People Who Use Drugs Can Die

Trina Jones

Logic and Argumentation

10 March 2008

Professor Wadhwani

Is there a gender crisis in education?

No I think its crisis in education as a whole because we have men and women who have a lack of education. Everyday we hear more about the crisis within our failing educational system, but many do not know the fact and statistics at present that make “failing” and “crisis” true statements. Fifty percent of American adults are functionally illiterate. Sixty percent of Americans have dropped out of school. Sixty percent of the students who do manage to graduate, can only read and write at the level of a seventh grade education. And of the top eighteen industrialized nation, the U.S. is the last on the list in regard to standardized testing scores. These statistics and facts were compiled by the U.S. Department of Education. In “America Skips School” author Benjamin R. Barber brings to our attention this broad spectrum failure and shows us Americas’ mediocrity in general with our lack of initiative to correct these failures.

Defining identity can be complex and therefore we have to investigate the factors involved that make us who we are and how we are seen by others, collectively or individually. Social scientists have to consider the key elements which shape identity, the importance of social structures and agency involved. The differences and/or similarities between us are the focus that categorizes and label us in society. Knowing who we are is important for many reasons including, social rights, obtaining a passport, housing, health, employment, marriage, and over all, being able to ascertain who we are, and belong.