The Twilight Saga 3: Eclipse Chapter 26. ETHICS

THE COUNTER IN ALICE'S BATHROOM WAS COVERED WITH a thousand different products, all claiming to beautify a person's surface. Since everyone in this house was both perfect and impermeable, I could only assume that she'd bought most of these things with me in mind. I read the labels numbly, struck by the waste. I was careful never to look in the long mirror. Alice combed through my hair with a slow, rhythmic motion. â€Å"That's enough, Alice,† I said tonelessly. â€Å"I want to go back to La Push.† How many hours had I waited for Charlie to finally leave Billy's house so that I could see Jacob? Each minute, not knowing if Jacob was still breathing or not, had seemed like ten lifetimes. And then, when at last I'd been allowed to go, to see for myself that Jacob was alive, the time had gone so quickly. I felt like I'd barely caught my breath before Alice was calling Edward, insisting that I keep up this ridiculous sleepover faade. It seemed so insignificant. . . . â€Å"Jacob's still unconscious,† Alice answered. â€Å"Carlisle or Edward will call when he's awake. Anyway, you need to go see Charlie. He was there at Billy's house, he saw that Carlisle and Edward are back in from their trip, and he's bound to be suspicious when you get home.† I already had my story memorized and corroborated. â€Å"I don't care. I want to be there when Jacob wakes up.† â€Å"You need to think of Charlie now. You've had a long day – sorry, I know that doesn't begin to cover it – but that doesn't mean that you can shirk your responsibilities.† Her voice was serious, almost chiding. â€Å"It's more important now than ever that Charlie stays safely in the dark. Play your role first, Bella, and then you can do what you want second. Part of being a Cullen is being meticulously responsible.† Of course she was right. And if not for this same reason – a reason that was more powerful than all my fear and pain and guilt – Carlisle would never have been able to talk me into leaving Jacob's side, unconscious or not. â€Å"Go home,† Alice ordered. â€Å"Talk to Charlie. Flesh out your alibi. Keep him safe.† I stood, and the blood flowed down to my feet, stinging like the pricks of a thousand needles. I'd been sitting still for a long time. â€Å"That dress is adorable on you,† Alice cooed. â€Å"Huh? Oh. Er – thanks again for the clothes,† I mumbled out of courtesy rather than real gratitude. â€Å"You need the evidence,† Alice said, her eyes innocent and wide. â€Å"What's a shopping trip without a new outfit? It's very flattering, if I do say so myself.† I blinked, unable to remember what she'd dressed me in. I couldn't keep my thoughts from skittering away every few seconds, insects running from the light. . . . â€Å"Jacob is fine, Bella,† Alice said, easily interpreting my preoccupation. â€Å"There's no hurry. If you realized how much extra morphine Carlisle had to give him – what with his temperature burning it off so quickly – you would know that he's going to be out for a while.† At least he wasn't in any pain. Not yet. â€Å"Is there anything you want to talk about before you leave?† Alice asked sympathetically. â€Å"You must be more than a little traumatized.† I knew what she was curious about. But I had other questions. â€Å"Will I be like that?† I asked her, my voice subdued. â€Å"Like that girl Bree in the meadow?† There were many things I needed to think of, but I couldn't seem to get her out of my head, the newborn whose other life was now – abruptly – over. Her face, twisted with desire for my blood, lingered behind my eyelids. Alice stroked my arm. â€Å"Everyone is different. But something like that, yes.† I was very still, trying to imagine. â€Å"It passes,† she promised. â€Å"How soon?† She shrugged. â€Å"A few years, maybe less. It might be different for you. I've never seen anyone go through this who's chosen it beforehand. It should be interesting to see how that affects you.† â€Å"Interesting,† I repeated. â€Å"We'll keep you out of trouble.† â€Å"I know that. I trust you.† My voice was monotone, dead. Alice's forehead puckered. â€Å"If you're worried about Carlisle and Edward, I'm sure they'll be fine. I believe Sam is beginning to trust us . . . well, to trust Carlisle, at least. It's a good thing, too. I imagine the atmosphere got a little tense when Carlisle had to rebreak the fractures -â€Å" â€Å"Please, Alice.† â€Å"Sorry.† I took a deep breath to steady myself. Jacob had begun healing too quickly, and some of his bones had set wrong. He'd been out cold for the process, but it was still hard to think about. â€Å"Alice, can I ask you a question? About the future?† She was suddenly wary. â€Å"You know I don't see everything.† â€Å"It's not that, exactly. But you do see my future, sometimes. Why is that, do you think, when nothing else works on me? Not what Jane can do, or Edward or Aro . . .† My sentence trailed off with my interest level. My curiosity on this point was fleeting, heavily overshadowed by more pressing emotions. Alice, however, found the question very interesting. â€Å"Jasper, too, Bella – his talent works on your body just as well as it does on anyone else's. That's the difference, do you see it? Jasper's abilities affect the body physically. He really does calm your system down, or excite it. It's not an illusion. And I see visions of outcomes, not the reasons and thoughts behind the decisions that create them. It's outside the mind, not an illusion, either; reality, or at least one version of it. But Jane and Edward and Aro and Demetri – they work inside the mind. Jane only creates an illusion of pain. She doesn't really hurt your body, you only think you feel it. You see, Bella? You are safe inside your mind. No one can reach you there. It's no wonder that Aro was so curious about your future abilities.† She watched my face to see if I was following her logic. In truth, her words had all started to run together, the syllables and sounds losing their meaning. I couldn't concentrate on them. Still, I nodded. Trying to look like I got it. She wasn't fooled. She stroked my cheek and murmured, â€Å"He's going to be okay, Bella. I don't need a vision to know that. Are you ready to go?† â€Å"One more thing. Can I ask you another question about the future? I don't want specifics, just an overview.† â€Å"I'll do my best,† she said, doubtful again. â€Å"Can you still see me becoming a vampire?† â€Å"Oh, that's easy. Sure, I do.† I nodded slowly. She examined my face, her eyes unfathomable. â€Å"Don't you know your own mind, Bella?† â€Å"I do. I just wanted to be sure.† â€Å"I'm only as sure as you are, Bella. You know that. If you were to change your mind, what I see would change . . . or disappear, in your case.† I sighed. â€Å"That isn't going to happen, though.† She put her arms around me. â€Å"I'm sorry. I can't really empathize. My first memory is of seeing Jasper's face in my future; I always knew that he was where my life was headed. But I can sympathize. I'm so sorry you have to choose between two good things.† I shook off her arms. â€Å"Don't feel sorry for me.† There were people who deserved sympathy. I wasn't one of them. And there wasn't any choice to make – there was just breaking a good heart to attend to now. â€Å"I'll go deal with Charlie.† I drove my truck home, where Charlie was waiting just as suspiciously as Alice had expected. â€Å"Hey, Bella. How was your shopping trip?† he greeted me when I walked into the kitchen. He had his arms folded over his chest, his eyes on my face. â€Å"Long,† I said dully. â€Å"We just got back.† Charlie assessed my mood. â€Å"I guess you already heard about Jake, then?† â€Å"Yes. The rest of the Cullens beat us home. Esme told us where Carlisle and Edward were.† â€Å"Are you okay?† â€Å"Worried about Jake. As soon as I make dinner, I'm going down to La Push.† â€Å"I told you those motorcycles were dangerous. I hope this makes you realize that I wasn't kidding around.† I nodded as I started pulling things out of the fridge. Charlie settled himself in at the table. He seemed to be in a more talkative mood than usual. â€Å"I don't think you need to worry about Jake too much. Anyone who can cuss with that kind of energy is going to recover.† â€Å"Jake was awake when you saw him?† I asked, spinning to look at him. â€Å"Oh, yeah, he was awake. You should have heard him – actually, it's better you didn't. I don't think there was anyone in La Push who couldn't hear him. I don't know where he picked up that vocabulary, but I hope he hasn't been using that kind of language around you.† â€Å"He had a pretty good excuse today. How did he look?† â€Å"Messed up. His friends carried him in. Good thing they're big boys, 'cause that kid's an armful. Carlisle said his right leg is broken, and his right arm. Pretty much the whole right side of his body got crushed when he wrecked that damn bike.† Charlie shook his head. â€Å"If I ever hear of you riding again, Bella -â€Å" â€Å"No problem there, Dad. You won't. Do you really think Jake's okay?† â€Å"Sure, Bella, don't worry. He was himself enough to tease me.† â€Å"Tease you?† I echoed in shock. â€Å"Yeah – in between insulting somebody's mother and taking the Lord's name in vain, he said, ‘Bet you're glad she loves Cullen instead of me today, huh, Charlie?'† I turned back to the fridge so that he couldn't see my face. â€Å"And I couldn't argue. Edward's more mature than Jacob when it comes to your safety, I'll give him that much.† â€Å"Jacob's plenty mature,† I muttered defensively. â€Å"I'm sure this wasn't his fault.† â€Å"Weird day today,† Charlie mused after a minute. â€Å"You know, I don't put much stock in that superstitious crap, but it was odd. . . . It was like Billy knew something bad was going to happen to Jake. He was nervous as a turkey on Thanksgiving all morning. I don't think he heard anything I said to him. â€Å"And then, weirder than that – remember back in February and March when we had all that trouble with the wolves?† I bent down to get a frying pan out of the cupboard, and hid there an extra second or two. â€Å"Yeah,† I mumbled. â€Å"I hope we're not going to have a problem with that again. This morning, we were out in the boat, and Billy wasn't paying any attention to me or the fish, when all of a sudden, you could hear wolves yowling in the woods. More than one, and, boy, was it loud. Sounded like they were right there in the village. Weirdest part was, Billy turned the boat around and headed straight back to the harbor like they were calling to him personally. Didn't even hear me ask what he was doing. â€Å"The noise stopped before we got the boat docked. But all of a sudden Billy was in the biggest hurry not to miss the game, though we had hours still. He was mumbling some nonsense about an earlier showing . . . of a live game? I tell you, Bella, it was odd. â€Å"Well, he found some game he said he wanted to watch, but then he just ignored it. He was on the phone the whole time, calling Sue, and Emily, and your friend Quil's grandpa. Couldn't quite make out what he was looking for – he just chatted real casual with them. â€Å"Then the howling started again right outside the house. I've never heard anything like it – I had goose bumps on my arms. I asked Billy – had to shout over the noise – if he'd been setting traps in his yard. It sounded like the animal was in serious pain.