The Ethics Of The Texas Foster Care System - 1141 Words

While looking at the dangers and environment in a child’s home, advocates such as employees of the Department of Family and Protective Services of the State of Texas, have the moral obligation to take into consideration safety of children shelters and foster homes. Morally, advocates for the children should also take into consideration the psychological trauma that the child may or may not experience through being taken away from family and being placed, possibly multiple times, at new places away from everything they know. The Texas foster care system is administered by the state’s Department of Family and Protective Services (â€Å"DFPS†), a division of the Health and Human Services Commission (â€Å"HHSC†). Within DFPS, the division of Child†¦show more content†¦As conservator, DFPS undertakes the constitutional and statutory duties of ensuring the child’s safety, permanency, and well-being. During the period of TMC, DFPS is required to make reasonable efforts to reunify children with their families if safe and appropriate, or to make timely efforts to legally free them for adoption or find another permanent placement for them. While the child is in the state’s TMC, Texas law requires the appointment of an attorney to represent the child’s expressed interests and a guardian ad litem to protect the child’s best interests in the state court proceeding affecting the parent-child relationship. Under Texas law, TMC lasts for one year, or at most eighteen months. After that time, if the child has not been reunited with his birth family or provided with some other permanent family, he enters the state’s Permanent Managing Conservatorship (â€Å"PMC†). Once the child is in the state’s PMC, that initial legal proceeding is concluded. After entry of that final order, Texas state law provides no mandate that the child continue to be represented as he was in TMC. Thus, a substantial number of children in the state’s PMC have no independent adult obligated to represent their expressed or best interests in state court proceedings held twice a year to review DFPS actions. For each child under the state’s conservatorship, a DFPS caseworker is

American Woman Free Essays

American Woman The struggles America has dealt with have been expressed in the lyrics of popular songs, specifically issues pertaining to government, politics, the period of the Cold War and Vietnam War. Another American issue that has been expressed in popular music is the drug world and its complications, creating a strong and forceful depiction of America. The song titled â€Å"American Woman† has been expressed through many different medium of art. We will write a custom essay sample on American Woman or any similar topic only for you Order Now American Woman† has two versions; the first version was made by the Canadian rock band the â€Å"Guess Who†, the second version was made by the American singer and composer Lenny Kravitz. â€Å"American Woman† is a successful song that has caused many controversies over the years; for example, regarding the â€Å"Guess Who† version, it refers to attacks on U. S. politics and government, especially for the Cold War and Vietnam War, while Kravitz’s version expresses his personal take on drug use and his personal battle with drug addiction. â€Å"American Woman† is a product of the Vietnam War and its issues. When the vocalist of â€Å"The Guess Who† referred to American woman, he actually referred to The Unites States. Some lyrics of the song reflect the political and government issues of the U. S. For example, â€Å"Don’t come hangin’ around my door, I don’t wanna see your face no more, I got more important things to do, that spend my time growin’ old with you† (L. 18-21). This part of the song is basically saying that Canada has its own troubles that they have to deal with, and they don’t need to get into some wars over opinion with the U. S. The â€Å"Guess Who† version also refers to America’s imperialistic attitude at the time of the Vietnam War. For instance, â€Å"I don’t need your war machine; I don’t need your ghetto scenes† (L. 35-36). This phrase is referring to the nuclear weapons that the U. S. used in Vietnam and the after math of the explosives. During the time of the Cold War and the Vietnam War, America tried to get Canada to adopt nuclear missiles and join in the war. The â€Å"Guess Who† showed in the lyrics of â€Å"American Woman† the rejection of war activities. For example, â€Å"Colored lights can hypnotize, Sparkle someone else’s eyes, now woman, I said stay away, American woman, listen what I say† (L. 37-40). These lyrics basically refer to the explosions of the bombs that occurred in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia from 1955 to 1975 (Vu Tung). The phrase implies that Canada does not like wars, and it tells the U. S. government to bother someone else. At the time of the Vietnam War, Canada had economic growth, political independence and regime