from underneath us.

It is our class view that America should focus on recreating itself economically, educationally, scientifically, and diplomatically. It’s time for responsibility and accountability to reign in America again (if it ever has at all). We believe in change and hope for a better future.

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