In the wake of his return, many questions have been raised about Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl’s capture days after his release from Taliban custody on May 31. How will the military handle investigations into Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl? LAUSD’s school year is wrapping up this week, but some parents say the curriculum ended weeks ago, and that kids have been academically checked out during the end of the semester. Can LAUSD’s school year be improved?
How will the military handle investigations into Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl?
Questions have been raised about Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl’s capture days after his release from Taliban custody on May 31. The circumstances of Bergdahl’s capture haven’t been released by the Pentagon, but confirmation from a defense official that he was off his post without authorization are fueling anger from soldiers who are critical of the trade that lead to his release. Some soldiers allege that Bergdahl was deserting, and argue that he should stand trial.
The search for Bergdahl following his capture resulted in the deaths of other U.S. troops. Inquiries about misconduct and desertion prompted a Defense Department investigation, which could result in a range of punishment, from administrative disciplinary action to a court-martial.
How should the inquiry into Bergdahl’s capture proceed? How should the Defense Department handle potential misconduct?
Guest:
Geoffrey Corn, Professor of Law and Presidential Research Professor at South Texas College of Law
Proposed 'clean coal' power plant in Kern County divides community, scientists
The Obama administration announced on Monday its most ambitious environmental reforms yet: a proposal to force a 30 percent cut (from 2005 levels) in carbon dioxide emissions from power plants in the next 15 years.
The news would be greeted with mixed feelings in Kern County, California. A so-called "clean coal" power plant - Hydrogen Energy California (HECA) - has been in the works for years. The proposed plant would use coal, but is touted as emitting 100 times less airborne particulates and greenhouse gases than a conventional coal-fired plant. However, the technology is still unproven.
Local residents - many of whom are farmers - worry about toxic byproducts and the amount of water the plant would use. Currently, the plant is scheduled to open in 2018, but first requires approval from the state Energy Commission.
What would the environmental impacts of this plant be? What economic benefit would this bring to the surrounding community?
Guests:
Daniel Schrag, Geochemist, Professor of Geology, Environmental Science and Engineering and Director at Harvard University Center for the Environment; consultant on the HECA project
Evan Gillespie, Western Region Deputy Director, Sierra Club Beyond Coal Campaign
How do school schedules impact LAUSD students?
The school year is wrapping up for students across the country and in Los Angeles, but some parents say the curriculum ended weeks ago, and that kids have been academically checked out during the end of the semester.
L.A. schools have seen a variety of schedules and changes to structure, from long days to multi-track semesters. Variations in private and public schools, track systems, and districts may have an impact on students and their families. Parents who see their kids unstimulated by their classes near the end of the spring semester wonder if the school year is too long, while others worry that time isn’t being budgeted effectively. Testing and AP courses raise other questions -- does the year end when the test has been taken, or when the semester concludes weeks later?
How does the structure of the school year impact students? What is the best way to adapt the schedule to optimize time for teachers and students? Can the school year be improved? Is it too long, or is time being utilized less effectively than it could be?
Guest:
Darline Robles, Ph.D, Professor of Clinical Education at the USC Rossier School of Education, former superintendent of the Los Angeles County Office of Education
Manufacturing amnesia: 25th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square crackdown
On June 4, 1989, People’s Liberation Army soldiers opened fire on student activists and civilians gathering in Tiananmen Square in Beijing, killing untold hundreds of people.
A quarter-century later, this defining event remains buried in China’s modern history, successfully expunged from collective memory. In her new book, “The People’s Republic of Amnesia,” NPR’s Beijing Correspondent Louisa Lim looks at how the Tiananmen crackdown has shaped China and the country’s national identity.
Louisa Lim will be at the Milken Institute on June 12 to talk about “The People’s Republic of Amnesia.” Register here.
Guest:
Louisa Lim, author of “The People’s Republic of Amnesia: Tiananmen Revisited” (Oxford University Press, 2014) and NPR’s Beijing Correspondent
New Armenian-American reality TV show sparks outcry
A new reality TV show featuring a group of Armenian-Americans living in Glendale has riled critics for its representations of the ethnic group. "Glendale Life," produced by and slated to air locally on USArmenia TV, follows nine young and affluent Armenian-Americans as they go about their lives. The trailer of the series shows the cast partying, clubbing in Hollywood, drinking, and getting plastic surgery, among other things.
Critics of the show say these representations are "degrading for Armenians" and "tasteless," and an online petition has sprung up pressuring USArmenia TV to put the kibosh on the show.
Guest:
Armine Amiryan, spokesperson for USArmenia TV, the Glendale-based Armenian-American TV station behind “Glendale Life”
Carla Yarbrough, Lecturer, Department of Journalism & Mass Communication at Cal State Long Beach, where one of her areas of focus is the representation of ethnic minorities in the media. She is also a former television producer.
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