| Above |
Write a letter to
the editor of a local community newspaper, the school paper,
the principal, a teacher, the school board, the governor, a state
senator (or similar politician), the city board, your classmates, the
PTA president (or other officers), the college dean, your boss, or
other possible readers.
- School Uniforms. There has been a problem in local schools
with discipline and violence. Your school board has decided to
institute a school uniform policy in order to cut down on these
problems, based on the positive examples that they have seen at other
schools. What is your position on this issue? Write a letter to the
editor of your local newspaper stating your position on this issue and
supporting it with convincing reasons.
- Locker Searches/Personal Searches. The principal at your
school has instituted random locker and backpack/bookbag searches to
check for guns, knives, and other weapons. Anyone caught with these
weapons will be immediately suspended. The principal argues that the
random searches will not only guard against illegal weapons at school
but will also will help students feel safer. What is your position on
this issue? Write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper
stating your position and supporting it with convincing reasons.
- Too Much Homework. Some of the parents at your school have
started a campaign to limit the homework that teachers can assign to
students. Teachers at your school have argued that the homework is
necessary. What is your position? Write a letter to the editor of your
local newspaper stating your position and supporting it with
convincing reasons.
- Censorship. Your local public library has come under
criticism for allowing patrons under the age of 18 to check out books
that are unacceptable. The books are either explicit, describe graphic
violence, or use questionable language. Most recently, a high school
senior checked out James Joyce's Ulysses. The student's parents
did not approve of the student reading the book and complained to the
town council. As a result, the council is considering removing all
questionable books from the library. What is your position on this
issue? Write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper stating
your position and supporting it with convincing reasons.
- Litter. A litter problem has developed on your school's
campus. Students are throwing trash on the ground, leaving empty soda
cans and bottles outside on benches, and dropping napkins and other
trash on the cafeteria floor rather than carrying them to the trash
can. Your principal has asked students to take more care, but the
litter problem persists. The principal has reacted by canceling all
after-school activities until the problem is taken care of. What is
your position on this issue? Write a letter to the editor of your
local newspaper stating your position and supporting it with
convincing reasons.
- New Highway Exit. The state has created a plan to add a
second highway exit to help shoppers access a busy shopping mall. The
only problem is that the new exit will move the access road 500 yards
closer to a near-by elementary school. Teachers and parents at the
school complain that moving the road closer will increase noise at the
school and provide unnecessary distractions. The state planners have
included privacy fences to help cut down on the problems, but the
protesters are unsatisfied. What is your position on this issue? Write
a letter to the editor of your local newspaper stating your position
and supporting it with convincing reasons.
- Computers in the Classroom. As part of a new technology
initiative, your local school district is increasing the number of
computers in every school. The district plan provides for two
computers in every classroom. Teachers at your school are lobbying
instead to place all the computers together, creating two
computer-based classrooms so that all students in a class can work at
the computers together, rather than only one or two students at a
time. The district is worried about the additional cost of creating
and maintaining these special classrooms and is concerned about how
access to the classrooms can be provided fairly and efficiently. What
is your position on this issue? Write a letter to the editor of your
local newspaper stating your point of view and supporting it with
convincing reasons.
- Bilingual Education. As part of a proposed educational
initiative in your state, local school districts are responsible for
providing required courses in both English language and Spanish
language in order to increase the success of their programs. Because
your state has a large population of Spanish speakers, the state
education department believes that teaching these students in their
first language will help them learn better and more quickly. Because
of the limited budget, however, the local school board is concerned
that they may not be able to provide the additional teachers or
training needed for this program. They fear that they will lose state
funding and accreditation even though 90% of the district's students
pass their achievement tests on the first try. What is your position
on this issue? Write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper
stating your point of view and supporting it with convincing reasons.
- Grade Scale Change. One of the biology teachers at your
school has decided to change from a ten-point grade scale (100 to 90
is an A, 89 to 80 is a B, etc.) to a seven-point grade scale (100 to
93 is an A, 92 to 85 is a B, etc.). The teacher is trying to encourage
students to put more effort into their classes by raising the
requirements. What is your position on this issue? Write a letter to
the editor of your local newspaper stating your position and
supporting it with convincing reasons.
- Online Schools. The state department of education has
provided funding for an experimental online school. All the classes
will take place on the Internet, using email, online chat, and the
world wide web. The students taking classes at this new online school
will never meet each other face-to-face. They will only interact
online with each other and with their teachers. The state is hoping
this program will provide fairer educational access to students in
outlying, rural areas. Opponents of the program argue that because of
their lack of interaction with other students in a traditional
classroom, the students who attend this online school will not develop
the social skills that should be a component of their education. What
is your position on this issue? Write a letter to the editor of your
local newspaper stating your position on this issue and supporting it
with convincing reasons.
|
Unlike |
The
books at the left are recommended resources for those who want