† I winced, but Charlie was so caught up in his story that he didn't notice. â€Å"‘Course I forgot all about that till just this minute, 'cause that's when Jake made it home. One minute it was that wolf yowling, and then you couldn't hear it anymore – Jake's cussing drowned it right out. Got a set of lungs on him, that boy does.† Charlie paused for a minute, his face thoughtful. â€Å"Funny that some good should come out of this mess. I didn't think they were ever going to get over that fool prejudice they have against the Cullens down there. But somebody called Carlisle, and Billy was real grateful when he showed up. I thought we should get Jake up to the hospital, but Billy wanted to keep him home, and Carlisle agreed. I guess Carlisle knows what's best. Generous of him to sign up for such a long stretch of house calls.† â€Å"And . . .† he paused, as if unwilling to say something. He sighed, and then continued. â€Å"And Edward was really . . . nice. He seemed as worried about Jacob as you are – like that was his brother lying there. The look in his eyes . . .† Charlie shook his head. â€Å"He's a decent guy, Bella. I'll try to remember that. No promises, though.† He grinned at me. â€Å"I won't hold you to it,† I mumbled. Charlie stretched his legs and groaned. â€Å"It's nice to be home. You wouldn't believe how crowded Billy's little place gets. Seven of Jake's friends all squished themselves into that little front room – I could hardly breathe. Have you ever noticed how big those Quileute kids all are?† â€Å"Yeah, I have.† Charlie stared at me, his eyes abruptly more focused. â€Å"Really, Bella, Carlisle said Jake will be up and around in no time. Said it looked a lot worse than it was. He's going to be fine.† I just nodded. Jacob had looked so . . . strangely fragile when I'd hurried down to see him as soon as Charlie had left. He'd had braces everywhere – Carlisle said there was no point in plaster, as fast as he was healing. His face had been pale and drawn, deeply unconscious though he was at the time. Breakable. Huge as he was, he'd looked very breakable. Maybe that had just been my imagination, coupled with the knowledge that I was going to have to break him. If only I could be struck by lightning and be split in two. Preferably painfully. For the first time, giving up being human felt like a true sacrifice. Like it might be too much to lose. I put Charlie's dinner on the table next to his elbow and headed for the door. â€Å"Er, Bella? Could you wait just a second?† â€Å"Did I forget something?† I asked, eyeing his plate. â€Å"No, no. I just . . . want to ask a favor.† Charlie frowned and looked at the floor. â€Å"Have a seat – this won't take long.† I sat across from him, a little confused. I tried to focus. â€Å"What do you need, Dad?† â€Å"Here's the gist of it, Bella.† Charlie flushed. â€Å"Maybe I'm just feeling . . . superstitious after hanging out with Billy while he was being so strange all day. But I have this . . . hunch. I feel like . . . I'm going to lose you soon.† â€Å"Don't be silly, Dad,† I mumbled guiltily. â€Å"You want me to go to school, don't you?† â€Å"Just promise me one thing.† I was hesitant, ready to rescind. â€Å"Okay . . .† â€Å"Will you tell me before you do anything major? Before you run off with him or something?† â€Å"Dad . . . ,† I moaned. â€Å"I'm serious. I won't kick up a fuss. Just give me some advance notice. Give me a chance to hug you goodbye.† Cringing mentally, I held up my hand. â€Å"This is silly. But, if it makes you happy, . . . I promise.† â€Å"Thanks, Bella,† he said. â€Å"I love you, kid.† â€Å"I love you, too, Dad.† I touched his shoulder, and then shoved away from the table. â€Å"If you need anything, I'll be at Billy's.† I didn't look back as I ran out. This was just perfect, just what I needed right now. I grumbled to myself all the way to La Push. Carlisle's black Mercedes was not in front of Billy's house. That was both good and bad. Obviously, I needed to talk to Jacob alone. Yet I still wished I could somehow hold Edward's hand, like I had before, when Jacob was unconscious. Impossible. But I missed Edward – it had seemed like a very long afternoon alone with Alice. I supposed that made my answer quite obvious. I already knew that I couldn't live without Edward. That fact wasn't going to make this any less painful. I tapped quietly on the front door. â€Å"Come in, Bella,† Billy said. The roar of my truck was easy to recognize. I let myself in. â€Å"Hey, Billy. Is he awake?† I asked. â€Å"He woke up about a half hour ago, just before the doctor left. Go on in. I think he's been waiting for you.† I flinched, and then took a deep breath. â€Å"Thanks.† I hesitated at the door to Jacob's room, not sure whether to knock. I decided to peek first, hoping – coward that I was – that maybe he'd gone back to sleep. I felt like I could use just a few more minutes. I opened the door a crack and leaned hesitantly in. Jacob was waiting for me, his face calm and smooth. The haggard, gaunt look was gone, but only a careful blankness took its place. There was no animation in his dark eyes. It was hard to look at his face, knowing that I loved him. It made more of a difference than I would have thought. I wondered if it had always been this hard for him, all this time. Thankfully, someone had covered him with a quilt. It was a relief not to have to see the extent of the damage. I stepped in and shut the door quietly behind me. â€Å"Hi, Jake,† I murmured. He didn't answer at first. He looked at my face for a long moment. Then, with some effort, he rearranged his expression into a slightly mocking smile. â€Å"Yeah, I sort of thought it might be like that.† He sighed. â€Å"Today has definitely taken a turn for the worse. First I pick the wrong place, miss the best fight, and Seth gets all the glory. Then Leah has to be an idiot trying to prove she's as tough as the rest of us and I have to be the idiot who saves her. And now this.† He waved his left hand toward me where I hesitated by the door. â€Å"How are you feeling?† I mumbled. What a stupid question. â€Å"A little stoned. Dr. Fang isn't sure how much pain medication I need, so he's going with trial and error. Think he overdid it.† â€Å"But you're not in pain.† â€Å"No. At least, I can't feel my injuries,† he said, smiling mockingly again. I bit my lip. I was never going to get through this. Why didn't anyone ever try to kill me when I wanted to die? The wry humor left his face, and his eyes warmed up. His forehead creased, like he was worried. â€Å"How about you?† he asked, sounding really concerned. â€Å"Are you okay?† â€Å"Me?† I stared at him. Maybe he had taken too many drugs. â€Å"Why?† â€Å"Well, I mean, I was pretty sure that he wouldn't actually hurt you, but I wasn't sure how bad it was going to be. I've been going a little crazy with worrying about you ever since I woke up. I didn't know if you were going to be allowed to visit or anything. The suspense was terrible. How did it go? Was he mean to you? I'm sorry if it was bad. I didn't mean for you to have to go through that alone. I was thinking I'd be there. . . .† It took me a minute to even understand. He babbled on, looking more and more awkward, until I got what he was saying. Then I hurried to reassure him. â€Å"No, no, Jake! I'm fine. Too fine, really. Of course he wasn't mean. I wish!† His eyes widened in what looked like horror. â€Å"What?† â€Å"He wasn't even mad at me – he wasn't even mad at you! He's so unselfish it makes me feel even worse. I wish he would have yelled at me or something. It's not like I don't deserve . . . well, much worse that getting yelled at. But he doesn't care. He just wants me to be happy.† â€Å"He wasn't mad?† Jacob asked, incredulous. â€Å"No. He was . . . much too kind.† Jacob stared for another minute, and then he suddenly frowned. â€Å"Well, damn!† he growled. â€Å"What's wrong, Jake? Does it hurt?† My hands fluttered uselessly as I looked around for his medication. â€Å"No,† he grumbled in a disgusted tone. â€Å"I can't believe this! He didn't give you an ultimatum or anything?† â€Å"Not even close – what's wrong with you?† He scowled and shook his head. â€Å"I was sort of counting on his reaction. Damn it all. He's better than I thought.† The way he said it, though angrier, reminded me of Edward's tribute to Jacob's lack of ethics in the tent this morning. Which meant that Jake was still hoping, still fighting. I winced as that stabbed deep. â€Å"He's not playing any game, Jake,† I said quietly. â€Å"You bet he is. He's playing every bit as hard as I am, only he knows what he's doing and I don't. Don't blame me because he's a better manipulator than I am – I haven't been around long enough to learn all his tricks.† â€Å"He isn't manipulating me!† â€Å"Yes, he is! When are you going to wake up and realize that he's not a perfect as you think he is?† â€Å"At least he didn't threaten to kill himself to make me kiss him,† I snapped. As soon as the words were out, I flushed with chagrin. â€Å"Wait. Pretend that didn't slip out. I swore to myself that I wasn't going to say anything about that.† He took a deep breath. When he spoke, he was calmer. â€Å"Why not?† â€Å"Because I didn't come here to blame you for anything.† â€Å"It's true, though,† he said evenly. â€Å"I did do that.† â€Å"I don't care, Jake. I'm not mad.† He smiled. â€Å"I don't care, either. I knew you'd forgive me, and I'm glad I did it. I'd do it again. At least I have that much. At least I made you see that you do love me. That's worth something.† â€Å"Is it? Is it really better than if I was still in the dark?† â€Å"Don't you think you ought to know how you feel – just so that it doesn't take you by surprise someday when it's too late and you're a married vampire?† I shook my head. â€Å"No – I didn't mean better for me. I meant better for you. Does it make things better or worse for you, having me know that I'm in love with you? When it doesn't make a difference either way. Would it have been better, easier for you, if I never clued in?† He took my question as seriously as I'd meant it, thinking carefully before he answered. â€Å"Yes, it's better to have you know,† hefinally decided. â€Å"If you hadn't figured it out . . . I'd have always wondered if your decision would have been different if you had. Now I know. I did everything I could.† He dragged in an unsteady breath, and closed his eyes. This time I did not – could not – resist the urge to comfort him. I crossed the small room and kneeled by his head, afraid to sit on the bed in case I jostled it and hurt him, and leaned in to touch my forehead to his cheek. Jacob sighed, and put his hand on my hair, holding me there. â€Å"I'm so sorry, Jake.† â€Å"I always knew this was a long shot. It's not your fault, Bella.† â€Å"Not you, too,† I moaned. â€Å"Please.† He pulled away to look at me. â€Å"What?† â€Å"It is my fault. And I'm so sick of being told it's not.