The atrocities of blood diamonds

The atrocities of blood diamonds The Atrocities of Blood Diamonds The name â€Å"diamond† comes from the Greek word, â€Å"adamas†, meaning unconquerable. Suitably diamonds are the hardest natural substance known to man, it is made up of milky-white pure carbon crystals. Diamonds have always been a sign of wealth and prosperity. It is also a traditional expression of love. However, it is financing and profiting vicious political militias. People all around the world own these diamonds, and have never heard of Sierra Leone. Blood diamonds, also called â€Å"conflict diamonds,† are diamonds that are illegally mined and traded by rebel groups to fund militias that are against governments. To fully understand the eminence of these gems, and ultimately realize their role in violence, its important to know where they come from. Blood diamonds are mainly associated with the African countries of Angola, Sierra Leone, and Zimbabwe. These precious stones have been around for a century or so, but it wasnt until it financed both civil wars in Angola and Sierra Leone in the 1990s, that international attention was drawn to the horrors of these diamonds. Ever since then diamond-connected violence in Africa has been systemic and massive. (Gale) Due to human right abuses, child labor, fueled violence, and environmental destruction of blood diamonds, the government should fully enforce the prevention of trading conflict diamonds within the diamond industry.   After the country gained independence from Portugal in 1975, Angolas civil war raged for nearly thirty years. (GALE) The opposing divisions made an agreement to cease-fire, and held a multiparty election. Well-known rebel leader Jonas Savimbi ran for presidency, but was defeated. Believing that the election was unfair, he took his rebel group, the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA), and took control of two-thirds of Angola, including majority of its diamond mines. With the diamonds, he funded the guerrilla warfare. UNITAs diamonds were smuggled out of Angola through the Democratic Republic of Congo. (Campell 4) Sierra Leone is a small nation on the West African coast with a population of over four million people. It used to be a leading country with strong academic and artistic achievement, and entrepreneurial abilities. However, with a great decline, it is now the worst place to live in the world, and it continues to get worse. The country is terrorized by the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) who is motivated by two factors: 1. Government failure to attend to the needs of the citizens; and 2. Conflicting ideas about who should control the states mineral resources. (Banant) Initially RUF claimed to fight a corrupt administration, however the rebels quickly realized that the most effective route to power lay in Sierra Leones diamond mines. Foday Sankoh, a former corporal of the Sierra Leone army, leads the RUF. He was imprisoned for seven years for being part of the coup attempt against Siaka Stevens. (Meredith 107) By 1994 the RUF had control of massive parts of Sierra Leone and its mines. They smuggled the diamonds into their neighbor, Liberia. From there is sold into the world market. In 2007, Zimbabwe emerged as a hotspot for large-scale diamond smuggling. The countrys diamonds surfaced in South Africa, where it was reported as legitimate diamonds and was exported around the world. However the Zimbabwe government vigorously denied these charges. In the past two years with further evidence of corruption, the violence in the nations diamond fields continues to spur international concern. Human Rights Watch conducted studies that show that police officers in Zimbabwes fields to end the illicit diamond smuggling were actually responsible for the killing of artisan miners and locals. In October 2008, under the control of President Robert Mugabe, the Zimbabwe military killed over 200 people to take over the Marange diamond fields. Today De Beers a London based company, controls over two-thirds of the worlds diamonds. This company became involved with the diamonds from Africa right after their discovery. Rhodes, the creator of De Beers envisioned controlling the whole diamond market. He was able to complete his monopolistic goals by 1880. With the formation of the London Diamond Syndicated, Rhodes was able to match supply with demand. It provided him important information about the diamond market allowing him to create an artificially controlled supply of diamonds. In return, the merchants were guaranteed certain amount of diamond supply from Rhodes mines. (Johnson) The rebels have committed nefarious crimes against humanity. The RUF uses a brutal tactic as a tool to terrorize the civilian population into submission and break-apart families and communities. People are abducted, men are captured to work in the mines, boys are recruited into gangs, and women and girls act as domestic sex slave to the fighters. The war from 1991-1999 has claimed over 75,000 lives, caused   500,000 Sierra Leoneans to become refugees. (Johnson)   Nearly 80% of the Sierra Leones population of 5 million people have been displaced. ( Campbell) According to research done by â€Å"Physicians for Human Rights†, nearly every village in Sierra Leone under the rule of RUF has been profoundly impacted by the tumult. Rape of women and girls was widespread and vicious during the conflict in the 1990s, and is reportedly continuing to this day. Out of twenty women interviewed, twelve were raped. The rebels had beaten them to cause disorientation and to break their resistance. (Bell) Those lucky enough to escape from the rebels or who was release from some reason, suffer from various consequences. Sexually transmitted infections including HIV/AID are rampant in this