The History of Freedom in America essays

The History of Freedom in America essays Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Paine and J. Hector St. de Crevecoeur each offer a unique perspective about certain truths concerning American rights and responsibilities. Each author offers a promise of what America could and should be. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Elizabeth Cady Stanton are two prominent figures from America's recent past that also spoke out in regards to American's rights and responsibilities with the awe-inspiring "I have a Dream" speech and the "Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions". The Declaration of Independence is probably the most important document in American history. The Declaration revealed all the monstrous things that the king of England had done to the colonists and all the reasons why the United States had to become its own entity and become free from British rule. Great Britain had been violating the rights of the colonists by imposing taxes, not allowing them to represent themselves in parliament, not allowing them to pass laws and a great many more terrible offenses. All the colonists wanted to do was to live peacefully and prosperously and to be able to govern themselves, but the British king would not allow this to happen. The Declaration of Independence summed up all of these actions to show the king and the government why it was necessary for the colonists to separate from England. The Declaration was also used as a propaganda tool for the American's to state their reasons for rebellion and try to get other colonists to join them in their fight for freedom. Jefferson declares, "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights; that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness." (Jefferson, Paragraph 2) Jefferson's emphasis on the fact that the Declaration represents the will of the people to take actions immediately against the k...

Difference Between Private and Independent Schools

Difference Between Private and Independent Schools When public school just isnt working to help a child succeed and meet his or her fullest potential, its not uncommon for  families to start to consider alternative options for elementary, middle or high school education. When this research begins, most likely private schools will start popping up as one of those options. Start doing more research, and youll likely encounter a variety of information that includes information and profiles on both private schools and independent schools, which might leave you scratching your head. Are they the same thing? Whats the difference? Lets explore.   Similarities Between Private and Independent Schools There is one big similarity between private and independent schools, and that is the fact  that they are non-public schools. In other words, they are schools which are funded by their own resources, and do not receive public funding from the state or federal government.   Differences Between Private and Independent Schools But it seems as though the terms private school and independent school are often used as though they mean the same thing. The truth is, they are both the same and different. Even more confused? Lets break it down. In general,  independent schools are actually considered private schools, but not all private schools are independent. So an independent school can call itself private or independent, but a private school cannot always refer to itself as independent. Why? Well, this subtle distinction between a private school and an independent school has to do with the legal structure of each, how they are governed, and how they are funded. An independent school has a truly independent board of trustees that oversees the schools operation, while a  private school can theoretically be part of another entity, such as a for profit corporation or a not for profit organization such as a church or synagogue. An independent board of trustees often meets several times a year to discuss the schools overall health, including finances, reputation, improvement, facilities, and other important aspects of the schools success. The administration at an independent school is responsible for carrying out a strategic plan that ensures the schools on-going success, and reports to the board regularly on progress and how they will address or are addressing any challenges the school may face.   External organizations, such as a religious group or other for-profit or not-for-profit organization,  that can provide financial assistance to a private school, not an independent school, will make the school less dependent on tuition and charitable donations for survival. However, these private schools may incur regulations and/or restrictions from the associated organization, such as mandated enrollment restrictions and curricular advancements. Independent schools, on the other hand, typically have a unique mission statement, and are financed by tuition payments and charitable donations. Often, independent school tuitions are more expensive than their private school counterparts, which is because most independent schools rely mostly on tuition to fund its daily operations.   Independent schools are accredited by the National Association of Independent Schools, or NAIS, and often have stricter rules for governance than some private schools. Through NAIS, individual states or regions have approved accrediting bodies that work to ensure all schools within their respective regions meet rigorous requirements in order to achieve accreditation status, a process that occurs every 5 years. Independent schools also typically have large endowments and large facilities, and include both boarding and day schools. Independent schools may have a religious affiliation, and may include religious studies as part of the schools philosophy, but they are governed by an independent board of trustees and not a larger religious organization. If an independent school wishes to change an aspect of its operations, such as eliminating religious studies, they only need the approval of their board of trustees and not a governing religious institution. The State of Utah Office of Education offers a typical definition of a private school:A school that is controlled by an individual or agency other than a governmental entity, which is usually supported primarily by other than public funds, and the operation of whose program rests with someone other than publicly elected or appointed officials. McGraw-Hills Higher Education site defines an independent school as nonpublic school unaffiliated with any church or other agency. Article edited by  Stacy Jagodowski