The Times Doubles Down for Charters

Let's review the Times coverage of the Washington charter school law this week.

On the charter law court ruling, they manage to confuse readers with two different headlines but settled on one that makes it sound like it was upheld but " questions remain."    Then, they only quote the pro-charter side  (going to their go-to source, Lisa Macfarlane).   They do quote the plaintiffs' lawyer but that's not the same as going to sources who oppose charters (like some of the actual plaintiffs).

Next comes Lynne Varner and other mistake-ridden education opinion along with her usual shot at the teachers' union.

First, she hilariously says that Judge Rietschel's opinion is "antiquated" because it comes from our "constitutional framers."  (I'm guessing that she would never agree with Supreme Court justice Scalia who is a strict constitutionalist.)  The problem is that we have the Constitution that exists and until that is changed, she's stuck with it.

Then it's a poke at the WEA:

For all of the bellyaching by charter opponents about the need for more money for education, my guess is they will find plenty of cash to continue fighting charters.

What?  The WEA's money is to be used in support of their teachers.  That they use the money to fight measures they believe are not good for teachers AND public education is their right.  The WEA does NOT fund education so her juxtaposition of their money with state funding for education is puzzling.

She then puts in a doozy of a mistake (that Charlie was quick to point out) :

Meanwhile, the Washington State Charter Schools Association continues to review 21 applications vying to become one of eight charter schools that can open in fall 2014.

Again, what?  I note she doesn't say this group will decide but writing it like this would leave any reader to believe that group is the one who will make the decisions.  

No, it's the Wasington State Charter Commission that will decide. The group she names is a Gates-funded cheerleader group for charters.  And they won't be responsible to review anything.  The Charter Commission and the lone school district authorizer, Spokane, will decide who is approved.  (The link goes to the Charter Association, not the Commission so it is a clear mistake that has still not been corrected.)

The Times just doesn't care if they are factual or fair.