EDITORIAL
School board says
no on Measure 15
The Eugene School Board tested brave waters when
it voted to oppose Ballot Measure 15. the so-called "Kids
First” initiative. We salute the board’s decision.
And University students, faculty members and admin
istrators should I jo grateful.
If passed. Ballot Measure 15 would force the state to
maintain current funding levels for education in grades
K-12 and community colleges. Higher education and any
state-funded program for children younger than kinder
garten age are not included.
The measure is backed by the Oregon Education Asso
ciation, as well as BO percent of school board members
from around the state who were polled at a recent
regional conference. Its opponents include University
President Have Frohnmayer and the Oregon Student
Lobby.
Eugene School Board members realize the world
doesn’t end and begin in grades K-12 and voted unani
mously to oppose the measure at a meeting two weeks
ago. School board members say tho measure, which is
being sold to votors as a "Kids First" initiative, is actu
ally a stop backward for education and child develop
morn.
Members of the school board were able to look past a
measure, which some view as a salvation for public edu
cation. in order to look out for the good of the entire sys
tem And they are able to point out valid reasons to
oppose this measure going beyond the simple argu
ment that higher education isn't included.
Any benefits gained at the public education level by
Ballot Measure 15 are seriously offset by cuts that will be
suffered in other areas. The measure could force other
institutions, including public colleges and universities,
to take cuts of up to 30 percent. Social service programs,
such as those aimed at protecting juveniles and helping
the homeless, will face a serious loss.
And programs aimed specifically at preparing chil
dren for education could bo cut. The school board
should he supported in its argument that education
means much more than grade school or high school.
What good does locking -in funds for schools do. when
the program kids need to get there could be eliminated?
Philip Barnhart, a school board member, opposes the
measure because it really won’t provide more money for
schools. He doesn’t see a gain for public education from
lea king funds, even for grades K-12 and community col
leges. Setting a minimum for funding usually means set
ting a maximum.
Barnhart and other school board members can see how
irresponsible this measure is and their views need to be
recognized. Straying from the popular vote might be dif
ficult from some school boards, especially at a time
when everyone agrees that something needs to be done
to step-up funding for education.
But Eugene School Board members are willing to look
past the quick-fix solution. They put themselves in the
positions of others who would suffer from the measure.
The school board should be applauded for considering
the welfare of the entire state.
Oregon Doily
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■ OPINION
An alarming way to get a story
The rules for filing a good sto
ry in comparison with a great
story vary from newspaper to
newspaper, loumalism. to some,
knows no bounds.
Suppose the editor of the Ore
gort Daily Emerald wants a pho
tograph of the latest equipment
available to Engine Company 3
on Agate Street. The editor pulls
a fire alarm at the EMU, and with
in minutes, E3 is on the scene
The photographer on staff is then
instructed to get out there ami
take a picture.
Sound impossible? In Now
York City, anything goes Ruth
llalikman, a student at Colombia
University, pulled a false alarm
and sent a photographer to take
a photo of the new truck arriving
at the school
Her action reflected the attitude
that she was above the lavs,
revealing an immature arrogance
bordering on stupidity. She
thought she could get away w ith
something generally regarded as
a common-sense no-no.
Besides the fad that no student
at this University would do some
thing us stupid as that, the Emer
ald staff does not advocate prac
ticing professional suicide!
When the wlitor in chief at the
Columbia Daily Spectator
allegedly pulled a false fire alarm
Sunday, Oc t '), just so one of her
photographers could get a shot of
a new fire truck, many questions
— including why — arose.
At the Emerald, in a situation
like tins, editors expect from a
reporter or from themselves that:
1 Reporters will call the fire
department and ask for permis
sion to take a picture for the
newspaper.
1. If the fire station can't give
permission for a photo, call city
hall Ask an official there for \>v.r
mission.
3. Follow the fire truck It's in
the public domain, and unless a
police officer prevents media
ac cess, a reporter can get a shot
of the truck being used at a fire
4 Call the manufacturer. Get
the truck's make and ask for a
publicity photo, if all else fails
Avne Moser-Kornfeld
Assuming the Spectator lives
by the golden rule, "Get the sto
ry at any cost.” the editor could
have been trying to follow
through on what she thought was
the right protocol.
On Monday morning, though,
she found herself writing a letter
of resignation on the advice of her
managing editor.
The photographer taking the
pictures also agreed to leave the
paper hut denied knowing about
the false alarm Later in the
week, the Spectator printed an
editorial explaining how its edi
tor got scorched
She may have been following
up on what she heard was a hot
lip
Probably, since guessing is all
that can be done in this cose,
what happened is the editor at
Columbia, besides not thinking
that setting olf a fire alarm was
against the law, also didn't know
how to tell her employers she
wanted to quit her job.
She may have forgotten how
she could iiave resigned from her
job in a more dignified manner.
Yeah, that's it, and her status
in a society that doesn’t want
women to succeed undermined
her self-esteem so that she was
compelled to nr t in this manner.
Uh-huh.
better yet. the job stress from
being editor of the paper at a pres
tigious Kastem school may rank
really high. In a school where stu
dents are expected to have a CPA
of at least 3.0 to meet admission
standards, well, that would mean
the competition just over
whelmed the editor's ability to
make a rational decision.
Right.
OK. so her action was. at liest,
unexpected. Or simply, dumb
She was able to leave behind
job pressure and unlimited stress
Sho was ultimately asked to
resign. Columbia may Tile disci
plinary charges against her.
Halikman left the city for the
weekend Ixifore the fire marshals
could talk with her further
By falsely reporting an inci
dent, she could be placed under
arrest, charged with a misde
meanor and punished with a fine
to be decided by a judge.
No matter what gets covered in
this paper, no matter how the
staff prepares stories and no mat
ter how opinionated the opinions
get. the standard of excellence
stays within the boundaries of the
law.
Most University students know
the difference between activating
a fire alarm that alerts a fire
department to an emergency and
activating an alarm ultimately
determined to lw a prank. When
Halikman pulled the alarm, the
vehicle became unavailable in the
event of an actual emergency. He
ating an unnecessary risk Kor
that, iter actions shouldn't be
looked upon lightly.
The choice between living in a
i ity like Now York, where stu
dents claim ignorance as an
excuse for pulling a fire alarm,
and living here, where there is
a greater appreciation for com
munity safety vs. cutthroat ambi
tion. seems clear.
But Mnlikman made a point,
one students nationwide can find
amusing. She gave students a
chance to find something truly
funny to laugh at during the
beginning of the school year.
Still, if anyone is looking for
work, can serve as a qualified edi
tor. and wants to spend time in
New York, it's early enough in
the school year to consider a
move. The Spectator has a job
opening — no doubt the paper
will be taking applications soon.
Anne Moser Kornfeld is a
columnist for the Emerald