Argum?`tive Essay
Writing Tips
- Select an issue to argue - be sure to focus on a specific issue
- Gain Instructor approval - during week 2
- Outline your argument
- Research the facts
- Polish and prepare your final paper
The Argumentative Essay will have:
- A title page (cover page)
- An introduction
- The body of your paper
- A conclusion (that summarizes the content of your paper)
- A reference page
. A clear statement of the issue
What is your position on that issue?
What is your basic argument on the issue?
What is a possible rebuttal of the argument?
Parenthetical citations and reference page: Be careful when using direct quotations, paraphrases or terms suggesting absolute facts or values, as these must be supported by parenthetical citations in the body of the paper, and an entry on the reference page.
You must use a minimum of five scholarly sources, with citations and references formatted in APA Manual style, which are recent (within 5 years).
My argument; School Vouchers (School Voucher Bill should not be passed)
Type of argument; Argument of Authority
The school voucher bill does not show accountability to tax payers
The school voucher bill should not be passed because the private schools are not held accountable for the funds. School vouchers are a taxpayer-funded certificate. Thus this causes taxpayers to have to pay more taxes. Although the taxpayers are the ones fitting the bill for the voucher system, there are no financial accountability standards in place to assure the taxpayers that the money is being accounted for. For instance public schools are held accountable to the Department of Education for all funds, whereas private schools are not held accountable to such measures. Without there being any accountability level in place, it opens the door for abuse of funds. Take for instance the situation in Colorado. According to the ACLU, when Douglas County implemented a pilot program for school vouchers, the money was used but there was no evidence that the students were actually attending the private school. Thus 500 students were offered these vouchers but no one was held accountable for where the money went. Moreover, "For the purposes of obtaining state per-pupil educational funds, Douglas County still counted these children as "public school students" attending an imaginary school that exists only on paper"(ACLU, 2011). With that being said, the school voucher bill will allow for abuse of funds. Douglas County allowed its voucher program funds to be abused. Thus showing the school voucher bill will be abused.
School vouchers will take away from the education of public school students
The voucher program takes money away from the public schools which means the public schools will have fewer resources with which to provide educational services to its students. Thus each student the public school losses, the fewer funds they have to work with. Considering that, nationwide, almost 4,000 students have already signed up for the school voucher program, the public schools will be losing funding preventing them from offering a quality education. According to Dan Klien of WLFI 18 online news station, "for traditional public schools, it means more than $16 million gone. Furthermore, although there is a cap on vouchers this year of how many students can get them, by the year 2013 there will be no cap on vouchers, making the chances of public schools losing more funds for education even greater. Not mention that many of the public school districts are facing budget crisis, which only adds to the loss.
Thus with the loss of students to private schools, because of the voucher program, the schools will continue to be underfunded. It is not possible for public schools to give quality education with underfunded schools. Thus it is not possible because without sufficient funds the public schools cannot afford the many supplies and materials needed to help educate the students. Moreover in order to adequately educate students, each child needs to have access to textbooks, computers, smaller class size, and many other programs. However, without sufficient funds the schools cannot afford enough of these things for all students' benefit. Something as simple as teaching students the past tense is no longer affordable for the Phoenix school system's primary and secondary schools. This is a program that helps to teach students how to identify past tense. However, as stated by a Phoenix school principal, "With our current budget, the past tense must unfortunately become a thing of the past ( ) Moreover, in Tuscaloosa AL, the public school system had to drop its history and social studies classes because of lack funds. Take for instance the Texas school system. A student was interview there where she stated that the reason she does not do here homework is because the school cannot afford to provide every student a textbook to take home. Not only is there a lack of textbooks, many public schools nationwide cannot afford enough copy paper to make copies of the lesson. Clearly, when public schools lose students, they lose funds. By losing students to private schools through vouchers, the public schools will continue to lose funds. Therefore school vouchers will cause public schools to lose funds which will hinder student learning.
No Proof That the School Voucher Program Works or Will Work.
Because schools accept vouchers, students would not have to be administered the same assessments as administered in public schools, parents would not be able to compare the performance of their public school to that of the private school.
School Vouchers Violates 1st Amendment of Constitution
There have been negative points with the decisions for granting the school voucher. Many private schools have been affiliated with a particular religion. Thus government might be violating first Amendment of Constitution through providing the funding for the students to attend such schools. Thus the Constitution states that the Congress should not make any law respecting the establishment of the religion. Such differentiates government from any religion, either through assisting that or through preventing that freedom. Therefore, to provide the money to students to attend a religious school could have been construed as aiding such religions. Although the vouchers say that parents have a choice of schools, they are not given many choices other than private religious schools. Thus, according the ACLU, "In Cleveland, for example, 96 percent of the students in the voucher program attended parochial schools" (ACLU). Thus this is making it a violation of the first Amendment.
Rebuttal argument from supporters
School vouchers helps to enhance the education of inner-city youths
References
ACLU. (2011). ACLU Calls Supreme Court Ruling on Vouchers "Bad for Education, Bad for Religious Freedom".
Philadelphia Federation of Teachers. (2011). Take action to stop vouchers. Pft.org