survival in a post-Cold War environment. In the Kravitz’s version of the song â€Å"American Woman† the original political themes of the song were replaced by his personal takes on drug use and his personal battles with drug addiction. When Kravitz mentions American woman as a white girl, he actually refers to the use of cocaine. For instance, â€Å"Huh, American Woman, stay away from me, American woman, mama let me be† (L. 1-2). In this phrase, he is refusing to use drugs, especially, cocaine. Furthermore, he is also saying that drugs don’t let him be the person that he wants to be. In America, the number of drug users increases every year. Drugs are everywhere, especially at parties and night clubs. Kravitz used the lyrics of â€Å"American Woman† to transmit the message of avoiding drugs. For example, â€Å"Colored lights can hypnotized, Sparkle someone else’s eyes† (L. 13-14). This phrase also reflects how the use of drugs can captivate people by making them feel good; however, Kravitz refuses to take drugs, and he wants to stay away from them. In the song â€Å"American Woman† Kravitz shows his personal experience using drugs and the negative effects of the illegal substances. For instance, â€Å"Don’t come knocking ‘round my door, I don’t wanna see your shadow no more† (L. 11-12). In these lyrics the singers is referring to his personal experience using drugs. When he mentions shadows, he refers to how painful and hard is the addition of these illegal substances. Kravits throughout the song shows how he fought to quit drugs. In the following lyrics expressed â€Å"I gotta go, I gotta get away, Baby, I gotta go, I wanna fly away† (L. 29-30). Although the drug world at first glance seems amusing, from Kravitz’s experience, he prefers to get away from temptations. In conclusion, â€Å"American Woman† is an extraordinary song that has caused many controversies over the years; for example, regarding the Guess Who’s version, it refers to attacks on U. S politics and government, especially for the Cold War and Vietnam War, while Kravitz’s version referrers to the rejection of the drug world and his personal experience with cocaine. The challenges that America has had over the years, have been subjects for songs, paintings, poetry, films and art in general, especially those themes that are related with the U. S. government, politics, wars and illegal drugs. America will always be the subject of inspiration for artists around the globe because it is a country with a variety of cultures and population issues. Work Cited * The Guess Who. â€Å"American Woman†. Elyrics. net. 200-20013. Web. March 20, 2013. * Kravitz, Lenny. â€Å"American Woman†. Elyrics. net. 200-20013. Web. March 20, 2013. * Vu Tung, Nguyen. â€Å"Vietnam’s Membership of ASEAN: A Constructivist Interpretation†. Military and Government Collection. Vol. 29, Dec 2007. Web. March 20, 2013. How to cite American Woman, Papers

Meaning of God

What is the meaning of God in the different stages of development? Many religious groups in the world recognize the presence of God in their day-to-day lives. However, they know God in different ways. This research paper will look at God according to different stages of human development.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Meaning of God specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Developmental Stage (0-2 years) This is the initial stage in which an infant is brought into the world after birth. An infant encounters God through the family. This means that parents have an influence on a child as far as God is concerned. At this developmental stage, the infant is still getting used to the environment and the people within it. As such, a child cannot have the ability to comprehend fully the meaning of God. The infant is still at a stage where he or she is learning to walk, speak and how to carry out very basic activities. The child still needs close monitoring from a parent or a guardian (Korniejczuk 25). During infancy, children acquire knowledge by observing the environment around them. They are able to gather and obtain information through touch, seeing and hearing. At this stage, the child is inquisitive and satisfies his or her needs through various ways. The child responds to various stimuli that are present within the environment. Consequently, a child adapts gradually to its environment and as time goes by, it learns more about what takes place in society. The child observes closely the actions of adults and their behavior. At this developmental stage, children are more likely to depend on the visual aspect of communication as compared to any other stage (Korniejczuk 31). As such, their understanding of the meaning of God is not likely to be very much developed. This will largely depend on their exposure to images and religious symbols, which can create an impression on their minds as they g row up. From the age of eight months onwards, the child can know that things exist in various forms. This helps in