Eugene weekly., April 28, 2011, Page 7, Image 7

letters
TO THE EDITOR
BTW, in non-union tours, actors are
paid below industry standard, are forced
to double up in hotel rooms (no privacy
for six months), and most don’t get health
insurance.
Carol Dennis
Eugene
GINSBERG’S ODD VIEWS
Parents and school staff in the 4J
School District have signifi cant reasons
to be concerned about a current candidate
for the School Board. Matt Ginsberg’s
own website makes some outrageous
statements about equity and achievement
(www.ginsberg4j.com). His position states
that if we try to close the achievement gap,
we will “bring the kids on the top down,”
and that students who are performing low
do so because it is merely a refl ection
of their potential. Therefore, he claims,
working to close the achievement gap is “a
mistake,” “unfair” and “ineffi cient.”
He also states that special education
teachers take money away from “the rest
of our students.” When asked about this,
in an email to me (3/10) Ginsberg stated,
“We have to cut back (special education)
because the majority of our students are
suffering.” I’m not sure what he meant
by “suffering,” but there is plenty of data
to support the contrary when comparing
students with and without disabilities
for outcomes such as graduation, drop-
out rates, employment, post-secondary
education, etc.
Ginsberg’s position is quite a
contradiction to what I believe the school
district’s goals are regarding equity and
achievement, and have an undertone of
classism, elitism and racism. He seems to
lack the understanding that his wealthy
white male privilege affords him and
his children signifi cant advantages.
His divisive tenor will not be helpful
as the school district works with a new
superintendent to reshape itself for
the future. I urge you to please vote in
opposition to his candidacy.
Andy Bracco
Eugene
EDITOR’S NOTE: Matt Ginsberg is running for Position
7 against Sherry Callahan and incumbent Mary Walston.
COVER THE NEWS
Lately it seems as though the defi nition
of “news” has dwindled down to nothing
more than a recap of whatever fad most
recently appears on YouTube or is featured
in the ever-growing blogosphere.
To go from covering a pressing topic,
tax increases for school funding, to
reviewing a quartet of hipster women
and documenting the fun time had at a
cupcake shop makes me question the
viewpoint
validity of the Weekly. How is a feature on
indie rockers Warpaint cover-story news
(3/31)? Of course it is interesting to learn
these women recently performed in the
town two are originally from, but column
after column on how they love to laugh?
And the recounting of their love for Hall
& Oates? That is back-page blurb-worthy
at best. Meanwhile, features regarding
CALC’S MLK reading and the possible
plastic bag banning are absent from the
issue’s cover — probably to make room
for the noting of a Sucker Punch review.
With so many events to focus upon,
the extensive report on Warpaint draws
parallels to the rest of America’s most-
recent interest. Last month Rebecca Black
informed millions that “Friday comes
before Saturday,” and her video-count
skyrocketed overnight. But while her 15
minutes continued, 10 U.S. soldiers were
lost in an Iraq suicide bombing, and little
could be found online.
Perhaps features on all-girl bands
and 13-year-olds who know the days
of the week are fun, but they’d be more
appreciated shortened and towards the
paper’s end.
Courtnee Stagner
Eugene
EDITOR’S NOTE: We like to mix things up, and who
knows — perhaps humanity’s survival relies as much on
the arts as on politics.
IT’S UP TO YOU
The opening of a new grain grinder
in the south Willamette Valley is the best
Earth Day news I’ve heard in a month.
Now our community can consume wheat
fl our and other grain grown by our
neighboring farmers.
However, Earth Day has been co-opted
by big business, agencies and utilities to
greenwash themselves and to switch the
burden to saving our climate and biosphere
to the average citizen.
It is now the average family’s respon-
sibility to stop emitting carbon and tox-
ics into the environment. Corporations,
utilities, agencies and the universities have
done all they can to save our biosphere
so now it’s up to you. It doesn’t matter
that you don’t have a job to pay for a new
$20,000 hybrid car, or a new $3,000 heat
pump, or a $10,000 solar electric system,
or $7,000 solar water heater. It’s all up to
you now.
