Q.
L. Brock
English
11 (Regents Level, Inclusion)
Binghamton
High School
brockq@binghamtonschools.org
Modern Migrant Farm
Worker Abuse
Introduction
Many
of you have your first jobs or will be looking for work shortly. Would you be
willing to labor for well over ten or eleven hours a day for a few dollars more
than minimum wage? Would you be willing to change jobs and the place you live
several times a year? Modern migrant farm workers have to say yes to all of these questions as well as
cope with much more.
We have seen in John
Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men that the
life of migrant farm hands George and Lennie was often riddled with injustice
and hardship. We may try to dismiss the experiences of characters in the
novella as things of the past or simply part of a “story” but there are thousands
of migrant workers in the United States today, laborers who are a critical part
of our economy and daily experiences. For example, we expect orange juice to be
available year-round. Without migrant farm workers, this would not be a reality.
While migrant farm workers are compensated for their labor, there
are often high prices the workers themselves pay.
For
this project, you will put yourself in the role of a public policy analyst who
will investigate/report on:
·
what
populations make up the migrant farm work force in the United States today
·
abuses
that migrant farm workers suffer
·
what
the government has done to protect workers
·
at
least one viable law (policy) developed from your research to protect migrant farm
workers in the United States
Task
You
will work individually. Follow the six steps of the Public Policy Analyst to gain
understanding and develop your ideas. In the process you will complete four worksheets then create a poster containing images of
migrant workers (WHO) and bold text highlighting at least one
hardship or type of abuse modern migrant farm workers suffer and why (WHAT/WHY) as well as a feasible solution
or policy that effectively addresses the problem (HOW).
[We
already know that we are working in the parameters of the United States (WHERE) today (WHEN).]
As
a public policy analyst, you will orally
present a comprehensive description of the type of abuse, its source, and your
solution with an analysis of feasibility and effectiveness to the public (our
class), so keep your audience in mind, practice your presentation, and make
it substantial and interesting! J To that end, please do
not repeat images that I have used in the webquest…we’ve seen them already!
Find images unique and appropriate to the abuses on which you have chosen to
focus.
Rubrics
for the poster and presentation appear below. Posters should be a balance of
bold text and images – text must be large enough so it may easily read by all
members of the class as you present. Your detailed description of the type of
abuse and its source (WHAT/WHY) as well as your solution (HOW) are delivered orally. Placing that
particular information on index cards for easy reference will ensure a smooth, solid
delivery.
We
will be in the LMC (Library Media Center) for three days to work on the webquest;
this is ample time to complete your research (including finding and printing
photos for your poster). If you are absent or need additional time it is your
responsibility to arrange computer access for yourself. We have spent one day
preparing in class by exploring the Public Policy Analyst process and will have
one more day after completing research to assemble posters with materials
provided by instructors.
Process
Follow all six steps of
the Public Policy Analyst as described in the web pages and on the worksheets.
Links to web pages and worksheets for each of the six steps are underlined
below. The links to web pages contain a lot of useful information, including
examples of each step so do not to “skip” them. ; )
STEP 1 Define the Problem
“As
a public policy analyst, your group or your class will first need to select a
problem topic and then specifically define a social problem. A social
problem is a condition that at least some people in a community view as being
undesirable.”
We
will use the Internet as our primary information tool and will work with the problem
of modern migrant farm worker abuse in the United States. But you can’t stop
there; remember that part of your task includes defining and grappling with three specific abuses then focusing on one
for your poster and presentation in which you will propose a feasible,
effective solution to the abuse. Use links in the Resources section below as
you learn about modern migrant farm workers and conduct your research to come
up with three potential specific abuses that you wish to explore, including one
that you can solve, at lease somewhat, through your policy.
IMPORTANT: Keep track
of which sites you visit and what you find at each one because you will use
some of the information in the next step, Gather Evidence, as well as in steps
that follow.
