The Education of Shelby Knox is a documentary that follows Shelby Knox, a high school student in Lubbock, Texas, throughout her quest to get comprehensive sex education taught in her school district. Although the documentary shows the views of both sides in the debate (comprehensive sex education versus an abstinence-only policy) it is clear that the makers of the film are on Shelby’s side and would like to convince viewers to take the comprehensive sex education stance. Throughout the film, the three rhetorical appeals, logos, ethos, and pathos, are utilized by Shelby, although some are more persuasive than others.
Early on in the film, statistics about sexual health and teen pregnancy in Lubbock, Texas are stated. The viewer learns that both sexually transmitted infection rates and teenage pregnancy rates in Lubbock, Texas are higher than the national average. These facts represent the backbone of Shelby’s argument for comprehensive sex education and are used throughout the film in order to utilize the rhetorical appeal of logos. Shelby uses these statistics when she speaks in front of the Board of Education to show that the current abstinence-only policy in schools is not working and needs to be changed in order to account for the fact that teenagers are having sex regardless of being taught about abstinence in schools. In this battle, the logic in Shelby’s argument is very important. Because the Board of Education’s current policy is based on religious values and ideas that are not proven to be true (i.e. educating teenagers about sex will cause them to have sex), a logical argument that is supported purely by facts is needed. Shelby supports her argument with the rhetorical appeal of logos very well throughout the film and the directors of the film do a very good job at capturing it.
In order to convince people of the need for comprehensive sex education, the directors of the film need to convince viewers of Shelby’s credibility. Because Shelby is only a fifteen-year-old high school student, this task if easier said than done. One way in which the directors use the rhetorical appeal of ethos is by showing Shelby taking the “true love waits” oath with her parents and youth pastor. This shows viewers that Shelby’s push to get comprehensive sex education in schools is driven by the desire to be educated instead of ignorant and not the desire to have sex or be promiscuous. Shelby says that she has chosen to be abstinent until she is married, but even after marriage she still needs to know how to have safe sex until she is ready to start a family. Even as a fifteen-year-old, Shelby’s actions and statements show her maturity, drive to be educated, and responsibility – all the characteristics of a young adult and someone that can be trusted.
In addition to taking an offensive approach to the rhetorical appeal of ethos, directors of the film also take a defensive approach. At the end of the film it is revealed that the Lubbock Board of Education superintendent had been having an affair. Although this statement does not increase Shelby’s credibility, it does decrease the credibility of the superintendent, and ultimately the ideas that he put into action (i.e. an abstinence-only education policy). Although this is approach is sneaky and plays on the fallacies of the human mind, it is a very effective use of the appeal of ethos.
Despite the strong use of logos and ethos, I feel that The Education of Shelby Knox did not take advantage of the rhetorical appeal of pathos in their argument for comprehensive sex education in schools. Although the horrifying statistics about Lubbock, Texas might draw some emotional reaction from viewers, the majority of the film focused on showing logical reasons why comprehensive sex education is needed in schools. I believe that interviewing pregnant teenagers at Shelby’s high school and asking them if they wished they had been educated on safe sex in school would be a good starting place for using pathos in the film.
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