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Iraq’s Allawi New parking structure allows assault needs safety, security on insurgents Prime minister okays Fallujah offensive despite U.N. objections
racy or U.S. launches ground offenses in Iraq let them see related brief page 2 “continue to terrorize the vast majority of Iraqis who want to live in peace and freedom.” The Associated Press The Iraqi prime minister said he UNITED NATIONS — Iraqi Prime shared Annanʼs view that an escalaMinister Ayad Allawi insisted that tion in violence could disrupt Iraqʼs uprooting extremists from Fallujah political transition. is the only way “to safeguard lives, “But I believe that this argues for elections and democracy in Iraq,” taking firm steps now to tackle the rejecting the U.N. chiefʼs warning violence we face today,” he wrote. against attacking the city, according “Unchecked, this violence will escato a letter obtained Monday by The late — perhaps even into a sectarian Associated Press. struggle which threatens the elections Allawiʼs diplomatic rebuke was in altogether. We cannot afford to run response to Secretary-General Kofi that risk.” Annanʼs letter late last week warnAllawi said it was “unacceptable” ing the leaders of the United States, that civilians in parts of the country Britain and Iraq that an all-out assault have been “hijacked by the terrorists on Fallujah could undermine national and insurgents.” He said the extremelections set for January and further ists had been given time enough to alienate Iraqis. join the political process. Early Monday, U.S.-led coalition “Worse still is that the terrorists and Iraqi forces and insurgents launched a longoperating from awaited offensive places like Fallujah I cannot allow against Fallujah are exporting their these terrorists after Allawi gave violence to other to continue to the green light. The parts of the counmurder with invasion is aimed try, terrorizing and impunity. at wresting control killing innocent from insurgents and Iraqis and those Ayad Allawi re-establishing govseeking to protect Iraqi Prime Minister ernment control of them,” he said. “I the Sunni Muslim cannot allow these city before electerrorists to contintions. ue to murder with Iraqʼs U.N. Ambassador Samir impunity.” Sumaidaie asked to meet Annan on In his letter dated Oct. 31, Annan Monday afternoon and told report- said Iraq has to attract more Iraqis ers afterwards that attacking Fallujah to join the electoral process for it was “the least damaging, the least to succeed. He said he feared that dangerous” option to restore law-and- major military offensives in places order to the city, which is now under like Fallujah would cause civilian “a Taliban-like rule.” casualties, alienate Iraqis and jeoparHe said Annan “shares our abhor- dize the electionʼs credibility. rence at the terrorists and their The influential Sunni clerical actions” and “I think the secretary- Association of Muslim Scholars has general accepts that this is an Iraqi threatened to call for a boycott of matter, and a decision must be taken elections if Fallujah is attacked. But by the Iraqi government.” Sumaidaie insisted there was no link He wouldnʼt discuss Allawiʼs let- between the action in Fallujah and ter but said in his discussion with the participation in elections, which he secretary-general, “we have empha- said was “a political issue.” sized the agreements rather than disIn his response, Allawi told Annan agreements.” he shared his preference for a political In his three-page letter, Allawi solution over military confrontation. told Annan he could not give violent IRAQ 3 extremists a veto over Iraqʼs democ-
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Heavy traffic and accidents become a daily campus routine By KYLE McCORY Daily Titan Staff
Hundreds of speeding cars, no stop signs and low security has become a safety issue for many students who use the new Nutwood Parking Structure. Due to overcrowded lots in previous semesters, many students said they were optimistic about the new parking structure because the luxury of hundreds of new spaces conveniently located close to McCarthy Hall would mean less stress when arriving to school. However, in between class times the heavy traffic inside the parking structure might be classed as anything but less stressful. “Thereʼs a fender-bender about once a day,” said Lindsay Hannan, a Cal State Fullerton police dispatcher. “We donʼt know the exact amount because people usually just exchange phone numbers and donʼt file a case.” Hannan said at least five major accidents have been reported since the parking structure opened last August. A Traffic Safety and Enforcement Program was established by the
KYLE McCORY/Daily Titan
Heavy traffic inside the Nutwood Parking Structure has become a threat to pedestrians and drivers as cars speed in and out throughout the day. University Police Program last March. The program intends to heighten public awareness and traffic enforcement by taking photos and revealing locations of the most commonly cited traffic violations at CSUF. The information can then be viewed on a Web site through Cal Trans.