WORKSHEET 1: https://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/TIPS/select.html
STEP 2 Gather Evidence
“The
goal of these activities is to develop problem solving skills through using the
Internet. Therefore, this step requires your group to use the Internet to
locate at least three different types of evidence to support the existence of
your problem.”
Types
of evidence include:
·
statistics
·
articles
by experts
·
case
studies
Use
links in the Resources section below as you conduct your research and come up
with three potential specific abuses that you wish to explore, including one
that you can solve through your policy. Remember to look for three types of
evidence for each abuse.
Worksheet 2: https://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/TIPS/gather.html
STEP 3 Identify Causes
“Medical researchers
try to identify the causes of various diseases. They can develop a vaccine to
immunize people from contracting that disease. For example, Dr. Jonas Salk
virtually eliminated polio when he identified the virus that caused it, and
then developed a vaccine. Likewise, if policy makers can identify the causes or
factors that contribute to a social problem, then they can try to develop
public policies to eliminate or lessen those causes or factors.
Unlike the specific virus that causes polio, most social problems have numerous
causes and contributing factors. Some of the Internet resources that you used
to complete the previous step probably also contain information about causes
and contributing factors. Review those articles and brainstorm the causes and
factors that contribute to your social problem.”
Be
sure to come up for causes (WHY?) of
each of the three specific abuses you have focused on. You want to have more
than one option from which you can develop a feasible and effective new policy,
which can be more challenging than it sounds!
Worksheet 3: https://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/TIPS/identify.html
STEP 4 Evaluate Existing Policy
“Evaluating
an existing policy or product can lead to improvements. Car companies, for
example, evaluate the current models’ advantages and disadvantages to make
improvements for next year’s models… Evaluating the main
existing policy or policies to deal with a social problem is an important step
in the PPA process. Analyzing both the advantages and disadvantages of existing
policies can suggest what parts of the current policy should be kept or
strengthened, and what parts should be changed.”
Note
that your solution in the next step may be a revision or strengthening of a
current policy, but until you have a good understanding of current policies,
you will likely not be able to construct a new (more effective) policy or
revise an existing policy to increase its effectiveness.
Again,
research and identify policies for all three specific abuses you have focused
on so you have maximum freedom/options in completing the next steps.
IMPORTANT: Using the
detailed worksheet below as well as the web page for this step is critical,
therefore it is required that you complete one worksheet for each of the three
abuses you have focused on.
Worksheet 4: https://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/TIPS/existing.html
STEP 5 Develop Solutions
“Two
prior steps can be very useful to developing public policy alternatives. One
way to solve a problem is to eliminate or lessen the causes or contributory
factors…Review the causes and contributory factors that your group identified
in Step 3. Are there any that could be decreased or eliminated through a new
public policy?”
If you choose to strengthen an existing policy: “Review Step 4, especially your
answer to question 4…Perhaps the current policy simply needs to be strengthened
or improved (e.g., tougher penalties, more public education about the policy,
additional regulations, clearer guidelines, etc.).”
Follow
all of the guidelines on the worksheet below in developing a new policy or
strengthening an existing policy.
Worksheet 5: https://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/TIPS/solutions.html
STEP 6 Select
Best Solution
“In
Step 5 you listed three alternative policies and you made an initial selection
of your preferred policy. Two criteria that will assist in determining the best
policy are feasibility and effectiveness.”
Feasibility
refers to the likelihood that your policy would be enacted by the government or
government agency. Feasibility can be affected by factors such as cultural
acceptance and the anticipated costs in comparison to the benefits. For
example, a policy to cut off the hands of thieves might be highly effective in
reducing stealing, but it would not be culturally acceptable in the United
States. A policy to triple the size of a city’s police force may have the
benefit of lowering crime, but the increased costs to taxpayers would greatly
lower the feasibility of the policy being passed by the city council.
Effectiveness
refers to the likelihood that your policy will produce results that lessen the
social problem. To be able to anticipate the effectiveness, it is essential
that your [three specific abuses in] Step 1 [are] specifically stated.”