commonality. Trauma, posttraumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression, and alienation from their communities, scar the lives of these victims. A high percentage of the survivors are pregnant or are single mothers of â€Å"rebel babies†, a constant reminder of their horrible suffering. (Johnson) They face bleak futures without the medical attentions and humanitarian assistance that they need. Mutilation of men, women and children is a fun game for the rebels. Teams are dedicated to capture and mutate citizens. Sierra Leone President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah in 1996 pleaded for his countrymen to â€Å"join hands† for peace. As a response the RUF dismembered their victims by cutting of their hands and dumped the parts on the steps of the presidential palace. (Campbell XV) Mà ©decins Sans Frontià ¨res (MSF) was created there, a camp for amputees and war wounded. (Meredith 116) Sankoh forcibly recruited combatants from the children who were abducted during village raids. They went through indoctrination with dugs and training to kill. In many cases they were forced to kill their own families. Girls were forced to become soldiers wives (Meredith 563) Child soldiers was a key part of the Sierra Leone conflict. Half of the RUF were 8-14 years old. (114) The Rarry Boys were thousands of unemployed youths who roamed the town of Freetown. They had a horrible lifestyle full of gambling, drugs, theft, and anger. (117) Martin Meredith a historian on the topic of blood diamonds said this famous quote, â€Å"Joining a militia group is both meal ticket and substitute education. The pay may be derisory, but weapon training pays quicker dividends than school ever did. Soon the AK47 brings food, money, a warm math, and instant adult respect.† Young men join these combat groups to substitute for their lost family and friends. Child combatants are often considered id eal recruits by armed groups because they are relatively easy to manipulate, unlikely to question the groups motives, and arouse little suspicion, according to the advocacy group Refugees International. Children because by the very nature of their immaturity are often induced to commite some of the wars greatest atrocities. (Atwood NP) Majority of the diamonds are harvested using the exploit of children and communities as labor force. The workers are subject to brutality and degrading working conditions, and quite often death. The few that mine voluntarily get a very small income, the unlivable wage is way below the extreme poverty line. Small-scale miners are estimated to produce 20-25% of the minerals worldwide. This type of mining is usually illegal considering that is under extreme dangerous and unhealthy conditions. There is no safety equipment or proper tools allowed for the workers. The miners are deprived of basic needs and there is a lack of sanitation. The mortality rate of child and young adult has vastly increased. Children are considered as cheap labor and can do dangerous tasks that adults cant do. They are often sent into small mines that are too small for adults. They are given dangerous and physically challenging jobs. Everyday they risk their lives to landslides as weak ropes only protect them. A recent study in Angola found that 46% of miners are under the age of 16 because of war and poverty. These children suffer many consequence, and work until they are replaced, often by children younger than themselves. In March 2003, UN reported that child labor in the diamond mines needed great support. (Roberts NP) With the end of civil war in Angola, Sierra Leone, and Zimbabwe, the nations should have continued to greater economic development. Years of peace had almost doubled the diamond production in Angola while the annual diamond financial contributions to government tripled. The communities near the mining sites in Angola struggles to survive with little government spending. A report from Partnership Africa Canada in 2007 reported that there was no public schools, water supply systems, or health clinics. Road were ruined and agriculture did not exist. In Congo, half of their foreign exchange earning are from the export of diamonds, however from the 700,00 people that mine, the majority of them are unregistered. President Siaka Stevens turned the diamond industry into his personal preserve in the 1970s. He had a whole system with Lebanese dealers and local traders. In 1994 the RUF overran bauxite and titanium mines, cutting the government from its last reliable source of income. Sankoh had control of a large part of the diamond fields. (Meredith 565) The RUF has profited about $25-125 million per year by delivering the stones into the worlds diamond market. (Campbell XXII) The mines in Africa produced about $300 million per year. But because the diamond fields were in the hand of private entrepreneurs who smuggle it out of the country, the government makes only a small income. Diamond mining has wreaked environmental havoc throughout African countries and around the world. There is a lack of control and regulations of the mining system that the environment is neglected. The landscape has completely altered because the pits dug have not been refilled once mining in that area is over. Topsoil is not preserved which is needed to re-deposite on reclaimed land so that vegetation can be planted. (The Environmental Literacy Council) The diamond mining also relates to energy uses, which emissions contribute to global climate change. With the ninety years of environmental damage in Angola, large tracts of land have been devastated. The local water is poisoned and indigenous populations are forced to relocate. Abandon mining pits are full of water that is mosquito infested. The pits are left opened and unmanaged to runoff into rivers and streams. The UN