Herald is fanning fires of school controversy
Evidence supporting the notion that the Herald is willfully fanning fires between Durango High School and Animas High School is mounting. The Herald published an AP article entitled, “Idaho charter, conventional schools compete,” (April 8). “It segregated the community,” said Holly Church, a teacher quoted in the article.
On May 22, the Herald wrote, in part, “ Projections from district officials call for a loss of more than 200 students when AHS opens.” The Herald ex¬plained this erroneous figure by claiming that research time was limited.
On May 24, the Herald “corrected” this with two sentences that read, in part, “9-R announced that 19 employees will not have jobs this fall. Most of the layoffs are at DHS, which is projected to lose more than 200 students in part because of the opening of AHS.”
On June 7, the Herald featured a picture of empty seats with the headline, “ Class half full. New charter school drains funding, students from DHS.”
Journalistic sensationalism prevents the public from being knowledgeable participants in important discussions. Distorted reporting can generate false hopes and unwarranted fears. Because democracies rely on an informed citizenry to debate and decide among choices, sensationalism threatens effective involvement. It is easier to report superficial controversies than conduct and report deeper analyses. The complexity of a matter sometimes is sacrificed for the expediency of a simple and gripping story.
Most people support choice, and therefore support more than one free, public high school in Durango – regardless of where they have or intend to send their children.
I challenge the Herald to raise its journalistic bar by devoting time to investigation and analysis. This community has not had the opportunity to read what Bill Gates or The George Lucas Educational Foundation has said about the curricular model used at AHS. Provide us with information to make educated choices, not hyperbole.
Peter S. Fazekas, Durango
Money should follow students, not schools
Those opposed to the Animas High School opening because they fear it will cost Durango High School jobs and money are missing the point entirely. DHS does not exist to provide jobs and spend money. It exists to educate our children. Competition with Animas High School about where students and parents want to attend gives parents a choice of what is best for their children. If a student leaves DHS because the school is not meeting his or her needs to attend AHS, then the tax money should follow them.
Those on the left claim to be “pro choice,” but where education is involved, they do not seem so. They demand that one size fit all.
Robert Marks, Bayfield
