proposal

Proposal 

Title

Author: Sam Imsland

Date: 9/31/2012

Topic: Yes on Proposition 30

Exigence: If the proposition does not pass, the educational system will continue to get worse, making it harder to reach the American dream.  

Purpose: To give voters an inside look at what proposition 30 could or could not do for the educational system.  

Claim: Vote Yes on proposition 30 for the well-being of people in the education system. A Yes vote will keep the quality of education high and make it more affordable for everyone.  

Writer’s Strategy 1:  The logical reasoning I will use in my Op-ED will be specific points about how the lack of educational funding has resulted in a worse form of education. I will include facts about increased tuition for students, cuts of staff and teachers, and increased class sizes. I will compare data of class sizes, tuition, and number of teachers and staff from the last few years to its current statistics. 

Reader Effect 1:  By incorporating factual evidence into my writing I hope the reader will become more aware of the struggling situation our educational system is in. Readers will see how much goes into a quality educational system which will help them realize the necessity of appropriate funding. 

Writer’s Strategy 2: Being a college student I have personally seen the effects of our educational system.  I personally have paid the higher tuition fees and have struggled to receive the classes I have asked for. My older brothers were at the same college five years ago and they have noticed it has become much more difficult to get through. Also, my dad came to Cabrillo 30 years ago and he remembers having no problems getting into classes.

Reader Effect 2: The reader will have a primary sourced account of how Cabrillo used to operate under appropriate funding. Showing the reader how much easier it was to go to school in the years past compared to now will help convince them to support proposition 30. By using ethos in my argument I am showing the reader how credible my stance is on this topic. 

Writer’s strategy 3: I will give a personal reflection of how much art classes and music classes helped me enjoy going to school. Because of these classes, it motivated me to try harder in my other classes. If the proposition does not pass, these classes will be the first to see a major change or probable cut. 

Reader Effect 3: By reflecting on a personal memory of mine a reader may remember a favorite class he or she had growing up and remember how much it had an influence on  the rest of their life. They will show sympathy for the younger generations to come because of the lose of educational standards unavailable today. 

annotated bib.

Hernandez, Kristen. "Majority of Californians Support Prop. 30, Poll Says." Daily Trojan. N.p., 27 Aug. 2012. Web. 9 Sept. 2012. <http://dailytrojan.com/2012/08/27/majority-of-californians-support-prop-30-poll-says/>.

The article I read was from the Daily Trojan and it was written by Kristen Hernandez. The article was titled, Majority of Californians support Prop. 30, poll says. A recent poll showed that California voters would support Prop. 30 which would increase sales and income taxes to reduce budget cuts to public education. The sales tax would increase 1/4 cent per dollar for four years and the personal income tax for those who make more than $250,000 for seven years. The poll was conducted by the Policy Analysis for California Education and Rossier School of Education. The intended audience for this article are educated adults who have an interest in school funding and tax measures. In comparison, the people interviewed in this article showed the same amount of concern about educational funding as the author Bill Freeman did in his article. 

Freeman, Bill. "Prop. 30 Invests in Education, Economy." U-T San Diego. N.p., 23 Sept. 2012. Web. 23 Sept. 2012. <http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2012/sep/23/tp-prop-30-invests-in-education-economy/>. 

The author Bill Freeman compares how the California public school system was once the best in the world to its struggling current situation. Freeman says, “Somewhere along the line, California stopped investing in education, and it has hurt us all”. Mr. Freeman points out that students are unprepared for college and work in the 21st century because of the overcrowded class sizes, the extinction of enrichment programs, and the many more basic classroom necessities that have been lost. Freeman knows Prop. 30 will not provide all the funding our schools need, but it will protect us from an additional $6 billion in midyear cuts. In one way or another Mr. Freeman has connected the welfare of everyone to the eventual approval or failure of Prop. 30. 

"Yes on Proposition 30, No on Proposition 38." Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles Times, 02 Oct. 2012. Web. 14 Oct. 2012. <http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/endorsements/la-ed-end-prop-30-prop38-20121002,0,2923644.story>.