Security Council has established the United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) consisting of 17,500 peacekeeping troops, notably without any U.S troop involvement. When RUF leader Sankoh was arrested, he was replaced with Issa Sesay. The RUF made efforts of demoblization in May 2001 by releasing hundreds of abducted children. However RUF broke apart and on November 2002 cease-fire was signed. UNAMSIL was deployed and in January 2002, the war was declared over. (Meredith 114)   The UN Security Council on July 2000, voted to impose a ban on diamonds from Sierra Leone, the same as that of Angola the previous year. And in 2001, diamond exports from Liberia was imposed sanction from the Council. Finally after public outcry, the Kimberley Process was created in 2003 to address the problem of the blood diamonds funding violent civil wars. The Kimberley Process is an international certification system that has established standards for countries to pledge the yield of importation and exportation of these diamonds. It included representatives of seventy-one of the worlds dominant diamond producing countries. (Roberts NP) This system tracks the route of a diamond, from the mine all the way to the retail shop; attempting to avoid the trade these tainted diamonds. With this new precaution, the quantity of blood diamonds in the market lowered to 1% in 2007. However despite the Kimberley Process, conflict areas such as Cà ´te dIvoire continue to use diamonds to fund vi olence. The Kimberley Process hasnt been successful in overseeing human rights abuses. Currently it still ignores cutting and polishing centers as an entranceway for blood diamonds to enter the general circulation of diamonds into the market. (NP) According to Global Witness a humans rights group, inadequate government regulations over factories enable illicit diamonds to slide into legitimate channels of trade. Global Witness, who had lobbied for the establishment of the Kimberley Process, admitted that the system was not sufficed.   Many others also question the effectiveness of these protocols. According to Amnesty International, â€Å"government controls in the United States and in other countries are not strong enough or enforced effectively to stop rebel groups from exploiting diamonds to fuel conflict.† (Nyathi NP) In June 2009, Namibia hosted a conference of officials of the diamond producing countries to review the Kimberly Process. In mid 2009, the Kimberley Process ordered a review mission Zimbabwe. This investigation affirmed that Zimbabwe was executing non-compliance with the Kimberley Process standards. (Dugger NP) It was recommended that Zimbabwe be suspended from the scheme to prevent Zimbabwe from legally exporting blood diamonds. Despite the fact, Zimbabwe has not been suspended from the faction and its diamonds still continue to sneak into the worlds supply of diamonds. In August 2009, the Kimberly Process conducted a mission to Angola, the latest one being in 2005. (NP) Investigators discovered many accounts of rape and brutality against miners from nearby countries.   Human right groups uncovered that many violations especially to many immigrants. (NP) These conditions demonstrate that the Kimberly Process is inadequate and isnt doing its job to prevent the abuses in the international diamond trade, as well as cooperation from the governments to stamp out diamond-related violence. In 1998 sanctions were put in place to ban the trade of Angolan diamonds. However it has since been lifted and small scale miners continue to work inhuman circumstances under the control of private security firms who are hired by large diamond trading companies. Rafael Marques, an Angolan journalist documented the cases of torture, sexual abuses, and assassinations on just one mining site in Lundas. Amnesty International reports extreme rights violations by soldiers and police in the diamond mines. The United States is currently working on the legislation for the Clean Diamond Act to eliminate the conflict diamonds from its markets. This act bans any diamonds that come from an unknown origin. However the main reason why there is still a problem is because of the structure of the diamond industry. De Beers still control majority of the market and they dont have incentive to regard this issue of these stones, because blood diamonds are such a small portion of the worldwide diamond sales. As illustrated above with the atrocities that have occurred in Sierra Leone and other African countries, it is obvious that action still needs to be immediately taken to once and for all eliminate the stones causing all these deaths and destructions.   Chairman of the Sierra Leone Panel of Experts, Martin Chungong Ayafor said, â€Å"Diamonds are forever† it is often said. But lives are not. We must spare people the ordeal of war, mutilations, and death for the sake of conflict diamonds.à ¢â‚¬  Dramatic solutions need to be made now in order to stop this worldly trend. Ways to fully stop blood diamonds in its tract is to have a well-structured certificate of origin regime to ensure that only legitimate diamonds are being traded. There needs to be additional controls by Member States and the industry to guarantee that the regime is enforced. Including with the standardization of the certificated would be monitoring of the regime and legislations against those who fail to adopt. There needs to be a combined effort from the government, inter-governmental and non-governmental organizations, arms manufacturers, diamond traders, and diamond customers. They need to demand a strict enforcement of sanctions, and to encourage real lasting peace. By no longer purchasing these gems, it would be cutting off sources of funding for the rebel groups and eventually ending the cycle and promoting lasting harmony.

