From Sixth Grade to the Shoe Factory - Essay Example

RESPONSE TO FROM SIXTH GRADE TO THE SHOE FACTORY The plight of the zorritas is chronicled in Vicente’s personal story, and illustrates the lagging set of legal and moral standards in Mexico when compared to that of the US and other more modern countries in the West. The moral issues at hand are whether or not a boy Vicente’s age should be out of school and working an eight hour day, the fairness of his compensation, and whether or not he is in a safe work environment. As a sixth grade graduate, Vicente has completed the state requirements for his education, and by law is not required to continue his education regardless of the value of doing so.

It appears morally deficient that he should be expected to begin working at lesser pay than an adult, but the benefits outweigh the immediate costs. His financial contribution to his family and his own savings are much more helpful than continuing to go to school and depriving himself and his family of the 180,000 pesos a week that benefit the greater whole. This is wise, and a morally valid decision on the part of his family. However, Vicente is robbed of his childhood as well as his potential to develop intellectually which could lead to far better paying jobs.

Nonetheless, this cannot be proven. The primary moral violation is that he is exposed to toxic glues and thus his health condition suffers. His employer should be responsible for ensuring the factory does not hurt Vicente’s health, as they are not only harming a human life but also could cripple their own workforce. On the whole, the factory should ensure that zorritas are safe and healthy by seeking alternative products or insisting that the producers of the glue do something about their own product’s safety, as these will likely have long-term effects on the zorritas that will lead to poor health, reduced income, and harm to their families.