Week One

1. I believe that "Para Teresa" was written in English and Spanish because it helps the reader picture the narrator better and where she comes from in her heritage. The use of two languages gives us a look at both sides of the conflict, in a way it separates the two sides. One side is to fallow her "sister" and to cause trouble or to do what her family wants and to do her best in school.

2. The fight in Para Teresa is a reflection that could of been triggered by a school year book, photo, or the possibility of the narrator recently seeing Teresa. With the challenges the narrator had to face in school the choices she had to make; choosing between her friend, the social norm and what she felt was right was her way of defiance. Teresa's defiance was different from the narrators but she understood how Teresa felt and how they both had their own ways of defiance making them sisters in the end. 

6. Prop 30, is an initiative constitutional amendment also known as the Schools & Local Public Safety Protection Act. Proposition 30 would effect individuals making more than $250,000 per year for the next seven years by raising personal income tax by as much as 3 percent. But individuals making less than $250,000 and couples making less than $500,00 a year would see no change. Proposition 30 would raise state sales tax by a quarter cent for the next four years and the revenue will be used to balance the state budget and funding school. An increase in revenues automatically results in more education funding, money from the new taxes will be placed in a special account called the Education Protection Account. That money would be divvied up, with a percent going to K-12 schools and community colleges. If the Proposition does not get approved a series of reductions known as the "trigger cuts" will go into effect and schools including community colleges would see reductions of nearly $5.4 billion. The two tax measures Prop 30 and Prop 38 could affect each other. The state constitution already provides that when two measures conflict, the one with the most votes passes. If Prop 38 gets more votes, that would mean Prop 30 loses and the "trigger cuts" would go into effect.