So far, statistics for accidents in the new parking structure have not been compiled, but university police are addressing the subject. “People still need to get familiar with the structure,” Operations Lt. Will Glen said. “We are considering, though, purchasing a speed trailer that will remind students to
slow down.” Security is also an issue, where low lighting and visibility inside the structure can make break-ins easy. Sgt. John Brockie said there are no security cameras inside, but code blue emergency devices are PARKING 3
Science on decline in grade schools Study finds discipline losing ground among teachers and students By ASHLEE ANDRIDGE Daily Titan Staff
Cal State Fullerton students training to be teachers may need to evaluate the way they are being taught to teach science, according to a recent survey done by the Bayer Corporation. The survey, “The Bayer Facts of Science Education X — Are the Nationʼs Colleges and Universities Adequately Preparing Elementary Schoolteachers of Tomorrow to Teach Science?”, found that sci-
ence is not being emphasized in the classroom as much as other subjects like math and reading. Sources of the survey included deans at accredited schools of education and teachers from kindergarten through fifth grade who have been teaching three to five years. Rebecca Lucore, executive director of The Bayer Foundation, said that the survey was conducted to explore the idea that students are not achieving in science because their teachers are not. “If you have teachers who donʼt feel very qualified to teach science and who simply donʼt teach it enough, how can we expect students to achieve in it?” she said. One-third of teachers interviewed
said they teach science twice a week or less. These new teachers also said that science received less emphasis in their general coursework than English and math. Thirty-five percent said that when teaching science, they rely more on what they learned in high school rather than college. Lucore said that when less emphasis is put on training science teachers, it creates problems within the classroom. “Those education majors are giving a message that science is not as important as other subjects,” she said. “They carry this message into their classrooms by not emphasizing the subject as well.” Lucore said the companyʼs purpose is not to generate scientists, but
to achieve “a scientifically literate society.” “Itʼs important for every student to be taught science in a hands-on, inquiry-based manner because of the skills that are acquired from learning in that manner,” she said. Ashley Bishop, dean of CSUFʼs College of Education, agrees with this inquiry-based method. “When science is taught as a cookbook approach where students follow steps in a procedure, they are not required to think critically about the inquiry involved in science,” Bishop said. Inquiry-based teaching involves students determining answers to SCIENCE 3
Students watch too much TV Children’s Bureau adoption
program includes older teens
Report finds college youth spending more time with television
Agency makes efforts to find teenagers stable foster parents
By JASON KEHLER For the Daily Titan
A recent study showed that college students watched more television each week in the first half of 2004 than they did in 2003. Students today are watching an average of 11.2 hours of television each week, up from 10.9 hours last year, according to Student Monitor, a market research firm that focuses on college students. Some of the most watched shows were “Sportscenter,” “Chappelleʼs Show,” and “South Park” for young men, while young women were watching “The Real World,” “Will and Grace,” and “The O.C.” Both young men and women were
By ANNA LOUSTAUNAU For the Daily Titan
Photo Illustration by JAMES TU/Daily Titan
Research shows students watch 11.2 hours of television each week, compared to last year’s average of 10.9 hours. watching “The Simpsons” and “Friends,” each of which was in the top five for both sexes. “This is the third consecutive period weʼve seen college students watch more TV during the first half of the year,” said Josh Weil,
vice president of Student Monitor. “The introduction of a number of new television shows that were appealing to [college students] helped contribute to this.” TV 3
Local adoption agency Childrenʼs Bureau is experiencing a growing need for parents willing to give older children a permanent home. “Most parents want to adopt a newborn or small child so they can raise them from the beginning,” said Gabby Lopez, foster care and adoption recruitment worker from the North Hollywood agency of the bureau. “Many people do not realize that there are just as many teenagers looking for a home, but are falsely stereotyped as ʻproblematicʼ from television shows and news pro-
grams.” According to the organization, there have been more than 10,000 teenagers, specifically ages 14 and older, in need of a stable residence and a place to call home in the last several years. “The truth is that foster children are a high percentage of the homeless population these days,” said Damion Wright, foster care social worker from the Ontario district. “There is a great need for parents to step in and assume responsibility for these kids.” Lou Graham, director of foster care and adoption for the Childrenʼs Bureau, agrees. In a public statement Graham said, “Teenagers need permanent homes as well as younger kids.” The organization, a licensed private foster and adoption agency since 1904, has been taking extra care to
find parents eager to take an older child under their care. “It is unimaginable to think that after teens leave foster care at age 18 they may not even have a family to come back to for important things like the holidays,” Graham said. Wright said fear plays a factor in the decision to adopt younger children instead of the older ones. “Some foster parents are scared to take in teens because they can be challenges at times,” Wright said. “But just because teens were dealt a bad hand in the game of life does not mean that they are all going to be a problem.” “Parents who have already raised their own children are profound candidates to be adoptive parents of teenagers,” Graham said. “They already ADOPTION 3