In your 4-page critical analysis of the “College or Workforce?” scenario (attached), your body paragraphs will analyze the arguments and the reasoning around the decision to send Dennis Cruz into the high school’s vocational track, contrary to his wishes. Remember that much of this reasoning and many of these arguments are only implied, and require you, as the analyst, to break them down and make the underlying issues clear. This should involve an examination of the assumptions or premises that many of these statements are based upon. Remember to deal with these statements one at a time (even if you ultimately look at more than one statement in a given paragraph).
If you disagree with a given premise, explain why. If you agree with it, defend it by anticipating a likely objection to it, and then explain why that objection would be wrong. It’s perfectly normal to agree with one character’s statement or premise, and then disagree with another statement or premise by that same character.
You should devote at least one paragraph to the question of whether a specific character’s reasoning should be considered consequentialist or nonconsequentialist. (See the “Ethics” reading #1 if you need a refresher.) If you’d like, you could discuss whether you think the authors of this scenario seem to agree or disagree with consequentialism or nonconsequentialism, given how they portray that kind of decision in the scenario.
If you feel that some of the historical background in the scenario is relevant to the statement you’re examining — the changing economic landscape and the history of Irish, Polish and Latino immigration — then you can talk about why it’s relevant.
No “conclusion” should be included; but do have an introductory paragraph that briefly explains the scenario and its central ethical question to a reader who has never heard of it. Then have a thesis statement that reflects an important conclusion you have come to about the ethical question — such as whether you agree or disagree with Mrs. Kennedy’s decision — and give your best reason for coming to that conclusion.
Don’t worry about page citations for this assignment; but do remember to incorporate the text judiciously into your own sentences. (Remember that “judicious” is the opposite of lengthy and indiscriminately!)
