David Brauer wrote: > So Michael is using the most negative example to make a > general point. Not fair. The Strib did say "in some cases." > > BUT WAIT! I usually disagree with Michael on this forum, but > I AGREE with him on the more important point here.
There was only really one major point: The information provided by the Tribune was used to make a bogus inference. > Then I would've spiked the chart - for as Michael astutely > notes, the test passing rate comparison is essentially bogus. > States can define their own passing level (the Strib acknowledges > this in a footnote), and one of No Child Left Behind's [NCLB] flaws is > that several have "defined success downward" so more schools and > kids will "pass." I also agree that one of major flaws of NCLB was that it failed to establish national standards and definitions for education. Clinton had wanted national standards, but they would have been impossible to get though Congress. The Republicans want "local" control and the teachers unions don't want comparisons made between teachers and schools. > Michael asked how this junk got in the newspaper. Speaking > from experience, editorialists sometimes get carried away > making their case. That's why [insert higher power here] made > editors. They didn't do their job in this case. I might be willing to believe this if the Tribune didn't have a history of biasing the news to support its own agenda (just my opinion). > To be fair to the Strib, the chart at least makes me curious > about Atlanta. So....anyone from Atlanta care to comment on > whether we should take any lessons that city? I don't think that this chart should make you curious about much, other than how a major media outlet could report such trash. The "Atlanta Advantage" (as opposed to the "Texas Miracle") could be nothing more than a lower cost of living, social promotion, and lower standards. I suppose that it would be interesting to know if there really is an "advantage," but I would still want to know why the Tribune published this. I think that they need to follow-up and explain their error. I don't believe that it's responsible journalism to leave Minneapolis residents with the impression that statistics prove that the MPS are on par with other districts when they have one of the largest achievement gaps in the country. There's a disconnect with reality here. If I was really paranoid I'd suspect that they were trying to maintain the status quo by preventing African-Americans families from abandoning the schools that are failing their children. Or...maybe they're refuting the need for radical change just before an election, or biasing voters into believing that the only problem is a lack of funding and it's not really the DFL dominated school board. Michael Atherton Prospect Park REMINDERS: 1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
