Argument of Proposal

In CGS, students host other students from different countries. The students of CGS invite the foreign language students into their homes to show them the life of an average American. This may sound exciting to the exchange students; however, it can also be uncomfortable and sometimes even a scary thought that they’re going to be living with a new family for a week. As the school hosting the foreign language students we should try to make them feel a sense of safety going into the host student’s home.

            To increase the level of security for the foreign language students, CGS should do background checks on the host’s home and family members. These background checks would not be a FBI like background check. This is to make sure that any of the host’s family members that are living in the house do not have a record with the authorities, and if they do, to make sure that it’s nothing along the lines of assault and abuse. The background check would also include an individual that CGS hires or an employee of CGS to go the host family’s home to make sure it’s suitable to house another child. When I say this I mean that the home has enough room to house another child and to make sure that there’s nothing in the house that may harm the child. These background checks will not only make the foreign language students feel comfortable, but their parents also.

             Even though these background checks will probably cost GGS more money, it’s worth it. A child’s security should be our top priority, especially if they’re from a foreign country. We don’t want them to America, some of them for their first time, and have their trip ruined because they felt unsafe and uncomfortable. No one wants to go to a new place and feel uncomfortable and unsafe, everyone deserves a sense of security, especially coming to a new country and living with new people for a week. Even though I haven’t personally heard instances where a foreign language student complains about how he/she feels uncomfortable in a person’s home the background checks should be done as a safety precaution and as a courtesy towards our guest.

Toulmin Analysis on Appyling Ethos Blog

In one of my previous blogs I expanded upon the idea of CGS families receiving background checks; which is my claim. The reason I chose this social change project is because I feel like the students we’re hosting should have a sense of security and comfort coming into our homes. I did mention a qualifier in my last blog and it’s that the background checks are limited to the families that decide to host a student from another country. It would be unnecessary and an invasion of privacy if every family received a background check; not every student in CGS is going to host a student.

            In my blog my warrants are explicit statements, and it’s that students should and want to be safe when entering a new person’s home for the first time. There parent’s should also feel like their child is entering a safe environment. I did include a backing, which is very logical, however, I think it was lacking in evidence. My backing is that many homes do not have enough room to house another student or sometimes family members could be verbally, physically, mentally, and emotionally abusive. I lacked in evidence when I stated this because I never heard of a student being hosted complaining about any such thing. I think I should’ve added a qualifier in my evidence stating that it’s just a precaution, and that such incidents haven’t occurred that we know about.

            One thing I didn’t include in my previous blog is the conditions of rebuttal. If I were to include this, the conditions of rebuttal would be that some people feel like there is not a need for the background checks because they cost extra money and time, and that the families and homes of CGS students are great to host a student. That’s a nice thing to believe about the families of CGS, but we are never entirely sure because this is reality. Safety and comfort for the students we’re hosting should be our top priority; it shouldn’t be downplayed because it costs CGS extra time and money. If CGS is about expanding our ideas of the world, then it should be done safely.

Social Change Project: Audience

Top Seven

·       Mrs. McCarthy

·       Mrs. Cawley

·       CGS teachers

·       Board of Education

·       Brien McMahon teachers

·       Brien McMahon administration

·       Norwalk City Hall

Top Three

·       Mrs. McCarthy

Mrs. McCarthy is one of my top choices because she’s the director of CGS. She oversees all the teachers and other employees, and makes the final decisions about the study tours.

·       Mrs. Cawley

She’s Mrs. McCarthy right hand man. She’s more detailed orientated, and makes sure that all the students are handing in their paperwork for the study tours. She can make sure that background checks are being performed properly and at the right time.

·       Board of Education

The Board of Education can approve of these background checks. Their opinion can posses a lot of weight on whether or not the background checks should be performed. And if they really like the idea they can tell Mrs. McCarthy to do the background checks.

I choose the Board of Education because they can enforce the idea if they like it or totally sabotage it. However, I’m willing to take that risk.