improving the memory capability of the infant at this stage. Therefore, this means that a child at this stage can remember symbols shown to him or her. This can draw the child closer to the existence of God. Therefore, the ability of adults to influence children is eminent. Such effects would have lasting consequences on the lives of children. Adults influence children to adopt a particular interpretation regarding the meaning of God (Korniejczuk 36).Advertising Looking for research paper on religion theology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More 2-6 years developmental stage In this stage of development, the child’s view is still influenced by his or her external environment and the element of curiosity begins to set in. At this stage, the child starts developing emotional, psychological and physical instincts , which directly arise due to external influence. At this stage of development, a child’s level of understanding and perception regarding the existence and the meaning of God is simplistic and basic (Bridges 34). This is the age that children start going to school. Children start attending preschool and elementary classes and as such, they come across the meaning of God in their lives. The child benefits from learning external environment, which is usually through formal and informal learning. The child is also at a stage where he or she begins valuing various physical activities in form of playing, walking, running, jumping and dancing. These make them more exuberant. This high-spirited nature of children within this developmental stage offers teachers and parents, who are in close contact, the ability to introduce aspects of religion to the child through teachings (Bridges 39). At this stage, parents and teachers are likely to involve such children in several religious acti vities that cherish and worship God. The child is able to learn various religious symbols, teachings, practices and other festivals that are important among devotees of the respected deity in society (Bridges 40). Interaction of these children with their parents, teachers, and other people within a particular environment offers them an opportunity to be involved in affairs concerning their belief. Children are therefore encouraged to value the importance of devotion to God within a particular religious society. Again, they are taken through the principles of a certain religion. Many religious groups and organizations emphasize on values related to sacrifice, worship, fasting, perseverance, and righteousness, as a means of appeasing God.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Meaning of God specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More At this developmental stage therefore, children are involved in all activities that might make them honor the teachings of God as introduced to them by their parents, teachers, and other adults (Bridges 44). 7-11 years developmental stage This developmental stage coincides with a child’s active involvement in formal education and this has many implications to a child’s ability to interpret the role of God regarding his or her daily life. Children at this developmental stage are encouraged to be familiar with the teachings relating to particular religious group and they are made to understand the importance of observing those religious doctrines (Gunnoe 201). Regular aspects of devotion are introduced to children, such as regular prayer sessions and creating time to help the needy in society. Children at this developmental stage also become aware of deep and symbolic religious practices and doctrines that influence the belief within a particular religious group (Gunnoe 207). Within this developmental stage, children learn the importance of applying religiou s principles, which they are taught as a way of strengthening their belief and faith in God. Through this form of devotion, children become aware of spirituality in all aspects that are related to their daily lives. These spiritual pillars are shown to these children to ensure that they are pure in their minds and their hearts in their daily activities according to the wishes and will of God (Gunnoe 211). Children are taught about the choices they make and the consequences they have to endure in the process of decision-making. This is made to solidify the belief that God rewards those who do well and punishes those who do things that go against his will and teachings. Therefore, within this developmental group, children are made to recognize the importance of respecting authority both at home and school. They are encouraged to be responsible for their actions regardless of the setting (Gunnoe 213). 