Thanks to Mr. Bailey by Praise

Thanks to Mr. Bailey by Praise - July 2014 Scholarship Essay

Learning about my strength as a citizen and the ramifications of the rights that belong to me was something much more than I could have bargained for from a simple “Government Class”. Of course,this type of learning didn't jump out of a text book, but was taught to me by someone with outstanding depth. It must be taught by an instructor who sparks debates and boldly shares his opinion while encouraging his students to express theirs. That special teacher, who has left a positive impression on my view of education, is my Government Professor, Mr. Bailey.

While taking his summer government course, I gained more than a few extra credits. I gained a higher sense of awareness about my own rights and how these rights can affect everyone around me in so many different ways. This debate over rights and how they are executed are the basis of politics, which is a large aspect of our government and is clearly defined as the conflict over the leadership, structure, and policies of governments. All my life, I have always heard of “politics” but never quite grabbed the concept of it until sitting in Mr. Bailey’s classroom. He enlightened me and my peers on how any one of us, even as a sole voice can bring substantial change in the operation of our country.

In addition to being educated about the strength behind my own voice as a citizen, I also discovered that although we, under the Constitution, are guaranteed certain freedoms but those freedoms often come with restrictions. For example, when using the 1st amendment “Freedom of Speech” to express your thoughts, one must remember some opinions must be expressed very carefully in order to avoid being tried in court for libel or slander- which are written and/or oral statements, often untrue, that can damage one’s reputation. Situations like this are something everyday citizens don’t always think about. Most people, including myself, have a “general” idea of their rights but don’t seem to fully understand the ramifications that come with them.

Mr. Bailey’s teachings left me well equipped with knowledge about clear cut laws and amendments but also gave me a platform to express my opinion and at the same time hear the other side of the matter on various governmental and society issues that aren't so clearly defined all across the nation such as same sex marriage, abortion, and modern debates (like the legal drinking age and year-round public school).Not to mention, he ensured that we thoroughly consider why or why not we agree or disagree with a particular issue. Everything and anything that he educated us about caused me and my peers to see the world in a more self-LESS light and that the things we vote for and push to be amended by our government might be great for us and our specific groups but might hurt someone of a different situation then ourselves.

All these realizations came from my government instructor showing us ALL the angles on a subject, letting us lead the discussions, and never being one sided- which is a lesson I can take with me for life. Thanks to Mr. Bailey, I view education as a tool to not just teach about a certain subject but learn how that subject and what you do with it impacts the world.