It
is preferable for a policy to be more feasible even if it is a bit less
effective.
IMPORTANT: Using the
detailed worksheet and matrix below as well as the web page for this step is
critical therefore it is required that you complete the entire worksheet and
matrix.
Worksheet 6: https://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/TIPS/bestsol.html
Resources
WIKIPEDIA:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farmworker
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Migrant_worker
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foreign_worker
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Migrant_and_Seasonal_Agricultural_Workers_Protection_Act
PRIMARY EXISTING POLICY Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Workers Protection Act
(MSPA):
http://www.thecre.com/fedlaw/legal19/mspasumm.htm
(summary of the act)
http://www.dol.gov/whd/regs/compliance/posters/mspaensp.htm
(posters)
http://www.dol.gov/compliance/laws/comp-msawpa.htm
(employer compliance)
http://www.osha.gov/pls/epub/wageindex.download?p_file=F28165/wh1465.pdf
(the entire act…wordy and jargon filled!)
OTHER IMPORTANT LINKS TO EXPLORE:
http://travel.state.gov/pdf/Pamphlet-Order.pdf
(pamphlet: worker rights and reporting abuse)
http://www.migrant.net/pdf/farmworkerfacts.pdf
(statistics and basic information about migrant farm workers in New York State)
http://www.extension.org/pages/Migrant_Farm_Workers:_Our_Nation%27s_Invisible_Population
(Cornell Cooperative Extension, discusses some abuses)
http://www.wcl.american.edu/hrbrief/v5i1/html/migrant.html
(includes a case study and discussion of several laws)
http://www.ncfh.org/ (National Center for Farm
Worker Health – contains much information through links)
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100624/ap_on_en_tv/us_immigration_take_our_jobs
(news story that discusses conditions of farm workers and whether immigrants are
taking jobs from United States citizens)
Evaluation (THREE PARTS)
PART ONE: Posters will be evaluated using the rubric
below. (33 points)
|
Poster Rubric |
4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
|
Focus and Attendance
During LMC and Class Time |
Used time well during each
class period. Focused on getting the project done. Never distracted others. |
Used time well during each
class period. Usually focused on getting the project done and never
distracted others. |
Used some of the time well
during each class period. There was some focus on getting the project done
but occasionally distracted others. |
Did not use class time to focus
on the project, often distracted others, or illegally absent on one or more
days devoted to the project. |
|
Photos (WHO), Text and
Layout |
Several of the photos as well
as the text used on the poster reflect an exceptional degree of student
creativity and understanding in their selection and layout/display. |
One or two of the photos and
some of the text used on the poster reflect partial student creativity and understanding
in their selection and layout/display. |
Photos and text are included
but reflect minimal student creativity and/or understanding in their
selection and layout/display. |
Either photos or text are not included
and layout appears random. |
|
Conventions |
There are no grammatical
mistakes on the poster. |
There are one or two grammatical
mistakes on the poster. |
There are three or four grammatical
mistakes on the poster. |
There are more than four grammatical
mistakes on the poster. |
PART TWO:
Presentations
will be evaluated using the rubric below. (33 points)
|
Presentation Rubric |
4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
|
Communication of Abuse/Source
(WHAT/WHY) and Policy with Rationale Regarding Feasibility/Effectiveness
(HOW) |
• Significantly
increases audience understanding and raises awareness of abuse and its source
in a compelling manner. •
Convinces audience to recognize the validity of a policy. |
• Somewhat
increases audience understanding and raises awareness of abuse and its source
effectively. • Clear
policy and rationale, however one or the other is weak. |
• Slightly increases audience understanding and raises awareness
of abuse and its source adequately. • Both
policy and rationale are weak. |
• Fails
to increase audience understanding or raise awareness of abuse and its source
due to missing elements. • Policy
weak and rationale omitted. |
|
Public Speaking Skills |
Student demonstrates mastery of
public speaking via clear speech at an appropriate volume and eye contact.