The article I read was an op-ed published in the LA Times. The author argued in-favor of prop. 30 and against prop. 38. The article used specific facts from the official title and summary of Proposition 30. As an example, "Of the funds in the account, 89 percent would be provided to schools and 11 percent to community colleges". By using specific text from the original proposition, it gives the author credibility. He also incorporated counter examples which showed he thought about both sides of the issue.  The author was very convincing with his argument about prop 30 because he used many examples of how education is important and necessary for our society.    

the power of education (Horace Mann)

The Power of Education

In the essay, “Report of the Massachusetts Board of Education”, written in 1848, Horace Mann argues for reform on public education. Mann was raised in a rural town, receiving a very poor education. He was taught by ill-trained and often abusive teachers, however, through hard work and dedication became one of the most influential people in American public education reform. In-order to have an equal society Mann believed every child should receive the opportunity of an education. And the education these children receive positively correlates to how well our society functions. As an example, “Education, then beyond all other devices of human origin, is the great equalizer of the conditions of men, - the balance-wheel of the social machinery”(p.120, text). Mann understands the importance of an educated society because without the understanding of each persons individual differences which are taught in school, society would turn in on itself. To rid our nation of all its ignorance is an impossible task, however, Mann hypothesized that the public school system would do just that. “It is expressed in these few simple words: ‘Train up a child in the was he should go; and, when he is old, he will not depart from it”(p.124, text). This statement shows how powerful Mann thought the education system could be. If we were able to capture the mind of a child we could decide the eventual outcome of his or her life, he thought. He meant this not in a greedy, power controlling way, but in a way to help guild and direct the success and well being of our country.  As Theodore Roosevelt said, “The welfare of each of us is dependent fundamentally upon the welfare of all of us." 

The public education system today has come a long way since its beginnings. The quality of the teachers I had from K-12 was very high. All my teachers seemed very passionate about the subject they taught and showed concern about the wellness of their students. Everyday I went to school it felt like I was learning something new, but really tried to make the most out of each day. I know some kids who took for granite the opportunity to learn and those were the kids we call failures. We are all given the same opportunities and it is up to us to determine the outcome of them. The education system “knows no distinction of rich and poor, of bond and free, or between those, who, in the imperfect light of this world, are seeking, through different avenues, to reach the gate of heaven”(p.126, text). Within our society the meaning of success is measured in the amount of money one can make. To succeed at making money, the most formal way to do so is to get the highest education. Those who have chosen to follow this path will be deemed successful. However, everyone has their own definition of success, but through this system Mann has created, everyone has an equal chance to find it.  

prop 30

        The article I read was from the Daily Trojan and it was written by Kristen Hernandez. The article was titled, Majority of Californians support Prop. 30, poll says. A recent poll showed that California voters would support Prop. 30 which would increase sales and income taxes to reduce budget cuts to public education. The sales tax would increase 1/4 cent per dollar for four years and the personal income tax for those who make more than $250,000 for seven years. “If it passes, the state will receive several billion dollars in additional revenue that will help prevent further cuts to education and other areas,” said Dominic Brewer, vice dean of research in partnerships and globalization at Rossier. If the prop passes our state would receive about $6 billion in additional state revenue. If rejected the state budget would be shortened by $6 billion. According to the poll, 55 percent of Californians support prop 30 and 36 percent oppose it. Poll respondents also believed that state politicians should decrease wasteful spending before raising taxes. Brewer says, “giving real examples for why more revenue is needed now will be essential- a general appeal isn’t likely to work”. 

USC students were asked about the new tax hikes and said neither of these options seems especially appealing. “When you’re just hearing about these things without really being in politics, what you hear is that there are multiple taxes on the ballot,” said Cat Shieh, a junior majoring in political science who works for the Unruh Institute of Politics. “Who likes taxes? Nobody.” You would think Mr. Shieh would be more optimistic about the prop because he is in school and would personally benefit from it. Unless, he or his parents make $250,000 a year I can not see why he said “who likes taxes”. He also may be misinformed about who is getting the tax hike which would make him against the prop. The measure only affects tax rates for the top three income tax brackets and the sale tax rate increase would differ by locality.  

Our education system is in need of many improvements because of the recent cuts in its funding. Voters in favor of prop 30 want to see programs that have been cut restored in schools and future cuts prevented. If the prop fails they would first want budget reduction in transportation of students to schools, increasing class sizes and shortening the school year. If the prop fails, I would like to see reduced administrator salaries along with reducing football and baseball funding. These two sports teams require a lot of money from paying the the many coaches, trainers, equipment, transportation, and field maintenance fees. I played on the Cabrillo tennis team where the only expense was our one coach and maybe $50 worth of tennis balls. In our economy football and baseball do not seem sustainable compared to smaller sports. Further cuts will be needed if this measure does not pass, but experts believe the poll results will prove true.    

http://dailytrojan.com/2012/08/27/majority-of-californians-support-prop-30-poll-says/