Interviewing an Actual High School Drop Out

On February 20, 2013, I was given the chance to interview an actual high school drop out. He provided me with a lot of information on why he dropped out and the results of his decision  His name is Dwayne Fillmore and he is twenty one years old. He attended West Side high school in Newark, NJ. He described his environment to be vicious and scary. He was surrounded by drugs, guns, gang violence, and fast girls. Everyday was a battle to survive. It was especially difficult for him to follow the right path since he did not have a good male role model to look up to since his father wasn't apart of his life at the time. He only had his older brother, who also dropped out, to follow. The following link will take you to the interview. Along with the video will be a script of the interview.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIk-pR4i48o&feature=youtu.be

Appealing to Pathos, Ethos, and Logos

Ethos- According to the Public School Review, Orange High School has a graduation rate of 68% which is lower than the NJ state average of 92%

Pathos- One of the main responsibilities of a society is to support the well-being of teenagers and children. If societies are allowing the rate at which high school students are dropping out to increase, then the society is responsible for the poverty, struggles and unbearable pains that follow abandoning a high school education.

Logos- If students at Orange High continue to drop out of high school, the younger generation will be limited in choosing a career path, thus resulting in an unhappy community.  

Counter Argument

It is indeed true that most if not all high school graduates were faced with the same peer pressures from their environment that a high school dropout faced. It is also true that just about all high school students hold some type of insecurity about their future. Yes, not all high school graduates received love and support from loved ones or even their community. However, although this may be accurate, not every teenager react to situations such as these in the same manner. Certain teenagers are stronger than others while some are weaker. Some teenagers know how to manage under pressure and make smart decisions while others do not. So just because a majority of teenagers are faced with these same issues and some still continue to graduate does not mean that all teenagers are tough enough to overcome the tough obstacles high school throws at them.

Thesis

Due to the lack of support and encouragement from peers, oppressing insecurities about what the future holds in store for teenagers, and the unbearable peer pressures given off by the environment, a little less than half of the percentage of high school students attending Orange High School in Orange, New Jersey prefer to drop out of high school rather than receive their diplomas.

Social Issue and Debate Comparison

As you all may already know, my social issue focuses on the importance of a high school education. With teenagers constantly dropping out of school each day, societies are weakening and we as a nation are not doing as well as we should be. Because the younger generation is the foundation of our society, a lack of education will negatively impact us.
My English II class recently watch the movie "The Great Debaters". This movie related significantly to my social issue. The Great Debaters clearly express the great value and worth of a high school diploma. Honestly ,education was valued back than a lot more than it is valued today, especially to the minorities. People cherished their education and would not dare allow anyone or anything deprive them of their education. However in today's society, teenagers are a lot less enthusiastic about their education. The great worth of a high school diploma has lowered in the eye's of today's youth. Maybe that is due to the fact that receiving a good education comes a lot easier in modern society than it did back then. That is not a good excuse ! Instead of slacking off, we as teens need to take advantage of the freedoms and privileges we possess. People did not give up their time and lives for us to put these things to waste.