Boston’s Central Artery Project Essay

Boston’s Central Artery Project undertook a massive-large scale operation to shift their highway underground. This project was named ‘The Big Dig’ due to the large scale drilling to make tunnels that could support highway like traffic and be open all year round. Due to its large scale operations, the construction required a lot of investment that could only be funded by issuing bonds. This paper describes the calculation for the bond to make it successful for the construction to be viable. Methods The case gives some important information that will help in completing this problem. The cost of the bond is given as 15 Billion while the interest rate to be charged is given as 5%. Since most bonds have a semi-annual interest payments, this bond’s value will be calculated on this value as well. What we need to find is the cost for the bond to be returned and the total interest payments over the life of the bond till its maturity. With the sum of these two figures, we will get the total cost the government has incurred on this project. After this is we just need to calculate how many cars would pass from that highway in thirty years and then we will divide the sum of the costs by the total number of cars passed in thirty years to get the exact value at which the project will break-even. Results The result from the calculations driven by dividing the total cost to be returned by the number of cars in 30 years shows that a toll price of $17. 123 should be charged to break-even the cost for the whole financing operation. Recommendations The toll price is too high if we calculate the expected life of the highway to be 30 years (same as the finance life). However, in reality the highway’s life would be much greater than 30 years. Approximately the life is expected to be 50 years at least. Considering this factor, the answer would differ and would come to be around $10. However another factor to consider would be the increase in the traffic in the future that would further reduce the price of the toll. However at the moment this price is too high and would need to be brought down to allow the motorists to travel via this route.

The Mystification of the Artistic Object - 1497 Words

Art: The mystification of the artistic object When we see art, we are not seeing the thing itself, but only a version of itself, mediated through the point of view of the artist, according to BBC essays John Berger. This is most famously illustrated in Monets series of paintings of water lilies, which show the way the light reflects upon various flowers at different points in time. The paintings do not attempt to show a literal rendition of the lilies, merely the artists impression of them (hence the term Impressionist to describe the movement of which Monet was a part). However, as well as the original artists perception of the subject, the gazer is also affected by his culture, previous experiences, and even the physical setting of where he perceives the art. The fact that Monet is considered a great artist might cause a gazer to look at the work with reverence, even if it produced no sensation in him or her. Of course, there is another possible emotion that might be invoked by the Impressionists: ennui. The Impressionists were considered radical in their era, but today they are considered tame because of the ways in which they have been re-contextualized as the appropriate subjects of greeting cards and decorations of mouse pads. Rather than the unique impression of a landscape, water lilies have become a visual clichÃÆ' ©. Ours is a culture obsessed with Impressionism. It translates well to tea-cozies, coffee mugs, mouse pads, greeting cards mass producedShow MoreRelatedAncient Egyptian Portraitures Essay1672 Words   |  7 Pagescombination of human gods and animal forms that tend to portray idealized, conventional faces of Egypt. Utilizing objects from the permanent collection at the Brooklyn Museum of Art, this exhibit will display 25 portraits of nobleman, officials, and local individuals in order to hint at a variety of racial subdivision such as the Hykos, Nubian, Persian and Roman influence in the artistic representations of the Ancient Egyptian portraitures. Politically and geographically, Ancient Egypt was dividedRead MoreThe Philosophy Of Art And Art Essay1935 Words   |  8 Pagessurrounding the arts. Objectives of feminist aestheticians have included the following endeavours: 1) to highlight the explicit and implicit masculinist biases that underpin traditional aesthetic theories, 2) to scrutinise women’s absence from the artistic canon throughout the history of art, 3) to examine the ways in which aesthetic attitude theories of how to normatively engage with and evaluate works of art privilege a particular viewer, namely the white, upper-middle class male, 4) to draw attentionRead MoreAbstract Space : The Void1650 Words   |  7 Pagesquestionably stable mind of Scottie and Elster, shows a strong visual resemblance to the living Madeline, as if she was a reincarnation of the dead woman. In a narrative focalized through a heavily masculine lens, the painting represents an unattainable object of