Argument 26: Improving a school district's music education programs

In this memo the chairperson of the Saluda school board recommends hiring Schade ,Steel City High's
music director for the past five years, to plan and direct the school district's general music-education
programs. To support this recommendation the chairperson points out that over the past five years
Steel's band has won three regional awards and that the school's facilities and instruments have
improved markedly. Close scrutiny of each of these facts, however, reveals that none of them lend
credible support to the recommendation.
First of all, the chairperson unfairly assumes that the three band awards were attributable to Schade's
abilities and efforts. Lacking evidence to confirm this assumption, it is entirely possible that Schade was
not the school's band instructor when the band won these awards. Or, perhaps the band won all three
awards early in Schade's tenure, and his predecessor is to be credited. For that matter, perhaps it was
the improved quality of the band's musical instruments that should be credited for the awards. After all,
the chairperson provides no evidence that Schade was actually responsible for this improvement.
Without considering and ruling out other possible reasons why the band won the awards the
chairperson cannot convince me of Schade's abilities or, in turn, that he should be appointed to the
district job.
Even if Schade is to be credited for the band's awards, it is possible that the skills that Schade possesses
and that resulted in the band's winning these awards are not the same skills required for the district
position. For example, perhaps Schade's music-conducting ability or his ability to motivate individual
students was responsible for the band's award-winning performances. If so, then the fact that Steel's
band won these awards would amount to scant evidence at best that Schade would make an effective
administrator for the district.
Next, the chairperson unfairly assumes that improvements in the school's music facilities and
instruments are attributable to Schade's efforts. If they are, then I would agree that Schade might
possess valuable administrative skills that would serve the district well. Yet, just because these
improvements occurred during Schade's tenure it is unreasonable to assume that Schade is to be
credited for them. It is entirely possible that the improvements were the result of another
administrator's efforts, or even the efforts of parents. Without showing clearly that Schade, and not
some other person, was responsible for the improvements, the chairperson cannot convince me that
Schade possesses the administrative abilities needed for the district job.
Finally, in recommending Schade for the job the chairperson fails to consider other possible job
candidates. Even if all the evidence shows that Schade is well qualified, perhaps one or more other
individuals would be even more suitable for the job. Without addressing this possibility the chairperson
cannot convince me that the district should hire Schade.
In sum, the recommendation relies on certain doubtful assumptions that render it unconvincing as it
stands. To convince me that Schade would be effective in the new job, the chairperson must provide
dear evidence that the band's awards and especially the improvements cited are attributable to
Schade's abilities and efforts, and that these abilities would translate directly to those required for the
district position. Finally, to better evaluate the argument I would need to compare Schade's
qualifications with those of other possible job candidates.