Shannon Wilson
Eugene
LETTERS POLICY: We welcome letters on all topics and
will print as many as space allows, with priority given to
timely local issues. Please limit length to 200 words, keep
submissions to once a month, and include your address
and phone number for our files. E-mail to letters@
eugeneweekly.com fax to 484-4044, or mail to 1251
Lincoln, Eugene 97401.
BY ANNE BRIDGMAN
High-stakes Election
Don’t believe the disinformation campaign
E
ugene schools have cut $50 million in the last three years as state
funds have shrunk. They’re set to cut a whopping $30 million more
next fall, unless our community steps up to do something. Without
more funding, kids will lose one to two weeks of school and class sizes will
skyrocket. Some kindergartens are slated to have more than 30 students.
Some high school classes are expected to have more than 50.
Hard to believe, but true. The good news is, we can stop this in May.
Eugene voters can vote yes on Measure 20-182 and stop the worst of
these cuts from hitting kids and damaging our ability to attract great folks
to Eugene because of our schools.
Kids need everyone to vote yes. The stakes are high. We also need to stop
the disinformation being spread about Measure 20-182. Here are the facts:
We don’t need to wait for the state to fi x the problem.
As Oregon has cut school funding, the state hasn’t done its share for
kids. Because of the current $3.5 billion shortfall in the state budget, Salem
isn’t going to step up anytime soon. There’s no reason the local community
can’t take care of our own 23,000 school kids.
The measure’s revenue will go only to classrooms. Strict
accountability is written into the measure.
The funding can be used for only two things: restoring cut instructional
days and limiting increases in class sizes. The measure legally requires that
the money be used only for that, and the city and school districts will enter
into legally binding agreements to that effect. Moreover, the districts have
to report to an independent citizens committee yearly to make sure they use
the funds properly.
The cost to implement the tax is small.
Collection costs are estimated at 5 percent of the total, based on a similar
tax in Multnomah County.
The measure is temporary.
There’s no renewal in the measure. Opponents claim the City Council could
suddenly change that and make it permanent. Of course it’s within the council’s
power to pass any ordinance they want at any time — they could tax bananas
next week. But it took hundreds of citizens lobbying the council to get this on
the ballot. Any renewal would require a similar huge grassroots effort.
Measures 66 and 67 helped solve this problem, but they were
temporary.
They helped as they were intended, and bought back many days of school,
but Measures 66 and 67 were temporary. What will happen next year? The
enormous state cuts for next year require action now.
This measure is fair to working families, and it protects the poor.
The funding is moderate and progressive, and it exempts the lowest
incomes. A working family with an adjusted gross income of $50,000 (after
deductions) would pay only $120 a year — that’s about 33 cents a day, a
worthwhile investment in our community’s future.
Kids who live outside Eugene city limits need education, too.
No policy is perfect. For example, many large corporations in Oregon get
huge tax breaks, paying almost nothing for schools. But are we going to let
a philosophical argument about Oregon tax law stop us from helping our
kids? We need all of Eugene’s schools and children to succeed.
If this measure doesn’t pass, our kids and our city will feel a big impact.
If Measure 20-182 doesn’t pass, the districts will lay off more than 100
teachers, cut programs, and shorten an already-short school year. If we do
nothing, our youngest kids will have an average of more than 30 children
per class; middle-school kids will have an average of 35 children per class;
and high-school classes will average in the upper 30s to 40s. This is not the
way to educate children. Furthermore, kids will lose one to two weeks of
school — and our school year is already the second shortest in the nation.
This is not a maybe — this is certain. This is our chance to help our schools
and our kids for the coming school years.
Anne Bridgman is a freelance writer/editor in Eugene and a peace activist. She and her husband have a
daughter in the 4J school system.
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EUGENE WEEKLY APRIL 28, 2011 7