The Times Makes Me Dizzy
Over at the Times, they have written an editorial supporting Ref 74, protecting gay marriage rights. I personally say, Yay! I will have been married 29 years tomorrow and I want all people who want to get married to have the joys, pain (sometimes more like irritation/annoyance) and slogging that marriage brings to have that right. They deserve the legal protections, without carrying some card around, that marriage brings.
That said, the Times used to be against gay marriage. Hmm.
In yet another whiplash moment, here's a headline from the Times:
The Overselling of Charter Schools
It's from 2001. The Times then did like some form of charters and said:
(He left that to former City Attorney Tim Ceis who got some details wrong. Mr. Ceis claimed that charter teachers can join SEA or any other union or create their own. Wrong. They can ONLY create a union at their school. I took the relevant section of the initiative to him and he promptly said I misheard him. I told him no, he said that. He got very upset and said I was wrong. A teacher who also heard him say that asked him about it and he said she was wrong. Well, there was someone videotaping the event and we'll put that up soon to keep everyone honest.)
But back to the Times:
"Charter schools should always be accountable to school boards, and the system should build in a reasonable amount of oversight."
Well, that's odd because I-1240 does NOT have accountability to school boards. I wonder what happened to that idea.
Sometimes it is hard to take the Times Editorial Board seriously.
That said, the Times used to be against gay marriage. Hmm.
In yet another whiplash moment, here's a headline from the Times:
The Overselling of Charter Schools
It's from 2001. The Times then did like some form of charters and said:
But charter schools running willy-nilly with too few restrictions and too little oversight is a recipe for troubles showing up Arizona, Texas and Michigan.Well Times, the Yes folks - and you - are NOT being "painfully honest". In fact, at the 37th Rep Eric Pettigrew ran as fast and as far away as he could from any specific details of 1240.
The Texas House of Representatives has passed a bill calling for a two-year moratorium on new charter schools. Several schools have shut down after their leaders ran out of money or left town.
While many charters in Arizona and Michigan are working well, the problems at other charter schools cry out for more oversight and control, U.S. News & World Report reported in an exhaustive, stinging review of charters schools.
Many charter schools don't have labs and libraries. Basic classroom supplies are lacking. Too often, enrollment numbers submitted to claim state funds differ dramatically from real attendance.
Next time a bill or an initiative surfaces in Washington, and one will, backers have to be painfully honest. Charter schools are a lot like other public schools. Some work, some don't.
(He left that to former City Attorney Tim Ceis who got some details wrong. Mr. Ceis claimed that charter teachers can join SEA or any other union or create their own. Wrong. They can ONLY create a union at their school. I took the relevant section of the initiative to him and he promptly said I misheard him. I told him no, he said that. He got very upset and said I was wrong. A teacher who also heard him say that asked him about it and he said she was wrong. Well, there was someone videotaping the event and we'll put that up soon to keep everyone honest.)
But back to the Times:
"Charter schools should always be accountable to school boards, and the system should build in a reasonable amount of oversight."
Well, that's odd because I-1240 does NOT have accountability to school boards. I wonder what happened to that idea.
Sometimes it is hard to take the Times Editorial Board seriously.
Comments
She responded, “Of course we’re trying to influence the election. We try to influence issues every day...The constant drumbeat is what makes the editorial page work.”
Varner provided some links to anti charter articles they published last winter, but I suggested they need a more balanced view closer to the election. So far it has been a one sided argument.
I would suggest that readers send in testimonials to the Times about the actual impact of charters in other states. I know they cherry pick students and often perform no better than public schools. If this message does not get out then figure the Times will win this election.
They could not get the SPS Board of Directors or Superintendent that they wanted, so the Times will push charter schools on us unless the general public gets out the other side of this story.
GK, Seattle parent
TheTruth
-- Ivan Weiss
NB I'm still working as hard as I can to defeat charters. And it was an awful lot of fun to follow Ceis at a public presentation and demolish every one of his arguments in turn.
-reader.
I understand and greatly appreciate the ability to write anonymously as a blog commenter, but doesn't it seem like "official" positions touted by a major newspaper should have attributions? Especially when it's a "constant drumbeat". The whole thing is weird and smells bad.
** Fed up w/ Times teacher**
I have one suggestion, though. Let's stop using the apparent success of the marriage equality campaign as our flogging boy. Marriage equality is an overdue civil rights issue. It has nothing to do with charter schools. I think if we keep referencing it, it subliminally feeds into this kind of crazy notion of rationed justice--that there's only so much of it to go around and if we can't get a taste of it, it's just so unfair that those marriage equality folks can.
We are not waifs with an empty bowl trembling at a vat of justice porridge and asking, "Please, sir, I want some more."
The charter school issue can stand on its own two legs. People need to get out there and educate the voters and they need to do it now!
Editorial: Seattle School Board should continue work to restore public trust
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