† He grinned. It didn't touch his eyes. â€Å"You want me to haul you over the coals?† â€Å"Actually . . . I think I do.† He pursed his lips as he measured how much I meant it. A smile flashed across his face briefly, and then he twisted his expression into a fierce scowl. â€Å"Kissing me back like that was inexcusable.† He spit the words at me. â€Å"If you knew you were just going to take it back, maybe you shouldn't have been quite so convincing about it.† I winced and nodded. â€Å"I'm so sorry.† â€Å"Sorry doesn't make anything better, Bella. What were you thinking?† â€Å"I wasn't,† I whispered. â€Å"You should have told me to go die. That's what you want.† â€Å"No, Jacob,† I whimpered, fighting against the budding tears. â€Å"No! Never.† â€Å"You're not crying?† he demanded, his voice suddenly back to its normal tone. He twitched impatiently on the bed. â€Å"Yeah,† I muttered, laughing weakly at myself through the tears that were suddenly sobs. He shifted his weight, throwing his good leg off the bed as if he were going to try to stand. â€Å"What are you doing?† I demanded through the tears. â€Å"Lie down, you idiot, you'll hurt yourself!† I jumped to my feet and pushed his good shoulder down with two hands. He surrendered, leaning back with a gasp of pain, but he grabbed me around my waist and pulled me down on the bed, against his good side. I curled up there, trying to stifle the silly sobs against his hot skin. â€Å"I can't believe you're crying,† he mumbled. â€Å"You know I just said those things because you wanted me to. I didn't mean them.† His hand rubbed against my shoulders. â€Å"I know.† I took a deep, ragged breath, trying to control myself. How did I end up being the one crying while he did the comforting? â€Å"It's all still true, though. Thanks for saying it out loud.† â€Å"Do I get points for making you cry?† â€Å"Sure, Jake.† I tried to smile. â€Å"As many as you want.† â€Å"Don't worry, Bella, honey. It's all going to work out.† â€Å"I don't see how,† I muttered. He patted the top of my head. â€Å"I'm going to give in and be good.† â€Å"More games?† I wondered, tilting my chin so that I could see his face. â€Å"Maybe.† He laughed with a bit of effort, and then winced. â€Å"But I'm going to try.† I frowned. â€Å"Don't be so pessimistic,† he complained. â€Å"Give me a little credit.† â€Å"What do you mean by ‘be good'?† â€Å"I'll be your friend, Bella,† he said quietly. â€Å"I won't ask for more than that.† â€Å"I think it's too late for that, Jake. How can we be friends, when we love each other like this?† He looked at the ceiling, his stare intent, as if he were reading something that was written there. â€Å"Maybe . . . it will have to be a long-distance friendship.† I clenched my teeth together, glad he wasn't looking at my face, fighting against the sobs that threatened to overtake me again. I needed to be strong, and I had no idea how. . . . â€Å"You know that story in the Bible?† Jacob asked suddenly, still reading the blank ceiling. â€Å"The one with the king and the two women fighting over the baby?† â€Å"Sure. King Solomon.† â€Å"That's right. King Solomon,† he repeated. â€Å"And he said, cut the kid in half . . . but it was only a test. Just to see who would give up their share to protect it.† â€Å"Yeah, I remember.† He looked back at my face. â€Å"I'm not going to cut you in half anymore, Bella.† I understood what he was saying. He was telling me that he loved me the most, that his surrender proved it. I wanted to defend Edward, to tell Jacob how Edward would do the same thing if I wanted, if I would let him. I was the one who wouldn't renounce my claim there. But there was no point in starting an argument that would only hurt him more. I closed my eyes, willing myself to control the pain. I couldn't impose that on him. We were quiet for a moment. He seemed to be waiting for me to say something; I was trying to think of something to say. â€Å"Can I tell you what the worst part is?† he asked hesitantly when I said nothing. â€Å"Do you mind? I am going to be good.† â€Å"Will it help?† I whispered. â€Å"It might. It couldn't hurt.† â€Å"What's the worst part, then?† â€Å"The worse part is knowing what would have been.† â€Å"What might have been.† I sighed. â€Å"No.† Jacob shook his head. â€Å"I'm exactly right for you, Bella. It would have been effortless for us – comfortable, easy as breathing. I was the natural path your life would have taken. . . .† He stared into space for a moment, and I waited. â€Å"If the world was the way it was supposed to be, if there were no monsters and no magic . . .† I could see what he saw, and I knew that he was right. If the world was the sane place it was supposed to be, Jacob and I would have been together. And we would have been happy. He was my soul mate in that world – would have been my soul mate still if his claim had not been overshadowed by something stronger, something so strong that it could not exist in a rational world. Was it out there for Jacob, too? Something that would trump a soul mate? I had to believe that it was. Two futures, two soul mates . . . too much for any one person. And so unfair that I wouldn't be the only one to pay for it. Jacob's pain seemed too high a price. Cringing at the thought of that price, I wondered if I would have wavered, if I hadn't lost Edward once. If I didn't know what it was like to live without him. I wasn't sure. That knowledge was so deep a part of me, I couldn't imagine how I would feel without it. â€Å"He's like a drug for you, Bella.† His voice was still gentle, not at all critical. â€Å"I see that you can't live without him now. It's too late. But I would have been healthier for you. Not a drug; I would have been the air, the sun.† The corner of my mouth turned up in a wistful half-smile. â€Å"I used to think of you that way, you know. Like the sun. My personal sun. You balanced out the clouds nicely for me.† He sighed. â€Å"The clouds I can handle. But I can't fight with an eclipse.† I touched his face, laying my hand against his cheek. He exhaled at my touch and closed his eyes. It was very quiet. For a minute I could hear the beating of his heart, slow and even. â€Å"Tell me the worst part for you,† he whispered. â€Å"I think that might be a bad idea.† â€Å"Please.† â€Å"I think it will hurt.† â€Å"Please.† How could I deny him anything at this point? â€Å"The worst part . . .† I hesitated, and then let words spill out in a flood of truth. â€Å"The worst part is that I saw the whole thing – our whole life. And I want it bad, Jake, I want it all. I want to stay right here and never move. I want to love you and make you happy. And I can't, and it's killing me. It's like Sam and Emily, Jake – I never had a choice. I always knew nothing would change. Maybe that's why I was fighting against you so hard.† He seemed to be concentrating on breathing evenly. â€Å"I knew I shouldn't have told you that.† He shook his head slowly. â€Å"No. I'm glad you did. Thank you.† He kissed the top of my head, and then he sighed. â€Å"I'll be good now.† I looked up, and he was smiling. â€Å"So you're going to get married, huh?† â€Å"We don't have to talk about that.† â€Å"I'd like to know some of the details. I don't know when I'll talk to you again.† I had to wait for a minute before I could speak. When I was pretty sure that my voice wouldn't break, I answered his question. â€Å"It's not really my idea . . . but, yes. It means a lot to him. I figure, why not?† Jake nodded. â€Å"That's true. It's not such a big thing – in comparison.† His voice was very calm, very practical. I stared at him, curious about how he was managing, and that ruined it. He met my eyes for a second, and then twisted his head away. I waited to speak until his breathing was under control. â€Å"Yes. In comparison,† I agreed. â€Å"How long do you have left?† â€Å"That depends on how long it takes Alice to pull a wedding together.† I suppressed a groan, imagining what Alice would do. â€Å"Before or after?† he asked quietly. I knew what he meant. â€Å"After.† He nodded. This was a relief to him. I wondered how many sleepless nights the thought of my graduation had given him. â€Å"Are you scared?† he whispered. â€Å"Yes,† I whispered back. â€Å"What are you afraid of?† I could barely hear his voice now. He stared down at my hands. â€Å"Lots of things.† I worked to make my voice lighter, but I stayed honest. â€Å"I've never been much of a masochist, so I'm not looking forward to the pain. And I wish there was some way to keep him away – I don't want him to suffer with me, but I don't think there's any way around it. There's dealing with Charlie, too, and Rene. . . . And then afterward, I hope I'll be able to control myself soon. Maybe I'll be such a menace that the pack will have to take me out.† He looked up with a disapproving expression. â€Å"I'd hamstring any one of my brothers who tried.† â€Å"Thanks.† He smiled halfheartedly. Then he frowned. â€Å"But isn't it more dangerous than that? In all of the stories, they say it's too hard . . . they lose control . . . people die. . . .† He gulped. â€Å"No, I'm not afraid of that. Silly Jacob – don't you know better than to believe vampire stories?† He obviously didn't appreciate my attempt at humor. â€Å"Well, anyway, lots to worry about. But worth it, in the end.† He nodded unwillingly, and I knew that he in no way agreed with me. I stretched my neck up to whisper in his ear, laying my cheek against his warm skin. â€Å"You know I love you.† â€Å"I know,† he breathed, his arm tightening automatically around my waist. â€Å"You know how much I wish it was enough.† â€Å"Yes.† â€Å"I'll always be waiting in the wings, Bella,† he promised, lightening his tone and loosening his arm. I pulled away with a dull, dragging sense of loss, feeling the tearing separation as I left a part of me behind, there on the bed next to him. â€Å"You'll always have that spare option if you want it.† I made an effort to smile. â€Å"Until my heart stops beating.† He grinned back. â€Å"You know, I think maybe I'd still take you – maybe. I guess that depends on how much you stink.† â€Å"Should I come back to see you? Or would you rather I didn't?† â€Å"I'll think it through and get back to you,† he said. â€Å"I might need the company to keep from going crazy. The vampire surgeon extraordinaire says I can't phase until he gives the okay – it might mess up the way the bones are set.† Jacob made a face. â€Å"Be good and do what Carlisle tells you to do. You'll get well faster.† â€Å"Sure, sure.† â€Å"I wonder when it will happen,† I said. â€Å"When the right girl is going to catch your eye.† â€Å"Don't get your hopes up, Bella.† Jacob's voice was abruptly sour. â€Å"Though I'm sure it would be a relief for you.† â€Å"Maybe, maybe not. I probably won't think she's good enough for you. I wonder how jealous I'll be.† â€Å"That part might be kind of fun,† he admitted. â€Å"Let me know if you want me to come back, and I'll be here,† I promised. With a sigh, he turned his cheek toward me. I leaned in and kissed his face softly. â€Å"Love you, Jacob.† He laughed lightly. â€Å"Love you more.† He watched me walk out of his room with an unfathomable expression in his black eyes.

