10A
THE DAILY ASTORIAN • WEDNESDAY, APRIL 8, 2015
Submitted photo
On his trip to China and Xi’an No. 85 Middle School, Astoria High School Principal Lynn Jackson said he witnessed highly dedicated students in an unparalleled high-stakes testing environment.
China: As part of the exchange, eight Chinese principals will visit the US
Continued from Page 1A
Under pressure
“The pressure of that sum-
mative test … drives all instruc-
tion at the high school,” Jackson
said, relaying his observations
of placards at the front of class
with a gaokao countdowns and
students leaving school late at
night after studying.
He said he might have had
a skewed perspective, No. 85
being a high-level school where
many parents are profession-
als and many children study at
internationally prestigious uni-
versities — akin to using Jesuit
High School, a private Catholic
high school in Portland, to look
at Oregon’s educational sys-
tem. During his trip to Xi’an,
Jackson sat down several times
with students, who conveyed the
pressures they face to make it to
class under any circumstance
and study harder than other stu-
dents.
“One student said ‘we don’t
have dreams,’” Jackson said,
adding an administrator told him
about the problem in universi-
ties, where students who have
managed to pass the gaokao of-
ten lack direction.
The teachers aren’t pushy or
overly demanding, Jackson said
students told him, but rather, it’s
more of a societal issue.
“There’s a human element
to this,” he said, conveying the
immense pride and emotion felt
by students and parents during
a coming-of-age ceremony he
compared to graduation day in
the U.S.
In a country of 1.3 billion,
Jackson said a principal queried
him, how can educators equita-
EO\ ¿QG WKH FUHDP RI WKH FURS
without testing?
Best of both worlds
The New York Times article
reported how Chinese schools
are trying, albeit with resistance,
to lower the reliance on the ga-
okao and expand curriculum.
Jackson said he sees a middle
ground between the discipline
of China’s schools and students,
and the creativity of America’s.
Along with Xi’an No. 85,
Jackson visited several univer-
sities and a Juilliard-like arts
school, the Shaanxi Vocational
College of Arts.
Along with shadowing edu-
cators at various schools, he vis-
ited ancient monuments around
Xi’an and the Shaanxi province,
including the Terracotta Army,
the Shaanxi History Museum,
the Xi’an Bell Tower in the
center of the city and the Qian-
ling Mausoleum. Jackson also
visited the Great Wall of China,
Beijing, the Forbidden City and
other national monuments. The
China Exchange Initiative cov-
ered much of the cost, and Jack-
son paid for his airfare.
As part of the Ore-
gon-Shaanxi exchange, eight
Chinese principals will travel to
the U.S. later this year. Jackson
said Principal Wu from Xi’an
No. 85 will be among the group.
Submitted photo
Principal Lynn Jackson said that amid high-stakes test-
ing, he was consistently reminded of the humanity of
Chinese students, seen here learning about the Astoria
Column. Jackson also brought gliders from Astoria.
Letter: Judge is expected to rule on defense’s request at next hearing
who have not been inundated
with unnecessary and negative
publicity.”
In addition, the defense’s
motion stated Marquis’ com-
plaints have been brought up
multiple times in previous
court cases and to continually
raise the same issues wastes
court resources and interferes
with Smith’s efforts to conduct
the litigation in a timely man-
ner.
“Numerous and repeat-
ed complaints by the state,
Continued from Page 1A
Marquis’ letter asked the
FRXUWWRVHWD¿UPGHDGOLQHRI
May 1 for providing witness
names and statements and that
an upcoming hearing May 12
be turned into a status hearing
to determine when the state
can expect to receive discov-
ery from the defense.
Smith, 41, is accused of
aggravated murder and at-
tempted aggravated murder
for allegedly drugging and
murdering her 2-year-old
daughter and attempting to kill
her 13-year-old daughter in a
Cannon Beach hotel July 31.
,Q WKH PRWLRQ ¿OHG 0RQ-
day, Smith’s defense claimed
Marquis’ letter is an improper
pleading and in violation of
Oregon Uniform Trial Court
Rules.
The defense is asking the
court to strike the letter from
WKH FRXUW ¿OHV DQG WR KDYH
0DUTXLVFHDVHVXFK¿OLQJVWKH
motion stated.
whether by letter or by prop-
HUO\ ¿OHG SOHDGLQJV VKRXOG
not be condoned or allowed
when they argue the same is-
sues previously ruled upon by
this court,” Falls and Morgan
wrote.
The motion also points out
the state carries the burden of
proof, not the defense.
“A criminal defendant, as I
have known even before going
to law school, has an absolute
right not to testify and in fact,
to not present any evidence or
put on any defense,” Falls and
Morgan wrote.
The next scheduled hearing
in the case is 11:15 a.m. April
17, when Judge Matyas is ex-
pected to rule on the defense’s
request to strike the letter.
“I expect to address these
issues at the hearing on April
17,” Marquis said. “The state
GLGQRW¿OHDPRWLRQZHVHQW
a letter to the court asking that
the May 12 date be turned to
a status hearing. I expect that
is what we will be discussing.”