desire, a coming alive of a f alse fantasy, and a cause of deep anxiety for the men of the film (Mulvey, 841). The spectator’s understanding that the painting is simply material is continuously threatened as the role that the painting plays appearsRead MoreMarketing essay on Chanel4291 Words   |  18 Pagesthe strategy and position of an organisation.It also considers the new proposition of the company. II.1) Strengths and weaknesses II.1.1)Chanel’s products II.1.1.1:Strengths of Chanel’s products Many Chanel’s products are legendary and cult object, what are the reasons of this craze for those products ? Brands under the name of Chanel : In the clothing and accessories category Chanel is not only about Chanel. The brand also includes other brands such as Erà ¨s, Lesage, Lemarie, Michel desruesRead MoreThe Epithet in the Novel Jane Eyre18849 Words   |  76 Pageswell known and elaborated among them is a Metaphor - transference of names based on the associated likeness between two objects, as in the pancake, or ball, or volcano for the sun; silver dust, sequins for stars; vault, blanket, veil for the sky. The expressiveness of the metaphor is promoted by the implicit simultaneous presence of images of both objects - the one which is actually named and the one which supplies its own legal name. So that formally we deal with the nameRead MoreANALIZ TEXT INTERPRETATION AND ANALYSIS28843 Words   |  116 Pagesevents, provide direction to the plot, and focus the attention of the reader. Most plots originate in some significant conflict. The conflict may be either external, when the protagonist (also referred to as the focal character) is pitted against some object outside himself, or internal, in which case the issue to be resolved is one within the protagonist’s psyche or personality. External conflict may reflect a basic opposition between man and nature (such as in Jack London’s famous short story â€Å"To BuildRead MoreCalculus Oaper13589 Words   |  55 Pagesmixture of the two often found in women s relationships with women: one aspect of what I have come to call the double-life of women (see below). Chodorow concludes that because women have women as mothers, The mother remains a primary internal object [sic] to the girl, so that heterosexual relationships are on the model of a nonexclusive, second relationship for her, whereas for the boy they recreate an exclusive, primary relationship According to Chodorow, women have learned to deny the limitationsRead MoreDeveloping Management Skills404131 Words   |  1617 Pageswhat you learn in this course, the more you’ll be able to count on these skills as â€Å"automatic responses† when you need them as a manager. Supplemental Material PASSWORD-PROTECTED ASSESSMENT WEB SITE If your instructor has signed up for this object, an access-code-protected Web site is available so you can take the Skill Assessments in the book online and receive immediate, real-time feedback on how your scores compare with those of thousands of other students in our PREFACE xix ever-expanding

The Public Educational System Of The University Of Alabama

As an undergraduate at the University of Alabama, I enjoy conversing on ways that citizens can make a change in public policy regarding the educational system, specifically the public educational system that so many children undergo. Naturally, when I received notification on the upcoming 2015 Institute on Teaching and Mentoring, I immediately began the application process. I was particularly drawn to this specific conference in order to have conversations about, what I feel, is an inadequate educational system plaguing our country. In my college environment, many students come from privileged backgrounds which hinders them from understanding the educational restraints that low income public schools face every day. Being able to talk with people who may or may not share similar views as myself has always been essential for my continuing success. Being part of a minority, I am continuously searching for professional development programs that challenge my analytical thinking on sociopo litical issues affecting this country, such as the educational system and how it correlates with poverty, and other countries across the globe. Every semester, I constantly enroll in classes where I know that I will learn about topics that would not be conversed openly. Thus, this conference will help me to network with other students and hear conflicting perspectives that will help me to speak on these issues in a public environment and, most of all, my college campus. In my future, I would likeShow MoreRelatedUniversity of West Alabama927 Words   |  4 Pages University of West Alabama - Livingston Division of Online Programs - Business Programs With a longstanding tradition of offering quality education for over 175 years, the University of West Alabama branched out in the fall of 2002 and began offering online educational programs. Since then, online education has taken off at UWA. With an easily customizable format and flexibility to suit a diverse set of student needs, UWAs business programs are at the ready to prepare Alabama with future businessRead MoreSchool Profile : University Of Alabama Essay1021 Words   |  5 PagesSchool Profile: University of Alabama at Birmingham The University of Alabama at Birmingham is a four-year college that was established in 1936. This educational institution is actually one of the three colleges that make up the University of Alabama System. At any given time, around 19,000 students from over 100 countries are enrolled through the system. Each student may choose from 140 programs that are offered through 12 academic schools. This includes over 50 bachelor s degree, 45 masterRead MoreAnalysis Of The Book Malcolm Gladwell 1170 Words   |  5 Pagessuccessful people. For instance their culture, family, experiences, and their upbringing. Gladwell has made an interesting argument about how people become successful. In this paper, I will be talking about how Bradley Byrne, US Representative for Alabama became successful using some information from Gladwell’s arguments. Gladwell wants to convince readers that different kinds of explanations of success don t work, people rise from nothing. It really makes a difference where and when people grew upRead MoreStudent Rights Under The Law1375 Words   |  6 PagesStudent rights under the law are viewed differently when it comes to searching students in the education system. At one time all educational systems acted as a temporary parent over the students. Currently, students in K-12 education system and students in institutions of higher education are viewed differently under the law. In 1995 New Jersey v. T.L.O, two high school students were found smoking in the bathroom at school. One girl admitted to smoking but the other one denied it. TheRead MoreThe Field Of School Psychology866 Words   |  4 Pagesin defining the primary roles and functions of the first school psychologists. These tests were used in differentiating students with different abilities and achievement levels. They became the main instruments used by psychologists in school or educational settings. It wasn’t until 1945 that the American Psychological Association (APA) classified School Psychology as a specialty. The National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) was then formed in 1969 allowing the profession a more secureRead MoreThe African American Peoples Fight for Equality Essay2681 Words   |  11 Pagesstruggle was fueled by the commitment and the hard work of thousands of everyday people who decided that the time had come to take a stand. The fight for equal educational opportunities for African-American students has left its indelible mark on the history of the state of Alabama. Alabama fought to maintain its binary public educational system. Through numerous memorable demonstrations and landmark cases African-Americans were finally able to achieve its worthwhile goal of equal education. EducationRead MoreBeing An Elementary Education Major The National Education1140 Words   |  5 PagesBeing an Elementary Education Major the National Education Association or the NEA seemed to be a great organization to research, and possibly join in the future when I become an educator. When I finish my studies at the University of Alabama I plan to stay in the state of Alabama and teach. In 1857, a total of forty-three educators met in the state of Philadelphia. They came together to answer a national call to unite and talk about the cause of education in the United States. During that timeRead MoreAnalysis Of Booker T. Washington Essay1618 Words   |  7 PagesTuskegee Institute in Alabama – a position he held until the day he died. He made huge contributions in the African-American community, and was one of their strongest leaders in the fight for their rights. He advocated strongly for the right to education and for social issues. W.E.B. Du Bois was born on February 23rd, 1868 in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. He was born into a freed family which owned land. He attended an integrated public school. He eventually attended Fisk University, with money whichRead MoreCritical Analysis of Problems and Issues in Education Essay examples1547 Words   |  7 Pagesschools were also options because they are run much like private schools. The thought behind voucher programs is that a sense of competition would be created. The hope is that a higher educational output and an improved level of education would be provided. Proponents of the program believe that children from poor public school districts should have the same opportunity for quality education as kids in wealthier private schools do. The goal was that vouchers would create a level playing field in theRead MoreTeacher Shortages - Teacher Shortage Essay1666 Words   |  7 Pagesareas of Alabama there are subject-specific teacher shortages, especially in th e area of secondary mathematics. As I travel from school to school, I have found that many of the middle and high schools I visit have unfilled mathematics positions. Many of these schools are in economically disadvantaged areas of the state, but the teacher shortage issue is not isolated to a particular area or demographic. I have found classrooms staffed by long-term substitutes in wealthy systems, poor systems, systems