Supporting Visual vs. Opposing Visual
Supporting Visual
· How does this visual support the argument and claims?
The visual supports the argument and claims because it provides a visual for the lack of funds available to public schools. From one perspective, it highlights how a small piece of public funds is allotted for education. The pie does not state whether it’s state or federal funding. Therefore, it could be assumed that this political cartoon could be used to support increased spending from both governments. From another perspective, the visual could emphasize how schools are expected to rely on proceeds from bake sales to cover any underfunded school expenses.
Audience:
· Who is the targeted audience? Consider where this visual was first published to consider who the audience is.
· What would this visual mean to this particular audience?
The visual was intended for readers of Florida Today but was posted to the Horace Mann League of the USA website. This organization was founded in 1922 to support public education. Hence, it could be assumed that readers of this website would think this cartoon supports their views that schools need more money.
Context:
· Is there any background information that can help you understand the visual and the circumstances in which the visual is communicating?
Failing public education standards has been a continuous topic for Florida, so it’s understandable why a political cartoon made in 2010 would still be applicable 13 years later. I think it’s important to consider that Florida is ranked 41 in public education, 42 in student success, and 32 in student safety and quality out of all 50 states (Schoolaroo, 2023).
Purpose:
· What is the main goal of the visual?
· What is the visual trying to communicate to the audience, and why?
The visual is meant to convince readers to be concerned about public education spending. It does a good job of showcasing how educators are tasked with stretching already slim funds to various educational needs across learning institutions.
Genre and Medium:
Both the genre and medium are created. The genre refers to the category of a visual. The medium refers to how it was distributed.
· What is the genre of the visual?
· What is the medium of the visual?
The genre is political cartoons. The medium was electronic.
Source:
As with written sources, one should always consider the source of a visual.
· Where is the visual from?
· Who is the creator or publisher of the visual?
· How might you determine if the creator or publisher is reputable?
The visual was initially created for Florida Today but was found on the Horace Mann League website. The creator is Jeff Parker. They are reputable because they have been published in several reputable news stations, and they don’t present any data that needs to be fact-checked.
Opposing Visual
(Fox 4 News Dallas Fort-Worth, 2018)
· How does this visual support the counterargument?
The visual supports the counterargument that school spending should not be increased because it shows a $69.9 million high school football stadium. The stadium would fit over 12,000 fans, new locker rooms, and state-of-the-art broadcast booths (FOX 4 News Dallas-Fort Worth, 2018). One could argue that this is an excessive purchase with tax-payer funds and completely unnecessary to fulfill the needs of football players, staff, and fans.
Audience:
· Who is the targeted audience? Think about where this visual was first published to consider who the audience is.
· What would this visual mean to this particular audience?
The target audience is educators and taxpayers. This visual would mean different things to each audience. This visual could frustrate educators because they could question why this school deserves such an over-the-top facility when they can’t even receive the free paper from their district. Taxpayers could question why excess funds are being allotted to one facility when multiple programs could use the funds.
Context:
· Is there any background information that can help you understand the visual and the circumstances in which the visual is communicating?
The facility is nearly 70 million dollars and can seat 12 thousand fans (FOX 4 News Dallas-Fort Worth, 2018).
Purpose:
· What is the main goal of the visual?
· What is the visual trying to communicate to the audience, and why?
The main goal of the visual is to show the grandeur of the stadium. The overhead shot shows the vastness of the field and how many people attend the game. Half of the stadium is filled with empty seats. One could question why so many seats were required for the build.
Genre and Medium:
Both the genre and medium are created. The genre refers to the category of a visual. The medium refers to how it was distributed.
· What is the genre of the visual?
· What is the medium of the visual?
The genre of the visual is a photograph. The medium of the visual is online news publications.
Source:
As with written sources, one should always consider the source of a visual.
· Where is the visual from?
· Who is the creator or publisher of the visual?
· How might you determine if the creator or publisher is reputable?
The visual was published on the FOX 4 news website and was created by an unknown photographer from that news team. The creator/publisher is credible because it’s a locally renowned news station, and the visual does not display any factual data that must be fact-checked.
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References
FOX 4 News Dallas-Fort Worth. (2018, August 18). McKinney ISD opens a new $70 million high school football stadium. FOX4news.com.
Parker, J. (2010) Educational political cartoons. Horace Mann League of the USA. https://hmleague.org/educational-political-cartoons/
Schoolaroo. (2023). 2023 state education ranking- best to worst. schoolaroo.com. https://scholaroo.com/report/state-education-rankings/