ARGUMENT236 音乐课的问题

TMACJAMESUID: 2836445

TOPIC: ARGUMENT236 - The following appeared as a letter to the editor of a local Solano newspaper.

"The Solano school district should do away with its music education programs. After all, music programs are not especially popular in our schools: only 20 percent of our high school students participated in music programs last year. Furthermore, very few of the Solano district's college-bound students are interested in majoring in music at the university level. Also, when the school district of our neighboring town of Rutherford eliminated its music programs two years ago, the overall grade point average in the high school increased by 10 percent the next year. Surely the money spent on Solano music programs could be better used to improve the quality of traditional academic courses."
WORDS: 556
TIME: 00:27:25
DATE: 9/2/2010 12:39:13 PM

The author advocates that the school should abandon its musical programs mainly for two reasons: first, few students have interests in it; second, the money could be better used elsewhere. Ostensibly cogent as it may be, I cannot help noticing that there are several fallacies and possibilities the author lest out.

The prerequisite of the argument should be that the musical program is no longer welcomed. But all the evidence that author provided is rather circumstantial than solid. Like the percentage of participation, 20 percent could be a quite low record isolatedly, yet without any other programs' comparison, we cannot gain the impression that the musical program has a low participation rate. If other programs have even a lower rate, then there is no reason to abolish the musical program. Besides, the number of student who majoring in music at college should not be a criterion to judge whether it is successful. The music itself is not a prevalent major in college after all, which has small enrolling plan. So it is impossible to have a great many of student to major in music at college. The music program is aiming at cultivate the art sense of the student, not mainly to provide them a major choice. Thereby, even if there are not many students participating in it, the school must consider the comprehensive development of the student and not ignore those who participate in the program.

As for the case of Rutherford school, the author insinuates that due to the elimination of the music program, the grade there raised by 10 percent. However, all the author suggested is nothing but assumption. There is no direct evidence denoting that it is for the reduction of music program that the average grade in Rutherford school has increased. To increase the grade in a school, it takes more than just eliminate certain courses, but a general effort by both students and teachers. It may because that the teacher at Rutherford concentrates more on teaching performance the other year in afraid of being lay off that results in the augmentation of grade. Without any details, we cannot reach the conclusion that it is helpful by cutting musical program to general grade.

Plus, the author suggests that the money for the music program could be better used to enhance the quality if traditional academic courses, which is quite a tenable advice in surface. However, the author fails to provide evidence indicating the quality of traditional academic courses now. What if there is no room for improvement because the school has already performed extremely well now? In addition, there is no absolute connection between money investment and the academic courses' quality. Thus even if sparing money from the music program, it is not necessary that the quality of traditional academic courses would be enhanced.

Simply put, the author firstly asserts the unpopularity of the music program without any solid evidence to substantiating the implication, and then the author improperly quotes the experience of Rutherford school, lacking specifics about its changes. And finally, the author insinuates the usage of the sparing money without sounded proof. Therefore, the conclusion of abandoning musical program cannot stand thus it is precarious. If the author still strives to prove his point, then he have to answer all those questions I raised above, and dig further on the issue.