Higher Education Essay

The report is based on information and impressions which the delegation obtained during the study tour. Information was also gathered from sources such as the websites of the organisations and institutions visited and from agencies including the National Office of Overseas Skills Recognition (NOOSR) in Australia, World Education Services (WES) in the USA, IAU and UNESCO/IAU among others. At several places in the text, sources have been specifically mentioned. An additional list of sources can be found in the appendices. 3 The report describes the system of education in India and the quality assurance system. Chapter 1 introduces the administration of the school system and the organisation of primary, secondary and higher secondary education, while Chapter 2 provides information about technical and vocational education. Chapter 3 outlines the system of higher education by reviewing the institutional structure with a discussion of both public and private education. Information on degree structure and grading systems is included, as well as examples of some bachelor degree programmes. In Chapter 4, teacher training at higher secondary level and at university level is described. Chapter 5 presents India’s response to globalisation in the higher education sector. The last chapter deals with the quality assurance work in education, both at secondary and higher level. Impressions and reflections about the education system and how it functions are incorporated into the report in frames where appropriate. Country Profile India is one of the world’s oldest civilisations, dating back to 2,500 B. C. Aryan tribes from the northwest invaded the country in about 1,500 B. C. ; their merger with the earlier Dravidian inhabitants created the classical Indian culture. Arab incursion starting in the eighth century and Turkish in the twelfth century were followed by those of European traders, beginning in the late fifteenth century. By the nineteenth century, Great Britain had assumed political control of virtually all Indian lands. Mohandas Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru helped end British colonialism through non-violent resistance. India achieved independence in 1947. The Republic of India was established in 1947 and comprises 32 states and Union Territories, the latter controlled by the central government. The country covers about 3. 3 million square kilometres with a population of 1. 029 billion and dominates southern Asia. It is slightly larger than one-third the size of the United States. India is home to 17% of the world’s total population, accommodated in an area that is 2. 4% of the world’s total area. India has the world’s twelfth largest economy and the third largest in Asia behind Japan and China, with a total GDP of around $570 billion. Services, industry and agriculture account for 50. 7%, 26. 6% and 22. 7% of GDP respectively. The United States is India’s largest trading partner. Bilateral trade in 2003 was $18. 1 billion. There are some 16 official major languages and 844 dialects. Among these languages, English enjoys associate status, but is the most important language for national, political, and commercial communication. Hindi is the national language and primary tongue of 30% of the people. The other official languages are Bengali, Telugu, Marathi, Tamil, Urdu, Gujarati, Malayalam, Kannada, Oriya, Punjabi, Assamese, Kashmiri, Sindhi, and Sanskrit. Hindustani is a popular variant of Hindi/Urdu spoken widely throughout northern India but is not an official language. Hinduism (80. 5%), Islam (13. 4%), Christianity (2.3%), Sikh (1. 9%) are the major religions in the country. The literacy rate is 52% (of the total population of age 15 or older). 4 Chapter 1 General Education Administration of Education The central and the state governments have joint responsibility for education, with freedom for the state governments to organise education within the national framework of education. Educational policy planning is under the overall charge of the central Ministry of Human Resource Development which includes the Department of Elementary Education and Literacy and the Department of Secondary and Higher Education. The Ministry is guided by the Central Advisory Board of Education (CABE) which is the national level advisory body. The education ministers of all the different states are members of the board. The National Council of Education Research and Training (NCERT) (1961) defines the National Frame Curriculum for classes I – XII. It also functions as a resource centre in the field of school development and teacher education. State Councils of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) are the principal research and development institutions in all the states. At secondary level, school boards at state level affiliate schools and set examination standards in accordance with the national framework. The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) and Council for Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) cover all India besides the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS). National Policy on General Education Under the national constitution, education was a state matter until 1976. The central government could only provide guidance to the states on policy issues. In 1976 the constitution was amended to include education on the concurrent list. The initial attempts of designing a National Education Policy were made in 1968 but it was only in 1986 that India as a whole had a uniform National Policy on Education. The National Policy on Education 1986, modified in 1992, defines the major goals for elementary education as universal access and enrolment, universal retention of children up to 14 years and substantial improvement in the quality of education. The National Policy of Education of 1992 also aims at vocationalisation of secondary education and greater use of educational technology. The policy has been accompanied by several programmes such as the District Primary Education Program (DPEP) launched in 1994 and the National Campaign for Education for All (Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan) launched in 2001/2. A proposed bill on the right to education (draft, November 2005) stresses the right of all children from age 6 until their 15th birthday to receive elementary education either in school or non-formal education (NFE). The Indian government is preparing the universalisation of secondary education (USE). The main aim is to provide high quality secondary education to all Indian adolescents up to the age of 16 by 2015, and senior secondary education up to the age of 18 by 2020. 5 Crucial problems in India are teacher absenteeism, noted by UNESCO in 2005; high teacherpupil ratios; and inadequate teaching materials and facilities, particularly in rural areas. At the other end of the scale, children attending urban schools, especially middle and upper class children in private schools, are subjected to extreme competition from a very early age in order to qualify for admission into the best schools. In 1979-80, the Government of India, Department of Education launched a programme of Non-Formal Education (NFE) for children of 6-14 years age group, who cannot join regular schools – drop-outs, working children, children from areas without easy access to schools etc. The initial focus of the scheme was on ten educationally backward states. Later, it was extended to urban slums, and hilly, tribal and desert areas in other states. Source: – UNESCO: India, updated August 2003 and Annual Report 2004/5, Ministry of Human Resource Development, India (overview). – Newsletter, October-December 2005, International Institute for Educational Planning, UNESCO. Learning without Burden, NCERT, 1993, reprinted 2004. – Annual report 2004/5, Ministry of Human Resource Development, India (annexes). School Education A uniform structure of school education, the 10+2 system, has been adopted by all the states and Union Territories (UTs) of India following the National Policy on Education of 1986. Elementary school, Class I – VIII, is recognised as the period of compulsory schooling, with the Constitutional amendment making education a fundamental right. A majority of the states and Union Territories (UTs) have introduced free education in classesI-XII. In states/UTs where education is not free for classes IX and above, the annual fee varies considerably. The pre-school covers two to three years. The elementary stage consists of a primary stage comprising Classes I-V (in some states I-IV), followed by a middle stage of education comprising Classes VI -VIII (in some states V-VIII or VI -VII). The minimum age for admission to Class I of the primary school is generally 5+ or 6+. The secondary stage consists of Classes IX-X (in some states VIII-X), and a senior secondary stage of schooling comprising classes XI-XII in all states. In some states/UTs these classes are attached to universities/colleges. The number of working days of school education in a year is generally more than 200 days in all the states/UTs. Participation in primary and secondary education The Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER), which indicates the number of children actually enrolled in elementary schools as a proportion of child population in the 6-14 years age group, has increased progressively since 1950-51, rising from 32. 1% to 82. 5% in 2002-03, according to statistics published by the Ministry of Human Resource Development in India. The rate of increase in GER of girls has been higher than that of boys. The dropout rate at the primary level (Classes I-V) declined from 39% in 2001-02 to 34. 9% in 2002-03. However the GER only covers 61% of children from classes VI to VIII. 6 In 2002/3 the dropout rate was estimated at 34. 9% at the end of lower primary classes and 52. 8% at the end of upper primary. The dropout rate was 62. 6% at the end of secondary school (Class X). There are wide disparities among the different states in the number of children completing primary and secondary school from less than 20% to more than 80%, according to the central statistics from the Ministry of Human Resource Development. Source – Selected Educational Statistics 2002-03. Provisional. Ministry of Human Resource Development, India – Annual Report 2004/5. Ministry of Human Resource Development, India – Secondary Education. Department of Secondary and Higher Education, Ministry of Human Resource Development, India (information on the Department’s website) National Curricula. The National Council of Education Research and Training (NCERT) formulated the first Curriculum Framework in 1975 as a recommendation to the individual states. NCERT was accorded the responsibility of developing a binding National Curriculum Framework through the National Policy on Education (NPE) (1986). NCERT reviews the curriculum every five years on the basis of consultations within the whole school sector. The core areas of the curriculum are common. Teaching of English is usually compulsory in classes VI-X in most of the states/UTs. NCERT published a New National Curriculum framework in 2005. The New National Curriculum will be introduced in textbooks in three phases: Phase one, 2006-07: classes I, III, VI, IX and XI. Phase two, 2007-08: classes II, IV, VII, X and XII Phase three, 2008-09: classes V and VIII NCERT has gradually been changing the curriculum from traditional information provision to be more learner-oriented and competence-based. National Curriculum Framework 2000 The National Curriculum Framework 2000 operates with the concept of the Minimum Levels of Learning (MLLs) identifying certain essential levels of learning for each stage of school education. Pre-primary education The National Policy on Education defines the objective of early childhood care and education (ECCE) as being the total development of children in the age group 0-6 years. Early Childhood Education (ECE) or pre-primary education (2 years), part of the ECCE, shall prepare children for school. Teaching at this stage, according to the National Curriculum Framework, comprises group activities, play–way techniques, language games, number games and activities directed at promoting socialisation and environmental awareness among children. Formal teaching of subjects and reading and writing are prohibited. However, NCERT strongly criticised the actual pre-school programmes for exposing children to structured formal learning, often in 7 English with tests and homework, in the introductory notes to the new National Curriculum Framework 2005. The competition for the best education starts at a very early age. Newspapers from September 2005 in India report of tremendous pressure on three-year old children being prepared by their parents for nursery interviews and competing with a huge number of other children for places in the most prestigious private pre-schools. The newspapers report on private persons/institutes that offer help to parents in preparing their children for nursery interviews. Other newspapers report the need for psychological support for children having developed speaking difficulties after having been exposed to onerous preparation by their parents for nursery interviews. Primary education At the primary stage, emphasis is on the process of understanding, thinking and internalising. The National Curriculum contains the following subjects: Subject Language(s) Lower primary Classes I-II The mother tongue/regional language. Lower primary Classes III-V The mother tongue/regional language Upper primary Classes VI-VIII Three Languages — the mother tongue/the regional language, a modern Indian language and English All kind of creative activities including the child’s own creations Essentials of mathematics for every day activities, including geometry – Art education Mathematics Art of healthy and productive living Woven around the world of the learner Creative education, health and physical education, work education, value inculcation Integrated approach Environmental studies – Health and physical education – Science and technology Social sciences – Work education – Integrated approach to music, dance, drama, drawing and painting, puppetry, health and physical education, games and sports, yoga and productive work Experiences to help socio- emotional and cultural development with a realistic awareness and perception of phenomena occurring in the environment Games and sports, yoga, NCC and scouting and guiding Key concepts across all the disciplines of science, local and global concerns Social, political and economic situation of India and the world, including Indian cultural heritage. Academic skills social skills and civic competencies Agricultural and technological processes including participation in work situation Source: National Curriculum Framework 2000 8 In all language education programmes, the stress is placed on the ability to use the language in speech and in writing for academic purposes, at the workplace and in society in general. The duration of a class period may be around 40 minutes and, according to NCERT, the school year should be a minimum of 180 days, and â€Å"†¦A primary school should function for five hours a day out of which four hours may be set aside for instruction. For the upper primary and secondary schools, the duration of a school day should be six hours out of which five hours should be kept for instruction and the rest for the other routine activities. † Secondary education (2 years, grades IX-X) In grades IX-X the scheme of studies should include the following subjects: three languages (the mother tongue/the regional language, a modern Indian language and English), mathematics, science and technology, social sciences, work education, art education, health and physical education. Foreign languages such as Chinese, Japanese, Russian, French, German, Arabic, Persian and Spanish may be offered as additional options. The curriculum in mathematics should take into account both the learning requirement of learners who will leave school for working life, and of students who will pursue higher education. According to the NECRT Secondary School Curriculum 2002-2004 (Vol.1, Main Subjects) the suggested number of weekly periods per subject in grade X is as follows: Subject Language I Language