12-21developmental stage This is a time when children are approaching puberty phase w here they become exposed to physical, emotional, and psychological changes in their persona. At this developmental stage, puberty means that these children are closing a door to childhood and are exposed to challenges that result from changes experienced in their bodies (Kedem 5).Advertising Looking for research paper on religion theology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This developmental stage coincides with a time when teenagers are exposed to all types of influences existing within their environments. Adolescence exposes them to heightened sexual attraction to opposite sex and the yearning to belong and to be accepted by their peers. In such a situation therefore, the relationship between teenagers, young adults and God takes a new dimension (Kedem 6). Since this is the time when teenagers are more energetic, their teachers and parents need to involve them in activities that are more communal. Through this, they can learn the value of sacrifice. The spiritual environments within which these teenagers find themselves should strive to equip them with the means in which they can overcome forces that may end up influencing them negatively (Kedem 7). They should be encouraged to focus on positive and alternative ways through which they can channel their youthful energies and exuberance. The participation of these youths in such values encourages them to identify the importance of sharing resources with those who are in need (Kedem 9). At this developmental stage, the youths can be aware of their goals and ambitions in life. Therefore, religion influences their positions in society. During this developmental stage, teenagers are in transition from adolescence to adulthood and as such, they have to make sound educational choices. This would have a direct influence to the types of careers they choose to pursue later in life (Donahue 145). The approach taken by religious groups aims at allowing youths to acquire skills that would help them adapt well in society. Through various focus groups within religious establishments, youths are given more freedom to participate in various activities, which can enhance their talents (Donahue 147). Participation of youths in activities such as choir, singing contests, theatre and sports engages them in beneficial activities as opposed to other activities that would be harmful in society. These activities help to give youths a safety that would keep them away from worldly pressures confronting them in form of peer pressure and conflicts with their parents. Religious setups strengthen the belief of youths towards God. This helps them focus in life hence they are able to avoid forces which may wreck their character and ambitions (Donahue 151). Young religious leaders are increasingly being involved in religious activities because they can relate better with their fellow youths. This means that they encourage them to strengthen their belief and faith. They are therefore able to achieve religious literacy, which helps them to be devoted to their religious teachings (Donahue 156). Conclusion Children under the age of 6 years need close relationships with their parents, which can draw them closer to religion. As revealed by various studies, knowledge about religion is limited to interactions encountered between children and parents. This is because they have close contacts with them. As shown by the study from the ages of seven to early adolescence, children become aware of several ways that can help them become devoted to their chosen religion. From the teen years to early stages of adult hood, the young people become aware of the concept of religion. They are exposed to various changes and religious regulations, which make them to be well equipped to cope with challenges. The study could not show devotion to their religion because, as shown in the paper, the practice of religion has become complex. Even though respondents exhibited a deep understanding of religious issues, other details regarding influential personalities in religion were not adequately covered by the survey. As shown in the paper, participation in other activities such as dance, choir, and drama have a big influence as regards to passing of messages concerning religion. The interviews did not explore how extra curricula activities can influence youths to be more devoted to their chosen religions. Works Cited Bridges, Lisa. Religion and Spirituality in Childhood and Adolescence. Child Trends, 2002. Web. Donahue, Martin. Religion and the well-being of adolescents. Journal of Social Issues, 51, 1995. Web. Gunnoe, Linda. Parental religiosity, parenting style, and adolescent social responsibility. Journal of Early Adolescence, 19, 1999. Web. Kedem, Peter. The effects of religious education on moral judgment. Journal of Psychology and Judaism, 11, 1987. Web. Korniejczuk, Victor. Psychological Theories of Religious Development: A Seventh – day Adventist Perspective. Institute for Christian Teaching Education Department of Seventh-day Adventists, 1993. Web. This research paper on Meaning of God was written and submitted by user Jillian Farmer to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Free Essays on Male Dominance Exposed!

