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. However, close scrutiny of this evidence
reveals that it lends little support for 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 mm, 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 which 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 dearly that
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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 conclusion, the argument is unpersuasive 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.