II Mathematics Science and technology Social science Work education or pre-vocational education Art education Suggested number of periods in grade X 7 6 7 9 9 3 + 2 to 6 periods outside school hours 2 The boards, however, according to NCERT, often offer limited or no optional courses: two languages (one of which is English), mathematics, science and social sciences are the typical examination subjects. A few boards encourage students to choose an optional course from a range that includes economics, music and cookery. Higher secondary/Senior secondary education (2 years, grades XI–XII) The curriculum at this stage is divided into an academic stream and a vocational stream. Academic stream The objectives of academic courses are to promote problem-solving abilities and convey higher levels of knowledge. The curriculum at this stage comprises foundation courses and elective courses. Foundation courses consist of (i) language and literature, (ii) work education, and (iii) health and physical education, games and sports. The study of language prepares a student to both learn and use language in the classroom, the community and the workplace. The choice of the language to be studied is decided by the learner. Work education includes e. g. developmental projects in a village or city. Generic Vocational Courses (GVC) aim at developing employment-related generic skills regardless of the persons’ occupations. The student should choose three elective courses out of the subjects 9 prescribed by the boards. Elective courses may include bridging courses between the academic and vocational streams. The list of courses may include modern Indian languages, Sanskrit, classical European languages and their literatures, English (academic and specialised), other foreign languages, subjects in the sciences and mathematics, computer science, accountancy, business studies, engineering, political science, history, sociology, psychology, philosophy, fine arts and others. NCERT prescribes that courses should be listed together without dividing them into mutually exclusive groups. Nonetheless, several boards restrict the combinations in the form of a ‘science stream’, ‘arts stream’ and ‘commerce stream’. Some schools tailor their classes to medical and engineering courses. Universities restrict admissions based on the subjects and combinations of courses studied in the +2 stage. Sixty percent of the instructional time is devoted to the instruction of elective subjects and forty percent to the foundation course. Vocational stream The introduction of the vocational stream was recommended by the central Kothari Commission (1964-66). The National Policy on Education, 1986 (revised 1992) set a target of twenty-five percent of higher secondary students in vocational courses by 1995. So far, enrolment is far below this. The courses for the vocational stream consist of: †¢ A language course †¢ A general foundation course †¢ Health and physical education, and †¢ Elective vocational courses Vocational education covers areas like agriculture, engineering and technology (including information and communication technology), business and commerce, home science, health and para-medical services and humanities. Language courses are organised to cover the grammatical structures and additional vocabulary particular to the trade or vocation. The general foundation course for the vocational stream comprises general studies, entrepreneurship development, environmental education, rural development and information and communication technology. Vocational electives are organised according to employment opportunities. Practical training is an essential component of the vocational courses, according to the National Curriculum Framework, with seventy percent of time devoted to vocational courses. The certificate issued should mention the competencies acquired and the credits earned. Organisation The organisation of teaching is based either on an annual or semester system. In most cases, a year’s course is divided into two parts to be covered in the two halves of an academic session in the annual system. Marks are accorded to a certain number of periods; the total mark is an average of marks accorded to the different parts of curriculum in an annual or semestrial examination (e. g. a paper corresponding to a 3-hour written examination). 10 The example below copied from the Senior School Curriculum 2007 (Central Board of Secondary Education) illustrates a typical curriculum (in history) and the maximum marks accorded to the different parts of the curriculum. History/Class XI Paper One Unit Part A – Ancient India 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 30. Total Introduction Paleolithic Cultures and Beginning of settled Life Harappan Civilization The Early Vedic Period Later Vedic Phase and Iron Age South and North-East India Religious traditions Mahajanapada Mauryas Society, Economy and Culture during Mauryan period Post-Mauryan India The age of India from Guptas and after The Society and Culture in the age of Guptas and Harsha †¦ Project Work 100 marks 8 4 8 8 5 2 10 4 10 6 6 8 8 †¦ †¦. 5 8 9 5 2 7 7 Time: 3 Hours Periods 100 Marks Marks. In the semester system, recommended by NCERT, students take a number of credit hours corresponding to their requirements and capacity, and at their own pace. However, only a few institutions have adopted the semester and credit system. National Curriculum Framework 2005 The National Curriculum Framework 2005 points out the need for plurality and flexibility within education while maintaining the standards of education in order to cover a growing variety of children. The Framework recommends that learning shifts away from rote methods and that the curriculum reduces and updates textbooks. Peace education is included as a dimension in education. The new curriculum proposes a broader spectrum of optional subjects, including the revalorisation of vocational options. Courses may be designed to offer optional modules, rather than trying to cover everything and overfilling courses too much. The National Curriculum Framework 2005 also proposes changes within the examination system (examinations for classes X and XII) allowing reasoning and creative abilities to replace memorisation. The children should be able to opt for different levels of attainment. Textbooks 11 Most states have legislated to create bodies for the preparation of syllabi and textbooks. The states have established various mechanisms for the preparation and approval of textual materials. However, a study in 2005, undertaken by the Central Advisory Board of Education (CABE), of textbooks used in government schools (not following the CBSE syllabus) and in nongovernment schools (including social and religious schools) showed that many textbooks reinforce inequalities and neglect rural, tribal or female realities. According to NCERT’ Newsletter, in 2005, CABE proposed the institution of a National Textbook Council to monitor textbooks. Source: – National Curriculum Framework 2000, National Council of Education Research and Training (NCERT), India – National Curriculum Framework 2005, National Council of Education Research and Training (NCERT), India – Newsletter July 2005, National Council of Education Research and Training (NCERT), India – Senior School Curriculum 2007, Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), India, 2005 Examination and Assessment In all the states and Union Territories, public examinations are conducted at the end of classes X and XII by the respective State Boards of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education. Ministry of Human Resource Development has published a list of recognised state boards for secondary and higher secondary education. The minimum age for admittance to the Secondary School Examination generally varies from 14+ to 16+. The minimum age for Higher Secondary School Examinations varies from 16+ to 18+ years. Some states/UTs do not have an age restriction. The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), established by a special resolution of the Government of India in 1929, prescribes examination conditions and the conduct of public examinations at the end of Standard X and XII. The Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE), Delhi, was established in 1958 by the University of Cambridge, Local Examinations Syndicate as a self-financing national examination board. The Council conducts the Indian Certificate of Secondary Education (Standard X) and the Indian School Certificate (Standard XII) examinations. CISCE affiliates schools using English as a medium of instruction. The title of the final qualification varies depending upon the examining body. The titles used by the central examining boards are: CBSE: †¢ All India Secondary School Certificate (Standard X). †¢ All India Senior School Certificate (Standard XII). 12 CISCE: †¢ Indian Certificate of Secondary Education (ICSE Standard X). †¢ Indian School Certificate (ISC Standard XII). †¢ Certificate of Vocational Education (CVE XII). Information from the procedure of the All India Senior School Certificate (Standard XII) (extract): The Board conducts examination in all subjects except General Studies, Work Experience, Physical and Health Education, which will be assessed internally by the schools based on cumulative records of students periodical achievements and progress during the year. In all subjects examined by the Board, a student will be given one paper each carrying 100 marks for 3 hours. However, in subjects requiring practical examination, there will be a theory paper and a practical examination as required in the syllabi and courses. A candidate may offer an additional subject that can be either a language at elective level or another elective subject as prescribed in the Scheme of Studies, subject to the conditions laid down in the Pass Criteria. A candidate will get the Pass Certificate of the Board, if he/she gets a grade higher than E in all subjects of internal assessment unless he/she is exempted. Failing this, result of the external examination will be withheld but not for a period of more than one year. In order to be declared as having passed the examination, a candidate shall obtain a grade higher than E (i. e. at least 33% marks) in all the five subjects of external examination in the main or at the compartmental examinations. The pass marks in each subject of external examination shall be 33%. In case of a subject involving practical work a candidate must obtain 33% marks in theory and 33% marks in practical separately in addition to 33% marks in aggregate in order to qualify in that subject. A candidate failing in two of the five subjects of external examination shall be placed in compartment in those subjects provided he/she qualifies in all the subjects of internal assessment. A candidate who has failed in the examination in the first attempt shall be required, to re-appear in all the subjects at the subsequent annual examination of the Board. A candidate who has passed the Senior School Certificate Examination of the Board may offer an additional subject as a private candidate provided the additional subject is provided in the Scheme of Studies and is offered within six years of passing the examination of the Board. A candidate who has passed an examination of the Board may reappear for improvement of performance in one or more subject(s) in the main examination in the succeeding year only; however, a candidate who has passed an examination of the Board under Vocational Scheme may reappear for improvement of performance in one or more subject{s) in the main examination in the succeeding year or in the following year provided he/she has not pursued higher studies in the mean time. He /she will appear as private candidate. Candidates who appear for improvement of performance will be issued only Statement of Marks reflecting the marks of the main examination as well as those of the improvement examination. Central Board of Secondary Education Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) is one of the three national boards of secondary education in India. CBSE has affiliated around 8,300 schools including government and independent 13 schools. It also affiliates schools in some 20 African and Asian countries. About 200 new schools are affiliated each year. Study teams conduct regular inspections of the affiliated institutions. CBSE has a central office and 6 regional offices. Permanent affiliation is obtained after a number of years. Affiliation is granted according to strict criteria. A list of affiliated schools can be found on CBSE’ s website: http://www. cbse. nic. in. The major objective is to prescribe conditions of examinations and conduct public examinations at the end of Classes X and XII and to grant certificates to successful candidates of the affiliated schools. All affiliated schools follow the national scheme of 10+2. Here is an example of testimonial for All India Senior School Certificate Examination from 2000: CBSE is regulated but not financed by the central government. Financing is assured by fees from the affiliated schools. CBSE accepts private candidates. CBSE develops its curriculum on the basis of the national curriculum framework. The curriculum is revised every 5 to 10 years. Two of the front line curriculum subjects are revised every year. According to CBSE, it strives notably to adapt current teaching methods and content of teaching to an innovative and creative society in the form of subjects such as functional English, bio-technology, entrepreneurship, life skills education, and disaster management. An important objective is the destressing of education, including no homework or examinations in grades I and II and only achievement reports in grades III-V. Information technology is compulsory in grades IX +X. Language studies include a possible 27 different languages besides Hindi and English. One teacher may teach four subjects up to grade X. The board uses the term learner (for student) with emphasis on the learner’s role in learning. Two subjects undergo a performance analysis (marks, questions, learning) each year to cope with poor performance. 14 Examination is monitored and organised to avoid fraud. CBSE issues duplicates of certificates under certain conditions. CBSE also organises in-service training of teachers and special programmes for new principals. Grading Both Standard X and XII are normally marked on a percentage basis. The minimum passmark varies depending upon the subject. According to the UK NARIC, the following marking scheme is used in most states for the Standard XII examinations, in comparison with that used by the central boards. Performance CBSE assessment 85%+, 80-85%, 70- Excellent, Superior, Very A1-A2, B1 80% good 60% – 70% Good B2 50% – 60% Satisfactory C1 40% – 50% Average C2 35% – 40% Pass D Percentages Source: India, International Comparisons, UK NARIC CISCE One, two, three Four Five Six seven Documents The pass-document is issued by the relevant Board of Secondary Education. It shows the type of programme (academic or vocational), the subjects passed and the marks obtained out of total marks as well as the aggregate marks, percentage obtained, and result as well as the overall grade/division. National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) National Institute of Open Schooling (previously known as the National Open School) was established in November 1989 as an autonomous registered society. The institute provides basic programs such as secondary education courses and senior secondary education courses on an open education basis. NIOS conducts examinations twice a year and candidates can appear in one, two or more subjects. Credits are accumulated until the certification criteria are fulfilled. NIOS has at its disposal a network of accredited study centres all over India providing support to learners. Source – India, International Comparisons, UK NARIC (Website) – Secondary Education. Department of Secondary and Higher Education, Ministry of Human Resource Development, India (information on the Department’s website) 15 Islamic Education India also has a system of Islamic education. Several different sects have their own schools where they teach Islamic subjects and Arabic to mainly (but not only) Muslim children.