Daily Astorian file
Jessica Smith, appears with her attorneys William Falls,
back, and Lynne Morgan, foreground at the Clatsop
County Courthouse for a status hearing Jan. 22. Smith is
charged with aggravated murder and attempted aggravat-
ed murder in the drowning death of her 2-year-old and cut-
ting the throat of her teenage daughter in Cannon Beach.
“The District Attorney’s
letter to the court and to de-
fense counsel serves no pur-
pose other than the harassment
of Ms. Smith and her counsel,”
Falls and Morgan wrote. “The
District Attorney’s intent to
publicly disparage Ms. Smith
DQGKHUFRXQVHOE\¿OLQJVXFK
letter as a trial pleading is ob-
vious and such tactics only
serve to deny to Ms. Smith the
constitutional rights of a fair,
unprejudiced trial with jurors
CMH Urgent Care in Warrenton
Open daily, 9am-6:30pm
1639 SE Ensign Lane (near Staples and Petco)
503-338-4500 t www.cmhurgentcare.org
Bridge: The Riverfront Vision
Plan was adopted in 2009
ervation Society, questioned
what lessons the Planning
But in other sections over Commission learned from a
the river in Uniontown, new town hall meeting in Union-
buildings could be up to 35 town in January where public
feet high and 150 feet wide, sentiment was overwhelming-
with 40-foot corridors spaced ly opposed to greater develop-
in between to preserve views. ment.
On shore, new buildings
Matt Hastie, a city plan-
could be 35 feet high — or ning consultant, said public
up to 45 feet with stepbacks feedback from the town hall
— with view corridors in be- LQÀXHQFHG WKH UHFRPPHQGD-
tween.
tion to restrict development
The Bridge Vista phase near the bridge and west of
would also involve rezoning Second Street. “We certainly
property on shore to allow for heard a lot of testimony from
an expanded range of commer- folks who would like to see
cial and residential uses and a very little to nothing allowed
pedestrian-friendly district.
over water,” he said.
The 5-0 vote by the Plan-
“We’re implementing the
ning Commission sent Bridge Riverfront Vision Plan. We’re
Vista to the Astoria City not going back and revising
Council, which is expected to the recommendations from
review the blueprint in May.
that plan. That plan basically
talks about a balance of pro-
Multiyear project
tecting views in some areas,
The Riverfront Vision allowing a certain amount of
Plan, adopted in 2009, is a overwater development in
four-phase project to better other areas, that’s what we’re
shape land use and develop- trying to balance.”
PHQWDORQJWKHULYHU7KH¿UVW
Hastie said the Bridge
leg — the Civic Greenway Vista proposal would prevent
phase between 16th Street and certain development over the
41st Street — was approved river, such as residential units
by the City Council last year. or hotels, that had provoked
Bridge Vista in Uniontown public concern.
ZDV LGHQWL¿HG DV D SRWHQWLDO
Dave Pearson, the presi-
location for new develop- dent of the Planning Commis-
ment, including development sion, characterized the Bridge
over the river, but has become Vista recommendations as “a
WKH ODWHVW ÀDVKSRLQW IRU SUHV- lot of compromises. But there
ervationists who want little or are a lot of steps forward that
no growth on the river.
we simply do not have right
Ted Osborn, the president now.
of the Lower Columbia Pres-
“So, to me, this is I think
Continued from Page 1A
the best possible balance that
we have to send to the City
Council for consideration.”
Commissioner Jan Mitch-
ell said she had been very
concerned about develop-
ment pressures along the river
before the recession stalled
growth. At the time, the city
did not have the kind of land
use restrictions now in place
along the Civic Greenway and
possible in the Bridge Vista
phase.
“No plan is perfect,” she
said, “but I think it is a huge
step in the right direction and
leaves this community less
vulnerable to being taken over
by corporations that really
don’t know much about how
ZHVHHRXUVHOYHVDVD¿VKLQJ
village, or as a river commu-
nity, or whatever.”
Commission Vice Pres-
ident McLaren Innes and
Commissioners Sean Fitzpat-
rick and Kent Easom joined
Pearson and Mitchell in vot-
ing in favor of the recommen-
dations. Commissioners Dar-
yl Moore and Frank Spence
were excused.
Some residents want the
city to do more to discourage
development along the river
and will likely pressure the
City Council to add further
restrictions before approving
the Bridge Vista segment.
“This is not a Bridge Vista
plan,” Juanita Price, a retired
librarian, told the Planning
Commission. “This is a bridge
blackout plan.”
Urgent Care in Warrenton
With shorter wait times.
We’re here when you need care now
When you need healthcare now, come to CMH Urgent Care
in Warrenton and Astoria. With onsite x-ray and lab services,
you’ll be on the road to recovery soon.
$.)6SHFOU$BSF
t Works with most insurances, including Medicare and
Medicaid.
t Provides onsite lab and x-ray services.
t Cares for people of all ages.
&YDIBOHF4USFFU"TUPSJB0SFHPOt
XXXDPMVNCJBNFNPSJBMPSHt"1MBOFUSFF%FTJHOBUFE)PTQJUBM