This one has been rehearsed! |
Student makes a good effort but
delivery is somewhat weak due to limited awareness of audience needs. Could
have used more rehearsal. |
Student makes a fair effort but
delivery is significantly weak due to lack of awareness of audience needs.
Likely unrehearsed. |
Nervousness, lack of eye
contact and mumbling predominate. Needs to practice public speaking skills. |
|
Enthusiasm |
Shows strong feelings about
topic during entire presentation. |
Occasionally shows strong feelings
about topic. |
Shows neutrality
or passivity toward topic presented. |
Shows no interest in topic
presented. |
PART THREE: The four worksheets you are required to
complete (three for STEP 4 and one with the matrix for STEP 6) will be
collected and reviewed. Full credit will be given to students with entirely complete,
thoughtful worksheets. (33 points)
Conclusion
We
hope this project helps you recognize that one purpose of studying classic
literature is to increase awareness and understanding of current issues. Additionally,
you now have insight into the plight of modern migrant farm workers, on whom we
all depend.
As
you have seen the problem of modern migrant farm worker abuse is not simple or
clear-cut and thus truly viable solutions are also complex and difficult to
develop. Using the PPA as a framework is one way to untangle these difficulties
and arrive at more useful, informed ideas, opinions, and policies.
Standards
New York State Language Arts Standards
Standard 1: Language for Information and Understanding Students
will listen, speak, read, and write for information and understanding. As
listeners and readers, students will collect data, facts, and ideas; discover
relationships, concepts, and generalizations; and use knowledge generated from
oral, written, and electronically produced texts. As speakers and writers, they
will use oral and written language that follows the accepted conventions of the
English language to acquire, interpret, apply, and transmit information.
Standard 2: Language for Literacy Response and Expression Students
will read and listen to oral, written, and electronically produced texts and
performances from American and world literature; relate texts and performances
to their own lives; and develop an understanding of the diverse social, historical,
and cultural dimensions the texts and performances represent. As speakers and
writers, students will use oral and written language that follows the accepted
conventions of the English language for self-expression and artistic creation.
Standard 3: Language for Critical Analysis and Evaluation Students
will listen, speak, read, and write for critical analysis and evaluation. As
listeners and readers, students will analyze experiences, ideas, information,
and issues presented by others using a variety of established criteria. As
speakers and writers, they will use oral and written language that follows the
accepted conventions of the English language to present, from a variety of
perspectives, their opinions and judgments on experiences, ideas, information
and issues.
Standard 4: Language for Social Interaction Students will listen, speak, read, and write for social interaction.
Students will use oral and written language that follows the accepted
conventions of the English language for effective social communication with a
wide variety of people. As readers and listeners, they will use the social
communications of others to enrich their understanding of people and their
views.
New York State Social Studies Standards
Standard 1: History of the United States and New York Students will use a variety of intellectual skills to demonstrate their
understanding of major ideas, eras, themes, developments, and turning points in
the history of the United States and New York.
Standard 5: Civics, Citizenship, and Government Students will use a variety of intellectual
skills to demonstrate their understanding of the necessity for establishing
governments; the governmental system of the United States and other nations;
the United States Constitution; the basic civic values of American
constitutional democracy; and the roles, rights, and responsibilities of
citizenship, including avenues of participation.
New York Mathematics, Science, and Technology
Standards
Standard 5: Technology Students will apply
technological knowledge and skills to design, construct, use and evaluate
products and systems to satisfy human and environmental needs.
IMAGE SOURCES:
http://www2.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/ppa/intro.html
http://www.pajamadeen.com/images/mexican-migrant-worker-francisco-beltran.jpg
http://trendsupdates.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/Mexican-migrant-workers-in-the-US.jpg
http://allan.lissner.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/aclnooneisillegalmayday0571.jpg
http://blog.mlive.com/kzgazette/2008/08/large_MigrantWorkersA.jpg