Deception Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Deception - Essay Example The ad partially raises doubts whether Obama is prepared for the presidency job hence the ad suggests that Obama has no leadership qualifications, he is more of rock star and he is seen not to be able (and ready) to lead (John McCain celebrity Ad – Feat. Paris Hilton, n.p). John McCain’s ad mocks the broad and undeniable appeal that Obama has won in his campaigns. The ad also tries to knock down Obama’s manifestos as it portrays them as pretty but empty words which will not be fulfilled. It also changes Barrack Obama’s manifesto to negative. The ad gives McCain a tremendous win as he is using Obama’s enormous appeal against himself. John McCain ad gives him great hope that the Americans will vote for the more familiar and less glamorous. The ad classifies the real barrack Obama as a cheat hence Obama campaigns is full of lies and that he cannot deliver what he is promising to the people and the promises he is making are strategies that he has planned so as to win the

History and Nature of Crime Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

History and Nature of Crime - Essay Example This leads to the inconsistency in reporting between jurisdiction, region and states. Klaus (1981, p 68) notes that the UCR only reports the crimes reported to the police. One can clearly observe whether crime rates are going up or decreasing with the use of UCR. The National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS) is the leading source of information on criminal victimization on the number and types of the offense not reported to police. The NCVS objectives are to get comprehensive information about the victims, punishment of crime, determine the number of unreported crimes to the police. It provides unvarying trial of selected crimes and allows comparison over time and residents types. The NCVS was implemented to supplement the UCR. Schmalleger (2011, p 150) says that the main reporting programs in the U.S are; National Incident Based Reporting System (NIBRS), Uniform Crime reports (UCR), and the National Crime Reporting Survey (NCRS). Each crime reporting program has its own pros and cons towards the criminals and victims as well as the law enforcement present. UCR usually has detailed administrative information about criminal deeds that have been forwarded to the (FBI) from the law enforcement agencies where the crime was first reported to. Some of the pros of UCR programs are that people can be up to date on the crimes that take place in certain areas as well as, the types of crimes. The disadvantage is that the program only shows the offences that have been recorded by the law enforcement authorities leaving out the unreported. National Incident Based Reporting system (NIBRS) is an incident-based reporting method used in the U.S, to report crimes. Local and federal agencies create NIBRS information from their report management systems when an incident comes to their attention (Bottomley & Coleman, 1981). The data taken includes the nature of offence, characteristic off the victim and the lawbreaker

