In the Star-Tribune of Monday, October 29, 2001, Star-Tribune reporter Allie Shah writes:
"Some have called her a performer who uses her confrontational style to get her point across. Others view her as a malcontent whose approach is not constructive. Meet Evelyn Eubanks..." What would Lou Gelfand say? What's this? A biased Strib reporter? I am shocked, shocked! Some have called Allie Shah a reporter who goes out of her way to please Carol Johnson, the school board directors, and the editorial board of the Strib. Some have called the Star-Tribune a newspaper that tries to credibly defend the status quo. Others view it as a newspaper that manufactures consent for policies that keep our stratified educational system stratified. Covering a school board candidates forum at Washburn High School on October 28 [printed in the October 29 issue], Allie Shah writes: "At the debate, all of the candidates agreed that the district needs to involve more community partners to help educate children." All of the candidates? Yet in the October 29 issue Shah writes: At a recent debate [the same debate covered a week earlier?], Eubanks made this pitch to the crowd: "We need a different perspective. We're asking the people who broke the system to fix it." What is Evelyn Eubanks "pitching?" A snake oil press? That's the imagery that Shah's latest writing about Eubanks evokes. Shah's write up of the other candidates in the same story has a much different tone. For example: "For years, Dennis Shapiro has followed education issues as a writer, parent and school insider. Again and Again, he's seen the same issues unfold: achievement gap, graduation rates, the struggle to get parents involved..." "..But its his experience as a guardian ad litem that fuels Schapiro's campaign philosophy: That the whole community--not just the schools--has to pitch in to meet the needs of Minneapolis Kids." Sounds like something I read in a Shapiro 4 Schools brochure. It's not surprising that the Strib Editors endorsed Dennis Shapiro. His campaign philosophy nicely complements the Strib's propaganda. The Strib likes to quote people who have nice things to say about the schools, such as "the schools are doing a pretty good job," "the schools are making progress," and so forth. It's the kids, the parents and the black community that don't have their act together. That's the Strib's line. If you don't toe it, don't expect sympathetic coverage, or an endorsement, from the Strib. - Doug Mann, King Field _______________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
