Recently in The Water Cooler

What advice do you have for Joanna Alatorre, Damon Horton and Bryan Ordaz, the three students you met in this week's episode of SoCal Connected, Inside Locke High?

Locke High is notorious. It’s a school where students are more likely to drop out than graduate. Academically, Locke ranks third-lowest in the state. About 1 in 9 students scores grade-proficient in English. In Math, it’s 1 in 25. The chaotic campus sits in the midst of rival gang territory. Graffiti marred the halls. Fights broke out daily. Last year, nearly half of the 3-thousand-plus students were suspended at least once.

What words of wisdom (or caution, or encouragement, or....) do you want to give Joanna, Damon and Bryan? How would you suggest they navigate Locke? Give them your best; they'll be reading!

Next week, SoCal Connected will be spending time with students from Locke Senior High. Non-profit Green Dot Public Schools took over Locke in September, 2007, making the school a flashpoint in debates about school management, success and choice.

We'd like to use your thoughts about charter schools on the next show, so take a look at the questions below and make your voice heard! (Please make sure you leave your real email when you comment; we can't use your comments on-air unless we can reach you.)

This week's Water Cooler question is a two-and-a-half-parter. First, two questions:

For the half, we have a poll question. The First Family-Elect is looking at D.C.-area schools for First Daughters Malia and Sasha Obama. The Obama's père et mère are open to charter schools but firm opponents of voucher programs. Take our poll below on the question: Should public school supporters Michelle and Barack Obama send their daughters to public school?

What does the outcome of the election mean to you? What do you think it means for the future of southern California? We want to hear everything, from your hopes and fears for President-Elect Obama, to what the outcomes of specific propositions mean to you.

Share your thoughts here by commenting, or upload video of yourself to our Video Your Vote project.

DIY advertisements are the latest weapon in the battle over Proposition 8. What kind of effect do these made-at-home ads for and against gay marriage have on you? Are you persuaded by ads from supporters for supporters?

More

In "Financial Futures" we heard from different groups of people and how they're weathering the economic storm.

How is the economy affecting you? We’d like to know how you’re coping.

In Los Angeles, you can't travel far without seeing a gigantic billboard advertising something. Do you love your neighborhood billboards or despise them?

Send us a photo of your favorite or most hated billboard and tell us why you're so passionate about it. Submit your photo to our Flickr pool, or email them to us.

Every Thursday, SoCal Connected will be featuring your reactions, thoughts and commentary on the previous week’s show. We’re calling the segment "The Water Cooler" in homage to that gathering place in every workplace, office and school where people steal a few moments out from a busy day in order to discuss the most pressing question of our time - namely, what they watched on TV (or TiVo) last night.

(Or in the case of our virtual water cooler: Discuss what they watched on SoCal Connected!)

Our question this week:

Would YOU be willing to pay more for private fire protection? Is that fair to the people who can't afford it?

Use the comments below to share your thoughts and responses to those questions, and we’ll feature some of your comments on the Thursday, October 9th show. Please make sure to use leave us a valid email address so that we can verify your identity. Your comment WILL NOT air if we can't comment you, so leave SUNSTUD37 in chat where he belongs and use your real email; we promise to keep it a secret!

Every Thursday, SoCal Connected will be featuring your reactions, thoughts and commentary on the previous week’s show. We’re calling the segment "The Water Cooler" in homage to that gathering place in every workplace, office and school where people steal a few moments out from a busy day in order to discuss the most pressing question of our time - namely, what they watched on TV (or TiVo) last night.

(Or in the case of our virtual water cooler: Discuss what they watched on SoCal Connected!)

To get things started, we thought we would ask two questions we know have been on everyone's minds the last few months:

How is the economic downturn affecting you? Are you afraid of losing your home?

Use the comments below to share your thoughts and responses to those questions, and we’ll feature some of your comments on the Thursday, October 2^nd show. Please make sure to use leave us a valid email address so that we can verify your identity. Your comment WILL NOT air if we can't comment you, so leave SUNSTUD37 in chat where he belongs and use your real email; we promise to keep it a secret!