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15, 2014
EDUCATION
A-8
THE NEW MEXICAN
Viewpoints on education
s — together Finding solution
expect In short time, we structive criticism. presence by including seem to and personalities to expand our Web and others. Santa Fe Politics, policies news these days. but the blogs from educators Joel Boyd session this year, se — dominate education Superintendent chool is back in blog out? Starting today schoolhou Public Schools d to contributing How to sort it all ds old-fashioned, one-room — The New has already committe are most blackboar Monday, Sept. 15 g a weekly is long gone. So material, for instance. Bruce Krasnow will Mexican is publishinplan local students taking We and the idea of Assistant City Editor education page. page. Contact and paper. But by national colum- oversee the content of this tests with pencil — some say too m or articles features, @sfnewmexican.coThe New by educators, they still take tests their teachers him at bkrasnow for nists, opinion pieces and even and As education reporter lar conmany. And they administrators ever986-3034. to parents, semi-regu adapt and a to to be listing of briefs and parents have , statutes and Mexican, I expect students, and a e the weekly “Smarteducation. Are changing mandates Contact tributor and coordinat events related to has figured out Child Left Behind of briefs and events. 986-3021. transitions as No or Board” column you a teacher who exciting and the Top and then ewmexican.com becomes Race to next year … me at rnott@sfn your page. how to make algebra and on it, but it’s still to learn? Tell us Common Core Our names are us. Maybe Robert Nott fun for students Contribute. Help doublean expert at writwell, who knows? d Read it. Respond. about it. Are you for a school around the Commentary all this convolute Increasingly, schools Mexico) we can figure out ing grant proposalscommentary g New a nation (includin speak together. schoolproject? Send us grades. The push there tell us those one-room out for as teacher and are receiving A-F a past, but Oh, has led to new piece on it. Can are a thing of the secend the various meafor accountability systems that rely heavhouses, they really whether you understanvaluation score and oneroomschoolhou hold teacher evaluation I urge you to visit a neat historical resource data. Some states sures in your teacher-e It is for you? Let us know. ily on student test who can not read to their everyter.weebly.com. s, eduhow that’s working of the days when ers this parents, supporter back third-grad featuring memoriesschooling — seemed so y level. Others fight to leaders. This is a page for more expected proficienc and yes, political thing — including it hurts the student ACT, ESS, cators, students — attention and feed us notion, arguing much simpler. you to pay s — AP, SAT, want conWe and Acronym into an stay behind. articles, ideas — turn the system with information, IDEA, BOE, PED misunderstanding. alphabet soup of
S
the Dais A system that’s failing students
educational syswho fail; it is the t is not children tem that fails children. to flail away at poor results Educators continue children. Excoes of public school have gained of large percentag colleges and teachers ing methodoloriating teachers Applying wide-rang leave many them no traction. materials obviously gies and teaching d. d, perhaps students uninspire uninspire For those the fault discouraged students,ce, not MY VIEW utterly intelligen their with not interest in learning, EDWARD lies with their lack of methM. JONES not with colleges or teachingtally with , but more fundamen a odologies or materials y from which they stem, philosoph g education. the underlyin permeates public ator and conphilosophy that as teacher, administr destructive the During 34 years it painful to observeTeachers teach, sultant, I found philosophy: nature of this apparenthave I been able to engage Never ts, parents students learn. ators, other consultan teachers, administr officials or teachers’ college and state education n to consider the possibility themselves professors in discussio g assumptions mayfailure of the that those underlyin what they see as ly individual be responsible for learning is a particularclearly not students. For me, of “teaching,” and matter, not the resultmatter irrelevant to the learner. experienced in the result of subject to the teaching I the My personal reaction to conclude that me, in later years, was: “Don’t tell public school led teachers to have given message I should you and expect that it should matto me what matters in terms of my willme evaluate ter to me. And don’t to your demands.” I have always ingness to capitulatefeel fortunate to have escaped with and that had loved learning, from the very institution me. that passion intact in the business of “educating” be to educaitself the declared fail to live up to A great many students ns, not because they lack years, they tional system’s expectatio Rather, during early interest in learning. “teaching” that does not respect of tune out because spark within every person that that opportunity to flourindividuality — valued and given so many stuneeds only to be their hands because it as possible. In fact, ish. Educators wring schools as soon grade, who dents leave public tune out in third drop out who students either is those same y turned off, and later become completel and self-doubt or