Male Dominance Exposed! It’s a hot, sunny day and two beautiful women with humongous breasts, slim waists and long luscious legs, rip each other’s clothes off while splashing around in a shallow pool of water. The preceding sounds like an accurate depiction of just another day on the job for a porn star, however in this context it is not. Take this scenario and throw in an argument over beer tasting great or being less filling and you have the latest Miller Lite commercial. Sex appeal is one of the most effective forms of advertising in modern popular culture. Sexually influenced materials have normally been created for and by men and have a particularly overwhelming masculine theme, (Harris 91, 214). This androcentric view of a woman, measured only by her ability to stimulate and satisfy the male’s sexual appetite, continues to perpetuate three specific aspects of our modern Western society: male’s dominance over females, the phenomenon of eating disorders among women and t he increased amount of violence against women. An androcentric position can easily be seen through any number of popular magazine publications. I conducted a study of five different magazines, all accessible to buy while in line at the supermarket. The magazines: Glamour, Cosmopolitan, Marie Claire, Shape and Maxim, are typical purchases for many of my friends and much of the United States. Of the five magazines, I choose twenty-five different advertisements to examine: ten of women only, ten of men only and five that were mixed sexes. Through comparison of the male and female’s physical appearance in each advertisement, I have found much evidence supporting androcentrism in mass media. There were many similarities among the advertisements. All of the models would be rated high on any physical attraction scale. They all are of average or less than average weight, average or above average height, have firm, clear skin, and healthy, beauti... Free Essays on Male Dominance Exposed! Free Essays on Male Dominance Exposed! Male Dominance Exposed! It’s a hot, sunny day and two beautiful women with humongous breasts, slim waists and long luscious legs, rip each other’s clothes off while splashing around in a shallow pool of water. The preceding sounds like an accurate depiction of just another day on the job for a porn star, however in this context it is not. Take this scenario and throw in an argument over beer tasting great or being less filling and you have the latest Miller Lite commercial. Sex appeal is one of the most effective forms of advertising in modern popular culture. Sexually influenced materials have normally been created for and by men and have a particularly overwhelming masculine theme, (Harris 91, 214). This androcentric view of a woman, measured only by her ability to stimulate and satisfy the male’s sexual appetite, continues to perpetuate three specific aspects of our modern Western society: male’s dominance over females, the phenomenon of eating disorders among women and t he increased amount of violence against women. An androcentric position can easily be seen through any number of popular magazine publications. I conducted a study of five different magazines, all accessible to buy while in line at the supermarket. The magazines: Glamour, Cosmopolitan, Marie Claire, Shape and Maxim, are typical purchases for many of my friends and much of the United States. Of the five magazines, I choose twenty-five different advertisements to examine: ten of women only, ten of men only and five that were mixed sexes. Through comparison of the male and female’s physical appearance in each advertisement, I have found much evidence supporting androcentrism in mass media. There were many similarities among the advertisements. All of the models would be rated high on any physical attraction scale. They all are of average or less than average weight, average or above average height, have firm, clear skin, and healthy, beauti...

Optics Is in the Eye of the Beholder

Optics Is in the Eye of the Beholder Optics Is in the Eye of the Beholder Optics Is in the Eye of the Beholder By Mark Nichol How does optics- employed as a buzzword synonym for perception, not a reference to the study of light and sight- look to you? What’s your view? Do we see eye to eye? This post discusses a not-new but newly trending term whose increasing popularity says something about the way we see ourselves and our culture- and institutions that significantly influence the way we live. Optics ultimately derives from the Greek word optikos, meaning â€Å"pertaining to sight,† which in turn comes from optos, meaning â€Å"seen† or â€Å"visible,† and, as mentioned above, refers to the science of light (and therefore of sight), but it has acquired an additional sense- and, if you are familiar with the word, not as recently as you might think. The use of optics as shorthand for â€Å"the way things look† seems to have spiked in usage, but it dates back several decades, from a government official’s comment that a gesture of appreciation would be â€Å"a nice optical step†- that is, it would look good and reflect well on the person making the gesture. A newspaper editorial, in response, criticized the fact that â€Å"optics†- doing something to make a good impression- would not resolve an underlying problem that the gesture seemed to attempt to obscure. Ever since then, optics has served as a substitute for perception, especially in politics and business, which are all about perception. Until recently, the term was more common in Canada than in the United States, perhaps thanks to the influence of the equivalent French term optique in the bilingual nation. (German has the similar word Optik.) But as our society has increasingly come to value show over substance, the word is becoming more prevalent south of the border. Businesspeople and politicians alike often express concern about how an action will appear, at the expense of focus on actual ramifications. â€Å"What are the optics?† they ask each other. Whether customers and constituents improve their own eyesight will determine the future of this jarring jargon. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:English Grammar 101: All You Need to KnowA While vs AwhileHow to Style Legislative Terms

