We decided on names for discussion groups by counting the number of votes for each choice. This is called "majority rules".
What do you think about this way of deciding things? Is it fair?

Another way to make decisions is to build consensus. People share ideas and thoughts. The group tries to use everybody's ideas and address everybody's concerns. The group does not make a decision until everybody can accept the solution.

Some people think this takes too long and is frustrating. They think that majority rules is a fair way to make decisions and that if you do not agree with the majority, as part of the group you should go along with what the group thinks.

Some people think that consensus building is more fair because everybody can be heard and is on the same side at the end of the process. What do you think?

Here is what some students said:

I think majority rules is good because you have to go with the other people rules. It is hard to fight the majority. But some times hard to do because you have to agree with out your feeling.

The cons of majority rules is that we as people do not have input on what they are doing. The only pro is that it is a faster way of doing things. A pro for building consensus is that the people all have to agree before something gets chosen. A con for building consensus is that some people that have a opinion done speak on it just to agree with everyone else. My preference would be building consensus because we all have to agree on something.

The majority rules process is not a fair productive process. It is a quick fix to a solution or problem. The con to this is that not everyone will be pleased with the end result because the solution is decided by the most votes accounted for. The pros to this process is that is less time consuming than building consensus which is a rational developed strategy that allows everyone to equally input their thoughts, ideas, opinions, and views and provide any additional information that will support their ideas, and also debate, to come to a solution that is educated and agreed upon by everyone. The Pros to this is that is a well thought way to come to a solution but this process is very time consuming and would require more resources than the majority rules process.

Majority Rules one of the disadvantages is the person with the most votes may not be the right person for the job. Building Consensus ifs difficult because its' hard to get everyone to agree on the same thing. I think Building Consensus is the better voting style because if everyone can agree on something then they can come to a conclusion.

March 6 is the beginning of the International Women’s Day celebrations. IWD is on March 8. IWD is a day to celebrate and advocate for rights for women workers.

So to get us in the mood…read and listen to the song Bread and Roses .

This song was inspired by a strike of women textile workers in Lawrence, Massachusetts in 1912. They carried a banner that said “We want bread and roses too.” Bread and roses have come to symbolize the fight for equality and dignity for women. The song tells us that we need bread to survive but we also need something more that just bread. What do you think about that?

Here is what some students said:

The song means they were fighting for independence and equal rights at home and in the workplace and for equal pay. Bread means the fight for independence and rights in the work place. Roses means they are fighting for a better quality in life.

Bread and Roses represents a woman's independent and equal rights in the home and work place. Equal pay for doing the same work as a man. Women have been labeled for years as a woman's place is in the home cooking and cleaning and bearing children. The song represents freedom and glory for women to be equal to men.

The women are marching the battle of freedom for their mothers and children. Give us bread that we can eat and be happy. And also give us roses that we can feel the love inside of us. The spirits that keep us going so we can fight for the bread and roses.

The right to be as free and equal as men. So they have to fight for their rights to be respected.

This song is inspiring to me because it demonstrates the social movement that the women before us had to endure, so that we have rights that are equal to men. I am thankful for the courage, ability to educate and empowerment of women for generations to come.

Women fought for low wages, inhumane working conditions, voting rights and child labour. They adopted the slogan bread and roses which symbolizes economic security and better quality of life.

I think they were fed up being abused, not only physically, but emotionally. So the only way they could have been heard is simply by organizing themselves to march together. They don't just want to just be able to eat they want respect, honor, support and equality.

Women want to be free, not controlled by a man. Being able to have the same rights as a man, being able to make heir own decisions.

I think the woman are trying to say when they went out marching people ware happy that they wanted more than a husband they wanted love for their children and too be loved as well. And not just staying in the kitchen but to respect them as their wives. When the women were marching, they were marching for men's rights too. Men have families and children to feed if they can't provide for the family food and love. The family will drift apart. The women have husbands in their lives, but they want more love from their husbands. The women wants all races to work as one and don't judge them by their colour. Family should love one another and tell their family they care.