Opinion Analysis

Here is the link to my opinion article:
http://www.sj-r.com/opinions/x282360906/Alice-Armstrong-Teachers-First-Amendment-rights-don-t-exist-in-classroom

And, my analysis:

The editorial/opinion article that I chose to analyze was “Alice Armstrong: Teachers’ First Amendment rights don’t exist in the classroom,” which appeared in the State Journal-Register’s October 6th issue. In searching for an article, I wanted to find a topic that I had some background knowledge in or experience with. This way I would not have to struggle to understand the content and would be in a better position to analyze the article as a piece of writing.

This particular article is about how one teacher feels that teachers lose their First Amendment rights when they are at the front of their classroom. The first thing that jumped out at me when reading this article was how the author used first person P.O.V. at the very beginning. This was intriguing because it told me something about the author before she began stating facts and opinions on the article’s main issue. When someone is writing an opinion piece about something, I want to first know a little about who they are, whether they do this with a biographical type of introduction or an anecdotal introduction that then relates to the theme of the piece. You also know that Armstrong is a credible source right off the bat because she states that she is a teacher right away. This is another fundamental thing that I feel should happen at the very beginning of any opinion article. The author needs to state how they are connected to this topic, whether they are directly affected by it or if someone they know is or even perhaps why they care so deeply about this topic to write an opinion article on it. Even if you are not directly involved in something and just feel strongly about it, letting the audience know why will most likely justify your standing with readers. I think in opinion writing, knowing a little bit more about the author lends to their credibility and helps readers understanding their point of view.

In regards to structure and form, the article holds up well. Sentence structure is varied with clear and concise writing. Donald Murray believes that good stories should be reported with concrete information. This is true even for opinion writing. And Armstrong’s opinions are backed up with fact, and lengthy bits of information regarding court cases are summarized nicely. Also, there is a good balance between her supporting examples and her opinion. I think she chose the most pertinent examples and the right amount of them to support her thoughts. In using the most relevant examples, Armstrong is able to show a trend in Supreme Court decisions that supports her main idea.

Armstrong also uses these examples to create tension in her writing as she describes the conflict between teachers and the Supreme Court rulings. Donald Murray suggests that presenting and describing the tension is crucial for a writer, in order to develop a well-written, meaningful story (64).

Murray, also, believes that “we should never forget that people like to read about people” (72). He also states that journalism “presents ideas by . . . showing the people who are affected by them” (72). The main supporting example that Armstrong uses deals with a specific person who was affected by the issue of First Amendment rights in the classroom. Armstrong chronicles Deborah Mayer’s story briefly but also with a good amount of depth to show that this is a real issue that teachers have to deal with in today’s society. In doing this, Armstrong gives readers a real-life example of how this issue is affecting teachers.

In addition, I find it appealing that the article started off with a well-written introduction, a statement of the author’s opinion, supporting facts, and then went back into opinion. Donald Murray would say that Armstrong “(found) a form that gives the reader a satisfying sense of completion, a feeling that everything in the story flows toward an inevitable conclusion” (73). Armstrong’s ability to go through opinion, fact, and back to opinion shows that she was able to connect her thoughts together in a way that flowed. The article was read as one cohesive piece not just chunks of opinion, fact, and opinion again. The ideas in each section related to one another. Armstrong also brought back in the Stepford Wives analogy at the end of the article, which I found to be a nice touch. It brought her point and the analogy/theme full circle.
Murray says that one quality of a good story is “significance,” that “it is (the writer’s) duty to show the significance in the material that first appears insignificant” (71). Armstrong does just that. She goes further than just saying how this topic relates to her and other teachers. She offers opinions on how this could potentially affect not only teachers, but students and, in turn, our nation as whole. This shows that Armstrong is not just thinking of herself when speaking about teachers losing their First Amendment rights in the classroom. She sees how certain problems can have long term implications for various groups of people, not just one. And, this way of looking at things may get other people to agree with or consider her point of view. People will be more likely to consider her opinion when she explains that the problem affects others, including our nation’s children. And, at the very end, she gives people information on what they can do to learn more about this issue. So, there is almost a call to action on the part of Armstrong. This is a strong point because it takes the opinion piece to the next level. Readers now have a way to respond and act on this issue.

This opinion article by Alice Armstrong is superb. She is able to craft a succinct, thought provoking piece by using only the most relevant of supporting examples as well as personal associations to create an over-arching theme or image to relate to her readers. As I see it, Alice Armstrong earns an A.