Barber Blog Response

What is the author’s main argument or thesis statement?

Barber's main argument begins with an allusion to the founding fathers and states that the fathers believed that education is a very imperative part of democracy. He uses this to later develop his argument by saying schools are now being exposed to more outside opinions and trends. This in turn is degrading the education in America and slowly crippling the idea of democracy the founding fathers once had.

Thesis: "Equally important as dimensions of education and citizenship was education that would make the Bill of Rights real, education that would make democracy succeed.

To whom is the author writing and what is the gap or context that the author proposed to fill?

I believe that Barber's intended audience was school board educators or administrators who actually oversee spending and budget operations to appeal to why they let advertisements and corporations take over their school districts. The other audience, Barber appeals to directly by asking "What type of school are you? Pepsi or Coke?" and also demanding them to stand up to Channel One and college cafeterias.

How does the author support her argument – what evidence does s/he use? List at least two examples.

Barber does a "quick trajectory" through history from the signing of the Declaration of Independence to September 11, 2001. In that time frame he gives the founding fathers vision of education and how they thought it is essential to democracy, to education today and how it has slowly deteriorated. He also uses a good ol' fashion dose of logic throughout the whole article (No References!). Every argument of his is well thought out and reinforces his arguments with very good arguments and logic.