FINAL BLOG: Reply to Ms. Lomas

After reading Ms Lomas' article "Bathroom Law Battle Begins to Take Hold in Texas" I can agree with many of the statements she made within her blog. She writes about how Texas has looked into creating a law that states “no men are allowed in women’s bathrooms” (Lomas.) If passed, this law would exclude transgendered people from using public restrooms.

If you ask me this completely screams discrimination. Texas claims this to protect transgendered people from acts of violence towards them. Transgendered people use public restrooms just like blacks, whites, hispanics, asians, etc. 

Lomas says that this is not a big deal; and people are blowing this way out of proportion that what it really is, which is true.

I would of loved to hear these other solutions Lomas’ mentions in her ending paragraph, as well as what the opposing side really thinks about transgenders using public restrooms. Regardless of those solutions or not Ms. Lomas is right again. You can really change what people believe and Texas is a vastly conservative state so would these solutions even make a difference?

Damn The Drag

(BLOG 7)
     On April 14, 2016 Terri Langford posted “Slaying Fuels Parent Demands to Make UT, Drag Safer” on The Texas Tribune. Langford writes about how over the years the popular “Drag Strip”, located on Guadalupe Street, has become infested with homeless individuals.

After the murder of UT freshman Haruka Weiser many parents are concerned of the growing homeless population that hang around the downtown Austin area. Many of them are sending emails and creating Facebook page, to the university, expressing their ideas on what should be done. Although the university has not responded directly to these concerns, one parent suggests there should be more bicycle officers, better lighting, which will inevitably push away people from sleeping/loitering. There are also online petitions that have about 624 signatures that aim to remove the homeless off Guadalupe Street.

David Cater who is the Chief of the UT Police Dept. has only 80 officers over the 434 acre campus. The University of Texas at Austin is worth million so why can they only afford 1 officer per every 5-6 acres. Carter also says that "You can't rely on the police to solve the problems of the homeless.”

I completely understand that we cannot rely on the police to solve the homeless crisis in Austin. How would the parents of Haruka Weiser feel if they were told the same thing? I can safely assume that most people feel a police officers job is to protect the people. If there is a situation where the welfare of students are being threaten the police should take immediate action and responses. There are over 40k students at UT, that’s also over 40K parents; The University should listen to all the brilliant ideas parents are expressing to them and hopefully they can create a long lasting solution to protect the students and people of Austin.

Reply to: Mun's "students in UT are not carrying the gun to study"

(BLOG 6)
        When I came across Hansol Muns blog called "students in UT are not carrying the gun to study" I began to wonder whether carrying guns on campus are a good or bad thing. Muns claims that fellow students perhaps may feel “quietly threaten” with the new open carry laws, which I completely agree. How will students feel knowing that someone might be carrying a gun? Like Mun mentioned we don’t really know how mentally stable a person is or if we can fully trust someone with this type of lethal power. The only small note I would make about Muns blog would be to add in reasons why other people think open carry on campuses is a good idea, how they view the idea, and what campus could propose.  Perhaps Campuses should have some type of mental evaluation that allows a mentally stable person to carry a weapon on a campus. Overall I definitely agree with Mun and some of the views listed, although I would also love hear the opposing side as well. 

Texas Universities Dont Care About Your Children

Universities across the US pull in millions of dollars every year from, donations, sports, charities, but especially from their students’ tuition. A university is worth millions, so you would think they would at least invest more money into protecting those very same people who fund the school. One can almost claim that many Texas universities are dis concerned in the well being of their students, and perhaps only their money.

When Sharon Grisby wrote an article posted on the Dallas News about Baylor University and their sexual assault investigation, lead by Pepper Hamilton law firm, the University then began making small changes on how to handle such incidences. For example, Baylor University’s Police Dept. began bumping up their staff Thursday- Saturday.

            Recently, an article was posted on The Texas Tribune, by Watkins and Mekelburg, called “UT Steps Up Security After Body of Student Found on Campus”.

My question is why are these Texas university waiting until after the worst happens? Shouldn’t these school already have sometype of prevention courses, videos, seminars?  

UT should have already have over staffed security spread out all over the campus, this could have possibly saved the young students life.

What about the many public sexual assault incidences that occur at universities? Perhaps if those campuses were over staffed, they could have prevented a person from getting assaulted.

Texas Colleges should not wait until the last minute on how to handle crimes. Maybe requiring a student to take a course on what to do if they were in any situation.

Maybe these type of prevention seminars(etc) will one day save your daughter’s or son’s life.
(BLOG 5)

Baylor University and Sexual Assault

Sharon Grigsby wrote a blog concerning how sexual assault is being handled at Baylor University, and was posted on the Dallas News website on March 23, 2016. Grigsby claims that although Baylor University is taking some precautions regarding sexual assault victims, on their campus, they are doing just enough to not make themselves look bad or taint their name. I completely agree with Grigsby. Lets first discuss what evidence Grigsby claims and presents.

Grigsby states Baylor had announced it was taking measures to strengthen its response to sexual assaults at the university. For Example, the Board of Regents was taking measures to hire “more staff, expand training, and create new support programs for sexual assault victims”. Baylor would also be increasing the staff of Baylor University Police Department during Thursday- Saturday.

Baylor University hired Pepper Hamilton, a law firm, to conduct an investigation on regards of how sexual assaults are being handled at the university. Once the investigation is complete the school could decide whether or not to release sexual assault cases publicly.

I personally agree and side with Grigsby. Grigsby thoroughly explained many of Baylor attempt on tackling the issue of sexual assault, but it just was not enough. Sexual assault victims are being swept under the rug and no one seems to bat an eye.

Her main targeted audience are parents with future university students, as well as young men and women soon to be or attending any university. Regardless of all the, really, minor attempts on handling sexual assault, Baylor university isn’t really doing much to protect the health and well being of the students.

Many universities try to avoid this topic, since no university wants to be seen as the rape university. What parent is going to send their teenage to a university that has high sexual assault cases?