Amending the Code

This unit in Argument, we studied the constitution and contradiction within it. Analyzing my rights as a U.S citizen, I learned that the framers(writers of the constitution) has contradicted and excluded people and laws that shouldn't be ignored. To learn more about the constitution and argument, my class visited the Chicago Courthouse. My class sat in for a trial about mal practice, this was one of the most exciting FE's I've been on. Watching the trial made me wonder how to set an argument effectively.The purpose of this AP is to amend a rule that is contradictory, unjust , has a logical flaw or needs to specified. in the GCE Code of Conduct. Through reading the Code of Conduct, I found that the rule truancy needs to be specified, read below to know more about the changes I've done to this rule.

The rule in GCE's Code of Conduct I've decided to amend is truancy. The code of conduct states:Truancy is considered tardiness or absence(s) without a valid excuse. A student out of school without a valid excuse is considered truant. Truant students must arrange with their teachers to make up missed work. Parents will be notified of excessive tardiness or absence. While reading this rule, I began to question,what does valid mean?, I knew I had to amend this rule because I've been in many situations like this. The Truancy rule leaves too much room for interpretation and power to the staff member, because a student doesn’t have a “valid reason” to the next person doesn’t mean it’s not valid for them.

Truancy Sing Post,(LD),2015,Texascourt.gov

I began to think about what the framers of the Code of Conduct were thinking, and to get into their head, I created a syllogism.The logic for this rule is to make sure students don’t skip school because they simply don’t feel like going to school.

GCE’s Syllogism:
P1: Students are required to attend school .

P2: There must be a valid reason for missing(unspecified).

P3: Whether the reason for absence is valid or not is up to the teacher.

P4: A Truant is someone who misses school without a valid reason.

C: A student who misses school without a valid excuse is a Truant.

A situation that has happened to me several times and any student that has a lot of siblings, is getting to school on time. The issue is that everyone has to be at school on the same time at different places. Having all my siblings run on different schedules means that someone might be late. For example, If I were to miss school or be tardy because my siblings decided to go slower that day, then my teacher or head of school would think this reason was invalid. They would question me and suggest that I need to get up earlier or take the train. If a certain student didn’t have access to the train or only have one parent that can drive them school, such as myself, have no power whether they get to school early or not. This rule needs to amended because it makes a student’s reason for being absent or tardy invalid, it leaves the decision to the teacher without a further conversation.

My Syllogism

P1: Students are required to attend school

P2: If the student is absent or tardy their reason can be justified through a discussion with teacher or head of school

P3: There must be a conversation to discuss whether their reason for absence/tardy is justified.

P4: A Truant is someone who misses school without a valid reason

C: A student who is a absent or tardy must talk to the head of school or teacher to justify their reason of absence/tardiness. That will determine whether they are a truant or not, whether they are or not, they must email teacher for missed work. Excessive tardiness or absence will result in a discussion that will involve parents.

By changing the world valid to the word justifiable allows the absent or tardy student to fully explain why they missed school to their teacher. The world valid is more of a one sided conversation that lets the teacher to make their choice, this could be because of a bias or not. The world justifiable allows there to be more communication and will lead to a more respectable community.

A reason for absence is not day or night.This means that the reason for a person’s absence should not be wrong or right, but more so a choice that they must justify to their teacher. The student should have the right to miss if they can justify their actions to their teacher. Students should know that they must email their teachers to make up their missed work.If this rule were to amended, there would be more communication to solve issues rather than letting a staff member decide whether the issue is justified or not. I would be more open to discuss issues, rather there being a miscommunication and leaving with hard feelings toward someone and vice versa. As a whole, this rule is beneficial to my school life because it leaves everyone with a voice.My co-signer/peer that supported my argument for amending this rule is AL. She said, student's excuses are different than others depending on who they are and what they find important enough to miss or be tardy.For example she always has family matter and another student could live very far."

The 9th amendment relates most to my argument, the ninth amendment states that there are rights of citizens that may not be written in the constitution, but this doesn’t mean that they can be violated.This relates to my argument, the students of GCE can be seen as the citizens as mentioned in the constitution. The rule of truancy, gives the person in power(staff member/teacher) to decide whether the reason of absence is valid or not. But, it states,” A student out of school without a valid excuse is considered truant.” This sentence in the rule gives the students rights that they may not know or is not explicitly written. As a whole, I think that the Code of Conduct is written intentionally to be vague to give students rights that may not have been written or thought of. 

My amendment demonstrates true citizenship, it allows every student and teacher to have equal rights.Students and teachers will have equal rights because the teacher won’t be deciding whether the excuse is valid or not,instead, it would be discussed. It would let the student tell their side of the story and the teacher saying what they think. Together, they would decide if the students reason is justified or not. If the rule isn’t amended, it’s possible that the teacher/ staff member can take advantage of the student because of a bias by letting them decide whether their reason is invalid.

Evidence

P1: Leaves room for interpretations and biases towards student.

P2: Change word from valid to justifiable for better communication and understanding for both parties.

P3: Relates to the 9th amendment by having rights that are not specified that need to be.