The following is a memo from the principal of Academia High School.

“Academia High School of Academia’s graduating seniors chose performing arts as their major field of study in their first year of college l should abolish its after-school performing-arts programs and replace them with computer-technology programs. When nearby Techno High School did so last year, total enrollment in all of its after-school activities remained about the same. Moreover, on entering college, many Techno students chose a major directly related to their after-school activities. On the other hand, last year only 10 percent of Academia’s graduating seniors chose performing arts as their major field of study in their first year of college, clearly indicating that most students do not have a strong interest in the performing arts.”

The above article appeared as a memo from the principal of Academia High School. The arguer wants to recommend that Academia High School should abolish its after-school performing-arts programs and replace them with computer-technology programs. The arguer gives various reasons to support his stand. The first argument presented by the arguer is that the nearby Techno High School replaced its after-school performing-arts programs with computer-technology programs and the total enrollment in all of its after-school activities remained about the same. The second argument presented by the arguer is that on entering college many Techno students chose a major directly related to their after-school activities. Finally, last year only 10 percent of Academia’s graduating seniors chose performing arts as their major field of study in their first year of college. The arguments presented by the arguer are not convincing enough; hence they should not be accepted.

The first argument presented by the arguer is an example of the nearby Techno High School which replaced its performing-arts programs with computer-technology programs and the enrollment remained about the same. The arguer has not mentioned what the need in Techno High School to change its after-school performing-arts programs with computer-technology programs was. It is possible that the students were not interested in performing-arts program and that’s why they changed it. The arguer has also not mentioned whether the students of Academia High School are in favor of changing there after school performing-arts programs or not. It is possible that the there was a dearth of teachers or no teachers in Techno High School to impart knowledge on performing arts and the school had to forcefully replace it with computer-technology programs.

The second argument presented by the arguer is that on entering college many Techno students chose a major directly related to their after-school activities. The arguer has mentioned ‘many’ of the students that means there were still a few students who did not opt for a major which was directly related to their after-school activities. It is also possible that the students opted for the subject related to computer-technology but after sometime they changed their subject. It is also possible that because majority of students had seats left in that field that is why they opted for it.

Finally, the arguer states that only 10 percent of Academia’s graduating seniors chose performing arts as their major field of study in their first year of college. The arguer has not mentioned whether there were enough seats in the college to accommodate all the students on performing arts or not. It is also possible that in certain year this trend was seen and otherwise majority of Academia’s seniors chose performing arts as their major field of study.

The arguer has failed to convince us in regard to replacing of after-school performing-arts programs with computer-technology programs. It is possible that students will not be opting for computer-technology programs. Therefore, the arguer should present us with more relevant explanations to support his recommendation.