leave. Some ement them in another in total discourag what matters to of their selfknow they can pursue so completely divested the for settle setting; some are they ence that joy esteem and self-confid find, rather than realizing the may scraps of life they own potential. of exploring their of ignorance, intransigence or Whether because appear unwilling to evaluate learn or to look arrogance, educators in about how children they Communities their assumptions of individuality within which coordinator forlunch together to Crumpler, site 10, have closely at the natureanswers to their ongoing inability Karen Deras, Martinez, 9; Elizabeth Aguilar, 9; and intractable. From left, Maria may find profound E NEW MEXICAN Mexico; Fernanda they to date find CLYDE MUELLER/TH problem School. the ry Schools New solve Elementa attenTuesday at Salazar three siblings, their In the case of the
I
ents A lifeline for stud
s of poverty, other to alleviate effect Nonprofit works By Robert Nott The New Mexican
at Salazar Elemenast year, a teacher that three stutary School noticed chronically missdents, siblings, were they did attend, when ing school. And wore smelled and often they sometimes clothes. The teacher the same, unwashed to Elizabeth Crumpler. reported the problem d the children were Crumpler discovere in a small apartment sharing a tiny bathroommembers. Crumpler family to with nine other ty organizations worked with communi housing and new expanded family She also find the for the children. school uniforms with older youth menup hooked the kids Big Sisters program daily tors in the Big Brothers of the children’s on who stayed on top them at school attendance by meeting in with them during Mondays and checking . the week. a teacher or a counselor ities in Crumpler is not or for Commun She is a site coordinat The nonprofit grassnumSchools New Mexico. part of a growing is ion in roots organizat ty groups stepping ber of outside communideal with issues like to help school districts
L
COMMUNITIES
issues at nine public
schools
Education matters
Who’s guarding student data?
Local filmmaker dies at age 84
The New Mexican presents a new weekly page devoted to coverage of issues and opinions related to the classroom. In today’s edition, learn more about a nonprofit’s work to alleviate the effects of student poverty. PAGE A-8
There are few controls as technology companies collect a vast amount of information. PAGE A-12
Theodore J. Flicker was perhaps best known for directing and writing The President’s Analyst. PAGE A-10
IN SCHOOLS
Residents: Carriers delivering more panic than mail
Arab City plans to revisit, redraw council districts nations
offer to join fight from air
I
t was the kind of day at Santa Fe’s upscale Zocalo condominiums that gives new meaning to the term “going postal.” A debit card landed in the wrong mailbox, misplaced by a postal carrier. The high school student who was expecting the card couldn’t process and pay for his online college applications. The same student, Martin Soto, also lost an allexpense-paid trip to New York UniMilan versity because Simonich the time-sensitive travel documents Ringside Seat mailed to him were delivered to the wrong address, said his mother, Meriam Jawhar. Even in a high-tech world, where email long ago displaced the art of writing letters, the U.S. Postal Service can still be a critical part of people’s daily lives. It’s easy to forget that as you pay the cable company or the Internal Revenue Service with a few key strokes from your computer. Numerous residents of the Zocalo condominiums say they would like to forget the Postal Service altogether. In their case, it’s delivering more panic than packages. “Several years ago, I had a $1,400 check that sat in someone’s mailbox for eight or nine months. Fortunately, I was still able to cash it,” resident Alma Cassel said in recounting delivery errors. Another member of her family waited three months for a passport, unaware that it had been delivered to the wrong box. The Zocalo complex has 191 units. More than half of them are second
Please see RINGSIDE, Page A-4
Today Afternoon thunderstorms. High 80, low 53.
U.S. seeks more support, commitment on ground By David E. Sanger, Michael R. Gordon and Eric Schmitt The New York Times
District 3 City Councilor Carmichael Dominguez stands Friday in the vicinity of Airport and South Meadows roads. Dominguez, whose district includes at least 49 percent more residents than any other district, is leading the city’s latest redistricting effort. LUIS SÁNCHEZ SATURNO/THE NEW MEXICAN
Citizens’ panel to help establish new boundaries after recent annexation By Daniel J. Chacón The New Mexican
hree years after redrawing election district boundaries, the city of Santa Fe is once again taking on the politically thorny issue of redistricting. The addition of about 13,250 new residents in January as part of an annexation on the southern and western sides of the city is driving the effort. The City Council on Wednesday approved a resolution that calls for redistricting Santa Fe’s four council districts before the next municipal election in March 2016. The goal is to complete the redistricting by June 2015 before council candidates take out papers to run for office. The resolution also calls for establishing a citizens’ redistricting commission, a requirement under a charter change approved by voters during the last municipal election in March.