Man made Surface water drainage settling lagoon Literature review

Man made Surface water drainage settling lagoon - Literature review Example On the other hand, artificial, sustainable drainage systems (SUDS) for the collection and temporary storage of surface runoff, are constructed for the purpose of attenuation or reduction of released water flow volume as well as water purification. These include Basins, Ponds and alternative forms of attenuation. Thus, Basins are of two types: detention basins and extended detention basins. Ponds are of five types: lagoons, balancing or attenuating ponds, flood storage reservoirs, retention ponds and wetlands. Alternative Forms of Attenuation include the use of over-sized pipes as in rainwater harvesting, tanks, and green roofs. Combined infiltration/ attenuation systems consist of swales and filter strips (SUDS, 2011). Thesis Statement: The purpose of this paper is to investigate the different types of lagoons. The naturally formed coastal lagoons will be examined, followed by a study of the artificial surface water drainage settling lagoon, and the various types of surface run-off storage water bodies, legislation, their management, purpose and concept. Coastal Lagoons are Natural Formations Coastal lagoons are found on all continents, particularly in the low latitudinal zone. They occupy 13 percent of the world’s coastline. These lagoons â€Å"occupy shallow coastal depressions and are separated from the ocean by a barrier† (Kjerfve, 1986 p.63). They are at risk of being completely infilled by sediments, or separated from the sea by littoral drift. In the British Isles there are comparatively few examples of this type of habitat. The coastal lagoon’s physical characteristics and differences are predominantly based on the nature of the channel connecting the lagoon to the adjacent coastal ocean; they are classified as choked, restricted, and leaky systems. Choked lagoons have a single entrance channel which is proportionately smaller in cross-sectional area as compared to the surface area of the lagoon; they are commonly found in coastlines with medium to high wave energy. On the other hand, leaky lagoons have several entrance channels, and have a n aturally large ratio of entrance channel cross-sectional area in relation to the surface area of the lagoon. They are strongly influenced by the ocean’s salinity and tidal variability, and have an occasional significant wave energy. Restricted lagoons form the middle of the spectrum, between the choked and leaky extremes (Kjerfve, 1986). Coastal lagoons are similar to and also different from Manmade surface runoff water collection and storage systems such as ponds, basins and lagoons. Coastal lagoons are characterised by their salt water, and by being impacted by features such as the sea’s tides, the extent of build up of the reefs separating the lagoon from the adjacent sea, and other factors relating to oceanic conditions. These conditions do not affect manmade lagoons. However, natural coastal lagoons as well as manmade lagoons are similarly influenced by rainfall. At the same time, they differ in the surface runoff water that drains into them. Coastal lagoons are m ostly polluted by the soil and other natural debris. On the other hand, the surface runoff that enters ponds, lagoons and basins frequently contains waste materials and sewage from industry, agriculture or other human activities besides soil impurities and natural deposits. Artificial Surface Runoff and Waste Water Drainage Settling Lagoons Ponds constructed for

Nursing experiential learning paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Nursing experiential learning paper - Essay Example m a visit to the grammar school point to the effect that basic knowledge about communities is of paramount importance to community health agencies with regards to the provision of care which increases autonomy to the individuals, families and communities as well. In this particular case, gaining knowledge about the religious and cultural beliefs of a certain group of people would greatly help especially in demystifying the myth that traditional rites and prayers are effective remedies to illnesses than conventional health care. It would give the local people a sense of independence and self sufficiency in primary health care issues. For instance, immunization against killer diseases in infancy such as tetanus or diphtheria is the most effective remedy in the prevention of such diseases. This knowledge would enlighten the families especially on the essence of primary health care. On the other hand, this visit was also enlightening in that gathering information about communities made up of a diverse population would enable effective communication between client populations and other health care providers in the management of healthcare. This would also enable practises in established roles to provide cost effective, quality heath care in both structured and unstructured settings. This would be based on the notion that prevention is better than cure since it would be cost effective to prevent a disease at grassroots level before its outbreak. This visit was also effective in building a sense of personal and professional development as part of the life-long learning process in the nursing fraternity. Getting first hand information about aggregates and communities enables a health practitioner to be objective especially when dealing with a diverse population with diversified needs as well. The main objective would be the provision of quality health care regardless of creed or belief system. Another visit to the town health department also found that the population

Jesus Film Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Jesus Film - Essay Example After His baptism and temptation, Jesus returns to his hometown of Nazareth and reads from the book of Isaiah. Several other times, references are made to other books of the Bible, especially as prophecy that Jesus fulfilled. Jesus: Fact or Fiction? is based on the Gospel of Luke. What is the significance of the Bible for understanding who Jesus is? Referring Jesus to the other books of the bible, more so the Old Testament seeks to reveal his divine nature, and purpose of restoring man’s relationship with God. It also helps in demystifying who he was to the Jews who expected a â€Å"liberator† of an earthly nature. The most-significant parable of Jesus is that of the Prodigal son. This parable refers to the relationship between man and God. From the parable, God can forgive and restore once man realizes his faults, confesses his sins and seeks God again. Jesus death in the film signifies the consequences of sin as death. He sacrifices himself, dying on behalf of man, and so the price has been paid, and man has been made free. Jesus resurrection reveals his godly nature. He is no longer human as only God has the power over death. In comparing the film to the Gospel of Luke, it is surprising that the film has revised, expanded, altered, and fictionalized, in some instances the Gospel of Luke. Even with these modifications, the message about Jesus according to the Gospel of Luke is delivered home. Jesus’ person and deeds are important to a Christian worldview in the sense that he bridges man and God. It is through Him that a man shall see God. Jesus is portrayed as the â€Å"friend of man† even in man’s sinful state. He is man’s vindicator before God. Jesus person is simple and likable by the pure, destitute and hopeless in the societies who often are discriminated against. Jesus is the second member of the Holy Trinity, and therefore God the son

Annotated bibliography Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 3

Annotated Bibliography Example The project included concept development, design development, creating presentation drawings, selecting materials appropriate for the hospice, conducting design analysis, and developing a set of construction documents. The survey data used were the seventeen designs by the junior interior designing students (n=17). Their designs were presented to the OCHH representatives. The data were analyzed through exhibition on all students’ work. OCHH representatives and the guest interior designer commented on student work providing them feedback about their designs. All student work was photographed and presented to OCHH for reference during the design and construction of their home. The collaboration of interior design students and materials engineering helped them exploit their expertise and educate them on both fields. Interior students learnt on material engineering, improved their communicating skills and also improved their skills on professional design industry. They learn not o nly to understand client needs but also to communicate their own ideas

Value and Drawbacks of Activity Based Management Research Paper

Value and Drawbacks of Activity Based Management - Research Paper Example This paper seeks to present a concept proposal for value and drawbacks of activity based management. The paper will develop a problem statement, discuss the significance of the problem, the advantages and drawbacks and explore existing literature on the topic. Statement of the problem The scope of activity based management and its relation to activity based costing identifies the management approach as a key line towards improved profitability of an organization. With its objectives of identifying and controlling activities that do not add value to processes, activity based management is essential in controlling production costs towards managing profitability. It forms the basis on which strategies are developed for effective elimination of ‘non-additive’ processes through activity costing (Maher, Stickney & Weil, 2007). Based on the significance of the management approach, the concept will seek to investigate the significance of value and drawbacks of activity based man agement. Significance of the research The concept into value and drawback of ‘activity-based’ management is based on the importance of the management approach to an organization. ... This understanding will promote successful application of the management approach for improving â€Å"organization performance and value† (SAS, 2007, P. 3). Pre Literature review Activity based management has been practiced over a long period in which it has evolved to a wide scope. This has been because of the capacity of the management approach to bridge other line management for collective management of organizations. Activity based management uses the data and information on all the operational activities in making relevant and result oriented decisions. By providing information on cost of products, services, processes, activities, and distribution channels, among other information; activity based management establishes a central role in managing an organization’s operation costs for relevant managerial decisions. Activity based management is, therefore, essential for its information for decision-making (CIMA, 2001). Drury also argues that activity based management approaches an organization’s operations from different perspectives and leads to improved customer utility. The management approach, therefore, benefits both the organization in its operation processes and customers through the organization’s products (Drury, 2007). Activity management accounting can, however, be costly to develop and implement, instituting limitations, especially to ‘small-scale’ organization. The management approach has also failed to eliminate arbitrary costs in operations. As a result, it is perceived as ineffective in achieving its objectives (Weygandt, Kimmel & Kieso, 2009). Complete literature review. Drury (2007) claims that activity based management is a management information tool used by the managerial board in appreciating results of

Lab report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 6

Lab Report Example Consequently, there was need for compiling this towards calculating the maximum height fled by the model. In order to achieve the above objectives, the following equation for projectile motion was inherent. In the field of engineering, involving study of lift, thrust, gravity and even thrust, there is a great deal for considering this study. This experiment is important in engineering field especially where there is need to improve the design and reliability of air travel. It enables the study of lift required for the planes to fly thereby allowing the aerospace engineers to guide for a safe landing. In aerospace engineering, there is need for the engineers to have adequate knowledge of rocketry concept; otherwise, they would experience challenges when trying to launch either rockets or satellites for a safe landing. Predicting how high a model rocket fly is one of the integral concepts required when exploring rocketry concept, to help the engineers in guiding the rocket for a safe landing. For this rocket model, the results show that the time taken to reach the maximum height was 17.33 seconds while the maximum flight time was 34.66. The determination of the time required to reach the maximum height made it easy to use the projectile motion equation (Post 377). The velocity imparted by the machine was already known as 170 m/s. This speed is same for all rockets regardless of the launch angle because they are necessarily pressurized chambers. As it is in every projectile motion, the horizontal velocity remains constant as shown in the model drawn below. The graph obtained from the results also supports the fact that launching a model rocket assumes a projectile motion as shown in the similarity between the two. Getting the maximum time taken helped in solving for the maximum height, through assistance of the projectile motion equation. The height calculated was 1472.99 meters. Slight errors resulting from this

The Story of the Stuff by Annie Leonard Essay Example for Free

The Story of the Stuff by Annie Leonard Essay The Story of the Stuff which is made by Annie Leonard was very interesting and enlightening. It made me realize that no matter how small the stuffs we use in our everyday life, it should not be taken for granted because the economic system is in crisis and we cant continue to run on a linear system since we live on a planet of limited resources. People become obsessed with consumerism, especially when it comes to new technologies. Things that we buy and then discard go through different phases: extraction, production, distribution, consumption and disposal. Corporations have become bigger than our government and the first limit to the system is exploitation of our natural resources. We are consuming products to the point where 1/3 of our natural resources are already used up with 30% of our waste being shipped to other areas of the world. Due to these instances, almost all of our forest have already been cut down, and yet this corporations who still wants to cut them have no â€Å"corporate environmental responsibility†, what they want is always earning more profit. They should think that if all the resources in earth runs out, even money can’t revert the damage they have done to these non-renewable resources. Also they can’t already buy these resources from the over-exploited third world countries. Yet the government hasn’t done enough actions to address these problems. I find it appalling and irresponsible of our government. Maybe just maybe they are doing actions or made rules and regulations to minimize these occurrences but still it wouldn’t be enough since corporations can lend money to those corrupt officials whose minds are obsessed with money then poof, the corporations will continue its operations. It is not merely the fault of the corporations or the government, each indiv iduals also contributed on consuming the limited resources the earth have. In today’s time, consumers has become the new evil of the society, consumption has turned from necessity to excessiveness. Through planned and perceived obsolescence we have turned against everyone including ourselves. Consumerism led to tremendous increase in the variety of products. Each product life cycle from raw material extraction to its consumption has an  effect on the ecosystem as a whole. For example, due to toxics like dioxins and furans, there is change in the atmosphere thus affecting both flora and fauna of our planet. To cater to this growing hunger, production house does not maintain any standards in the degradation of human, social and economic capital. Rather than playing the role as a regulator, the governments are playing the role as a promoter. But there is a way forward, we and planet are complimentary not supplementary. We should start focusing on closed production loop, renewable energy, zero waste. Sustainable development is the way forward for sustainable life. We cant just start fresh with a whole new system, however I believe we can take the current system and revamp it in a way that we become more responsible as consumers and citizens. We need to take back our government and unite to see the big picture. By unity we create equity, boost our local living economies and promote sustainability!

