Meeting Criticism In Charles Baldwin's A Talk To Teachers

Education meets Criticism Education is one of the most widely debated issues of our country in this current day and age. Many people feel as though some schooling is biased and unfair to certain students; meanwhile, others feel as though the schooling systems are not set up serious enough in order to properly educate students to prepare them for their futures. The three texts that will be discussed, are all well written controversial essays that use a great deal of rhetorical appeals which help readers relate to the topics being discussed. In the essay “School,” Mori manages to specify her views on how different modern education is in America as in Japan; meanwhile, in “A Talk to Teachers,” Baldwin presents his argument as to how all children,

In his essay “A Talk to Teachers,” he suggests that in this generation, education is not taken seriously and we as a society are not doing our jobs correctly as well as treating every child equal. Baldwin develops his argument on how education should be provided equally to all children, regardless of race by using a combination of pathos provided from personal experiences to convey his views on equal education. “He is assumed by the republic that he, his father, his mother, and his ancestors were happy, shiftless, watermelon-eating darkies who loved Mr. Charlie and Miss Ann, that the value he has as a black man is proven by one thing only--his devotion to white people.” This use of pathos achieves a personal relationship with James Baldwin and evokes the feelings of a typical African American trying to survive a school system that aims to make them unsuccessful. “The purpose of education, finally, is to create in a person the ability to look at the world for himself and to make his own decisions. To ask questions of the universe, and then learn to live with those questions, is the way he achieves his own identity.” Baldwin feels that a child should be taught to think on their own, not taught to fit into what society wants a person to have views of. He states, “The paradox of education is precisely this--that as one begins to become conscious one begins to examine the society in which he is being educated. What societies really, ideally

Her purpose was to state the thought that a valedictorian’s spot should be earned, not just something that’s easily given out to people who are merely smart. She develops her logos by stating specific problems and facts within the Sarasota High School and how her personal experience was when she was in high school which allows the reader to build a better insight on what is being said. Talbot recalls George Kennedy, principal at North Port High near Sarasota stating “would be easier to just start out without valedictorians, so we wouldn’t be taking something away later on.” This means that the kids who dream their whole life to be the best, to be number one, who work harder than any other individual; sometimes end up not even being titled class valedictorian at all. So in essence instead of having a title to work for that might not even be achieved, the kids should work that hard for their future and what it holds. Also, Talbot uses examples of student G.P.A’s to show how competitive schools are becoming and how hard students are working in order to become valedictorian. “Between 1990-2000, the overall mean G.P.A. of high school students increased from 2.68 to 2.94, which is attributable in part to grade inflation and in part to the fact that students are working harder.” Through her text, Talbot develops