T
During Wednesday’s council meeting, City Councilor Patti Bushee emphasized the importance of creating an independent commission, saying “pure politics” was at play when the city redrew district boundaries in 2011. “I want complete assurances that we’re going to come up with a process that follows our new charter, that requests and requires that we [the mayor and city councilors] are completely independent from this commission,” she said. “I can just tell you that may have been one of my least favorite experiences ever serving on this council, the way we went about redistricting the last time,” Bushee added.
In the 2011 redistricting, former City Councilor Miguel Chavez was moved out of District 3, which he had represented for more than a
Please see REDRAW, Page A-5
Please see FIGHT, Page A-4
1 2
Dolores Griego, 63, Santa Fe, Sept. 11 John M. Noedel, Sept. 4 PAGE A-10
The New York Times
3
Current Santa Fe City Council districts
wrote the report. “It presents a very significant set of challenges for the policymakers.” Stagnant pay for most people has compounded the pressure on states to preserve funding for education, highways and social programs such as Medicaid. Their investments in education and infrastructure have also fueled economic growth. Yet they’re at risk without a strong flow of tax revenue. The prospect of having to raise taxes to balance a state budget is a politically delicate one. The allure of low taxes has been used by
LONDON — Following an emergency meeting Sunday with Britain’s top security and military officials to form a response to the beheading of a British aid worker by the Islamic State, Prime Minister David Cameron laid out a plan to support U.S. military action in those two countries but made no commitment to a more vigorous military role. “This is not about British combat troops on the ground,” Cameron said. “It is about working with others to extinguish this terrorist threat.” He said British Tornadoes and surveillance aircraft had been helping with logistics and intelligence-gathering in the region. Britain and the United States are among the only nations in the world that have held to a hard-line, noconcessions policy when dealing with kidnappings by terrorist groups. The execution of the aid worker, David Cawthorne Haines, was announced by the Islamic State in a video released Saturday night. It was a clear message to Britain, a vital ally of the United States as it builds an international coalition to target the Islamic State. The militant group has made
Pasapick www.pasatiempomagazine.com
Please see WEALTH, Page A-5
Please see RESPONSE, Page A-4
All-ages informal swing dance, lessons 7-8 p.m., dance 8-10 p.m., Odd Fellows Hall, 1125 Cerrillos Road, dance $3, lesson and dance $8, 473-0955. More events in Calendar, A-2 and Fridays in Pasatiempo
Calendar A-2
By Josh Boak The Associated Press
Swing dance
Index
Widening wealth gap in U.S. puts squeeze on some states S&P report says rising income disparity brings fiscal policy challenges
Classifieds B-6
WASHINGTON — Income inequality is taking a toll on state governments. The widening gap between the wealthiest Americans and everyone else has been matched by a slowdown in state tax revenue, according to a report being released Monday by Standard & Poor’s.
Comics B-12
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Crosswords B-7, B-11
Even as income for the affluent has accelerated, it’s barely kept pace with inflation for most other people. That trend can mean a doublewhammy for states: The wealthy often manage to shield much of their income from taxes. And they tend to spend less of it than others do, thereby limiting sales tax revenue. As the growth of tax revenue has slowed, states have faced tensions over whether to raise taxes or cut spending to balance their budgets as required by law. “Rising income inequality is not just a social issue,” said Gabriel Petek, the S&P credit analyst who
Education A-8
Life & Science A-9
Cameron announces response to beheading By Jenny Anderson and Rukmini Callimachi
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PAGE A-12
Obituaries
WASHINGTON — The Obama administration said Sunday that “several” Arab nations had offered to join in airstrikes against the Islamic State, but any sustained military campaign does not appear imminent, and likely will require an even more significant commitment from other nations and fighting forces in the region. In interviews and public statements, administration and military officials described a battle plan that would not accelerate in earnest until disparate groups of Iraqi forces, Kurds and Syrian rebels stepped up to provide the fighting forces on the ground. Equipping, training and coordinating that effort is a lengthy process, officials cautioned. U.S. officials have made it clear they do not want the airstrikes to get ahead of the ground action against the Islamic State, which they said would take time to mass.
El Nuevo A-7
Opinions A-11
Sports B-1
Time Out B-11
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Two sections, 24 pages 165th year, No. 258 Publication No. 596-440