Cyber Bullying Essay Example for Free

Cyber Bullying Essay Walking through the school door, she feels the sweat dripping down the side of her cheeks. Her stomach flips and flops, and her hands have an obvious tremble. The slamming lockers and running footsteps are enough to make her eyes swell with tears. The snickers behind her are all too familiar, but she is not prepared for the shove to the back and degrading names that follow. In a split second, her mind is made up. She turns around, heads out the door, and doesn’t look back. The computer, her cell phone, and now school. The cyber-bullies have stepped out of the screen and into face-to-face contact. With this new kind of bully on the rise and ruthless, is she the school’s responsibility? Schools should be held responsible for cyber bullying because the crime extends from the computer to the school setting. Studies indicate that cyber-bullying incidents have quadrupled in past five years (Ross). Cyber-bullying has become a huge issue recently. Every time you turn on the news there is another bullying, or a suicide related to bullying, incident being reported. Love is louder† has been a common phrase among celebrities and influential figures lately. They are trying to send out a message to their followers saying that bullying is not right and should not be tolerated. The expansion of communication technologies is widening the way bully’s can torture their victims. The fact of the matter is, technology is not going anywhere, so we need to figure out a way to put an end to cyber-bullies. Cyber-bullying is becoming a major problem and we all need to do our parts in figuring out what can be done to stop cyber-bullies in their tracks. Cyber-bullies will continue to be a threat to today’s youth until we take preventative measures against them. Before putting a stop to cyber-bullying we must understand why and how a cyber-bully works. After researching and analyzing informative articles on the topic, this research paper aims to inform and answer questions such as: what a cyber-bully is, how they work, whom they target, and how to stop them. By understanding how a cyber-bully works we will be able to better protect youth populations as technology grows. Approximately half of U. S. students are impacted by traditional bullying each school day (Ross). Cyber-bullying is technology powered and as technology expands it is getting harder and harder to see and prevent bullying from happening. Bullying over the Internet makes it easy for the tormenter to get away with their destructive behavior without any consequences. The article, â€Å"What is Cyberbullying: Bullying Comes Home† states, â€Å"Bullying is not new but thanks to the Internet teens are now being bullied at home. Online harassment is a serious problem† (Hardcaslte). Although the Internet has opened many doors to new opportunities, it has unfortunately taken bullying to another level. As the article, â€Å"Cyber Bullying Facts† states, â€Å"as the number of households with Internet access approaches saturation and cell phone ownership expands to the 100 million mark, so do the ways kids bully each other† (Ross). Anything sent out into cyberspace is very difficult, sometimes impossible, to remove. Therefore, being cyber-bullied can sometimes be much more severe than traditional bullying. Ann Frisen in the article, â€Å"Cyber-bullying: A Growing Problem† states, â€Å"This type of bullying can be more serious than conventional bullying. At least with conventional bullying the victim is left alone on evenings and weekends† (ScienceDaily). What exactly is ‘cyber-bulling’? The author of the article, â€Å"What is Cyberbullying: Bullying Comes Home† explains it as, â€Å"any harassment that occurs via the Internet† (Hardcastle). Cyber-bulling messages can be communicated through text, e-mails, instant messaging, web pages, blogs, chat rooms, or any other information communication technologies. For example, Michigan’s assistant attorney general, who is a grown adult, has been harassing the University of Michigan’s openly gay student body president. Andrew Shirvell, assistant Michigan attorney general, created a blog in April of 2010 targeting Chris Armstrong, University of Michigan’s student body president. On this blog he has posted many rude, untrue, and unnecessary comments towards Chris Armstrong, along with distorted pictures. According to the article, â€Å"Assistant Michigan AG targets openly gay college student† the author states, â€Å"Shirvell has published blog posts that accuse Armstrong of engaging in ‘flagrant sexual promiscuity’ with another male member of the student government; sexually seducing and influencing ‘a previously conservative male student’ so much so that the student, according to Shirvell, ‘morphed into a proponent of the radical homosexual agenda’† (Steward). Mr. Shirvell is clearly a first-hand example of a cyber-bully and this article goes to show that it’s not just kids bullying each other in school anymore; it’s much bigger than that. There have been at least three teen suicides in September after experiencing homophobic cyber-bullying. Who are the main victims targeted by cyber-bullies? According to the article, â€Å"Cyber-bullying Facts† Middle school and High school girls are twice as likely as boys to display cyber-bullying behaviors in the form of email, text, and chat, and only 20% of cyber-bullying victims tell their parents about the incident (Ross). Cyber-bullies target students, coworkers, neighbors, and even friends. Lately, there have been many reports of suicides related to bullying. For example, the recent death of Tyler Clementi, a freshman at Rutgers University, is an extreme case of cyber-bullying. The article, â€Å"Rutgers student death: Has Digital Age made students callous† informs, â€Å"Mr. Clementi killed himself on September 22nd, 2010. According to prosecutors, a few days earlier his roommate, Dharun Ravi, and another student, Molley Wei, used a Web cam to secretly transmit images of a sexual encounter between Clementi and another man. They intended to do so again on September 21† (Khadaroo). With cyber-bullying a bully can pick on people with less risk of being caught. People who you would not see bullying someone in school don’t have a problem using the Internet to bully their victims because you can’t see their initial reaction. Bullying cannot only hurt the victim emotionally it can also cause them to have frequent headaches, indigestion and vomiting, loss of sleep, loss of appetite, paranoia, and suicide. In Tyler Clementi’s case he was so overwhelmed by what had been done to him that he jumped off of the George-Washington Bridge. It is important for college campuses to promote tolerance for differences, including homosexuality. From the article, â€Å"Rutgers student death: Has Digital Age made students callous† the author states, â€Å"We are tempted to think that social-media technology drove the behavior, but as a truly ethical matter, the behavior has to be and should be considered human-driven, not technology driven† (Foulkrod). Harrisburg University of Science and Technology in Pennsylvania recently blocked the use of social media for a week to prompt discussions about its role in everyday life. Nobody wants to see this happen again; therefore, we need to come up with a solution to the problem. Some observers of today’s youth and media culture believe that today’s media environment could be desensitizing young people to the hurtful effects of their actions. What can be done to prevent cyber-bullying? Parents can start by talking specifically about yber-bullying and explain that is harmful and unacceptable behavior. Talk regularly with your child about on-line activities he or she is involved in, keep your home computer in easily viewable places, such as a family room or kitchen, and consider installing a filtering or blocking system (Ross). Also, you can â€Å"outline your expectations for responsible online behavior and clearly explain the consequences for inappropriate behavior† (Ross). The most important thing that can be done to stop a cyber-bully harassing you is to just not respond to the bully. Do not play into the bully’s games. Ignore the bully and tell a parent or teacher. While ignoring the bullying make sure to save all of the evidence so that if police need to be involved you will have it ready. In the article, â€Å"What is Cyberbullying: Bullying Comes Home† states, â€Å"Repeated or excessive harassment via email, forums or chat rooms is harassment and should involve the police. Threats of violence should also be reported to the police. Try to save all messages as evidence† (Hardcastle). Treat a cyber-bully like you would any other bully and they will lose their power. Another important way to prevent cyber-bullying attacks is if you see something going on don’t just be a bystander and let it happen, report it before anyone gets hurt. In conclusion, with the expansion of the Internet and social networking technologies cyber-bullying is becoming more common and more severe. The information presented in this research paper should give people a better understanding of what a cyber-bully is, how harmful they can really be, and how to prevent cyber-bullying from happening. This paper can be used to help victims realize they are not alone and should not give into a bully’s dangerous behaviors. This research paper is to inform society about what has been going on lately and how unacceptable and dangerous it is. Kids are killing themselves over photos, web posts, and videos posted by bullies using the Internet. Cyber-bullying is technology powered and will only get worse as technology becomes more widespread. Hopefully, this paper will help to inform today’s youth and parents. If you see any kind of bullying happening in front of you, stop it if possible, and then report it. Conclusion Cyberbullying is a growing issue in schools. Students have been in fights, brought guns to school, and even committed suicide because of being cyberbullied. This is an issue which is a growing problem and must be addressed. It is serious. By helping students research the issues around cyberbullying, it raises awareness for both students and staff. A WebQuest like this can make a real difference in school climate and student relations. Take a stand against cyberbullying with your classmates. Students will listen to other students more quickly than they will listen to an adult.