Jia Tao

ENG 112-78
Connie Douglas
Sep. 4, 2014
Is public education failing or not failing?
In recent years, public education is failing or unfailing has been the topic of the day. The
reader found two articles from both sides. Tom DeWeese, the author of Public education is
failing wrote the article in 2009. Mike Rose, the author of Public education is not failing
wrote the article in 2009 as well. Both of the articles are from Detroit. Both the writers hold
their own opinion on whether the public education is failing or not. Both the articles intended
to awake people in America that if public education is reflect its function or not.
The author of the article of Public education is failing elaborated how public education
failed from different aspects. The reader agrees that the education system excelling in the
wrong categories ( DeWeese, Public education is failing, opposing viewpoints in context).
According to DeWeese, the National Education Association (NEA) focuses on higher pay,
smaller classrooms, and more money for schools, rather than teaching. In this article, the
author made some examples for different aspects to support his idea. The language and
sentence he used is easy to understand and strongly held his opinions up. The author found
out the main reason of public school failed because the NEA focuses on wrong points. The
government ignored the root of the problem, even though they are still trying to figure the
problems out. However, everyone got benefit except students, because students did not grasp
basic knowledge at school. The worst is the NEA restructured education toward the

psychological to change students attitudes, values and beliefs. Although, the government
tried to reform the education system, they keep ignoring the real problem. The strengths of
the article are that the author has a clear mind, and the structure is neat. The author did not
mention any opposition. The reader does not think he has to, because the article is organized
clearly with strong argument, and easy to understand.
The article Public education is not failing does not have as strong argument as the
other one. The author emphasized that people should think about the public education with
sight of the broader purpose and grand vision of the common, rather than testing, testing,
testing (Rose, public education is not failing, opposing viewpoints in context). He stressed
that public should clearly understand what is the goals, purpose, and the evaluating standard.
The language and sentence fluency used; however, it is difficult to understand as an ordinary
person without any educational background. Testing is one of the ways to evaluate how
students grasp the knowledge. Testing is one of the ways to know if students can read, write,
and do calculating without calculator. The author did not address opposition as well. The
reader does not think the author has to. Otherwise, the article will be more difficult to
understand.
The author with the negative opinion is the most effective in fulfilling his intention. This
author used strong argument and appropriate examples to state his thesis with clear
organization. However, the other author most successfully appeals to his audience, because
his views are worth to be pondered. Both articles mentioned the relationship between the
education and institutions, even the government. It is not difficult to find that there is a clse
relationship between education and politics.

DeWeese, Tom. "Public Education Is Failing." Education. Ed. David Haugen and Susan
Musser. Detroit:

Greenhaven Press, 2009. Opposing Viewpoints.

Rpt. from "American Education Fails Because It Isn't Education."

NewsWithViews.com. 2007. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 4 Sept.
2014.
Rose, Mike. "Public Education Is Not Failing." Education. Ed. David Haugen and Susan
Musser. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2009. Opposing Viewpoints. Rpt. from
"Grand Visions and Possible Lives." Education Week 11 Oct. 2006.
Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 4 Sept. 2014.