Theories of knowledge and The Matrix Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Theories of knowledge and The Matrix - Essay Example For example, with the power of vision a person can perceive height and width of three dimensional objects with ease but would have trouble knowing the depth (Thornton, 1987). The classic case of a mountain can be presented to clarify this idea because it is easy to see the height of the mountain and know how wide it is by sight alone but to realize that the mountain also has a certain depth and also extends deep into the ground has to come from the inferences made by the mind. This is in fact the central proposition made by Berkeley that people can never know what an object really is or they can never understand reality through their senses. The objects around us and the reality we see is only a perception which depends on our senses. Therefore, all we know about objects are our perceptions of those objects. Of course we can also imagine about things which never existed or imagine certain situations which can not exist given the physical laws of the universe (Thornton, 1987). However, such imaginations are weak perceptions and have little bearing on the real world. On the other hand, real objects and things continue to remain present in our ideas even if we do not see them as their perception is strong. The false reality is not false for the human inhabitants of The Matrix since it is the only reality they know. The information gathering which they do to function in their world comes from the same sources which provide information to other characters within the matrix, i.e. Neo, Morpheus or Trinity. The only difference is that the human inhabitants are getting signals sent to their brain from a supercomputer which is controlling how their reality functions. On the other hand, the characters which are free from the Matrix are using their natural abilities to experience the real world. Morpheus explains this quite clearly when he defines the reality of the Matrix by questioning what Neo considers to be real. Morpheus says, â€Å"What is "real"? How do you define

Nature of Conflict Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Nature of Conflict - Essay Example This makes the employees enter into hitch with the management or higher officials. They may go on strikes or do other sorts of protests. Major conflicts occur when, for example, employees experience gender discrimination, work overload, forced overtime, short deadlines, and no opportunities for promotion, reward or compensation. These factors reduce job security and the employees suffer from work related stress. Other major causes may include dissatisfactory wages and salaries, and poor communication between the management and employees due to which the latter feel that their problems are not being considered. Also, when employees feel that they are not being able to participate in the decision-making process, they may acquire conflicting views about the project at hand. All of these conflicts may get serious enough to be requiring a mediation plan for resolution. No matter the conflict is small or big, the management should make serious efforts to resolve it as soon as possible so t hat employees do not lose their morale (Wilmot & Hocker, 2011). Negotiation or Mediation Negotiation is necessary to solve conflicts. Sometimes, this negotiation is done through mediation. We define mediation as a process in which a third party intervention is sought for reconciliation between individuals or groups. The purpose of negotiation is to make possible the re-establishment of mutual tolerance between the parties involved. However, negotiation itself depends upon the friendly signals shown by the opponents leading to friendly re-union and cooperative bonding. Strasser and Randolph (2004, p.22) affirm that mediators should â€Å"accept conflict as an inescapable facet of human existence, with the possible consequence of reconciliation.† Negotiators and mediators should understand that conflict cannot be eliminated entirely. If negotiators start thinking that they will be able to eradicate conflict completely, then this perception will be a barrier to an effective impl ementation of the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) process. It will also make the negotiators forceful and aggressive toward resolution. Thus, the negotiators need to adjust their behaviors and attitudes so that they can efficiently deploy conflict management techniques. Personal Experience This section of the paper describes my own case as an example of workplace conflict and negotiation process. I worked as an internee in a company in my city. As I stated, most conflicts occur due to unfair treatment or policy changes from the management side, this incident also involves a conflict between the manager and I. It was about the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA). For reader’s information, the major responsibility of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 is to make accommodations for disabled employees, under the title I of the Act. ADA makes sure that the disabled employees do not have to face discrimination by their seniors or co-workers when they are at the workplace. In order to get protection by ADA, the individual must have a disability which is defined by the Act as â€Å"a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities† (U.S. Department of Justice, 2005). All persons who have in their medical history that they have been or are going through such a disability, or people perceive him as