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THE ASTORIAN • TuESdAy, JANuARy 7, 2020
OPINION
editor@dailyastorian.com
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OUR VIEW
Farmers right to be skeptical
T
he results of a study of
stakeholder attitudes
regarding the proposed
breaching of Snake River dams
were hardly surprising, but agri-
cultural interests say the docu-
ment may serve to educate propo-
nents of the complexities the issue
presents.
We can only hope so.
The study was recommended by
a task force on reviving the orca
population in Puget Sound. Scien-
tists blame a declining orca popu-
lation on a lack of Chinook salmon
for the killer whales to eat.
All Snake River salmon runs are
federally threatened or endangered
species. Washington Gov. Jay Ins-
lee and the Legislature supported
the $750,000 study to catalog dif-
ferent perspectives on breaching
the dams as a way to increase fish
runs.
The preliminary study rep-
resents the views of farmers, tribes,
environmentalists, fishermen, ship-
pers and government officials.
Breaching the dams would make
it impossible to ship grain down
the Snake River. Loss of water
impounded by the dams would
impact irrigation on thousands of
acres of farmland, and the loss of
electricity generated by the dams
would increase the cost of pump-
ing groundwater.
Proponents of breaching the
dams have suggested that subsidies
to farmers could be built into the
multibillion dollar price tag.
“It is important to make agricul-
AP Photo
The Ice Harbor dam on the Snake River near Burbank.
ture ‘whole,’ so farmers do not suf-
fer significant economic losses if
the dams are breached,” the study
reported.
But, according to the study,
farmers don’t believe they will be
made whole.
Farmers are worried about
being “at the mercy of railroads”
that would take over shipping and
skeptical about switching to crops
that use less water, according to
the study.
Washington Grain Commission
CEO Glen Squires said he appre-
ciated that the report’s writers cap-
tured different views on breaching
the dams.
“I think they genuinely listened
and began to realize this whole
thing is more complicated than
meets the eye,” he said. “It’s not
as easy as giving a farmer a nickel,
dime, 20 cents a bushel — case
solved.”
Indeed, it is complicated. The
livelihoods of farmers, barge oper-
ators, deck hands, dock workers
and the vendors who support them
hang in the balance. The loudest
proponents of breaching the dams
seem to have the least personally
at stake.
We don’t know anyone who is
against saving the whales or the
salmon if the real human costs
and impacts can be realistically
addressed. Count us as skeptical
that could ever be the case.
THE LIVELIHOOdS OF FARMERS, BARGE OPERATORS, dECK HANdS, dOCK WORKERS
ANd THE VENdORS WHO SuPPORT THEM HANG IN THE BALANCE. THE LOudEST PROPONENTS
OF BREACHING THE dAMS SEEM TO HAVE THE LEAST PERSONALLy AT STAKE.
GUEST COLUMN
Some New Year’s ideas on education
I
’ve never been one to make New
Year’s resolutions or annual predic-
tions. Instead, in the interest of stir-
ring the political pot, I offer five possi-
bly provocative proposals for education
in Oregon.
1. Kill the idea that teachers and
other educators have been underpaid.
Salaries are based not on one’s worth
to society but on the number of people
deemed available and competent to fill
the job. That’s why Joe and Josephine
Pro Athlete make more than you and I
do — although Joe is paid zillions more
than Josephine, which is unconscionable.
However, there are
caveats.
As the pool of quali-
fied job applicants dwin-
dles, school districts must
innovate. Raising salaries
is one approach, espe-
cially when union and
DICK
district leadership agree
HUGHES
to put the money into
entry-level salaries.
Labor-management negotiations prob-
ably would look far different if the prior-
ities were set by potential job applicants
and new employees. For example, ditch-
ing the traditional seniority system for
job placements, work schedules or other
areas could make a district far more
attractive to new hires. So could offering
free child care to young couples.
A related issue is that working-class
Oregonians, like their kin across the
country, cannot afford to buy homes.
Student loans are one reason. Until Con-
gress acts — if it does — the Oregon
Legislature and school districts could
take matters into their own hands by
offering loan repayments. Should the
state launch a program to support people
going into education, rural health care or
other desired jobs that meet the state’s
goals?
2. Require a full academic year of
student teaching — and pay the stu-
Colin Murphey/The Astorian
Good teachers, counselors and administrators put in an incredible amount of unpaid time.
dent teachers, or at least cover their
tuition cost.
Teaching is really hard work. Stu-
dent teaching is time-consuming. How-
ever, future teachers need the experience
of preparing for the school year, open-
ing the year, going through the ups and
downs, and closing the year.
One term of student teaching is inad-
equate. There is too much to learn, espe-
cially about classroom management.
Better-prepared teachers will be more
effective teachers and more likely to last
longer.
3. Bring back sabbaticals.
It’s true that teachers and many other
school employees get summers “off” and
vacations during the year. But the good
teachers, counselors and administrators
put in an incredible amount of unpaid
time during those supposed vacations.
Burnout is real. Research suggests
that if a student starts the day in a class
led by a teacher suffering from burn-
out, that student’s learning will suf-
fer throughout the rest of the day. Dis-
tricts axed sabbaticals to save money,
but people should be encouraged to take
extended time off to get a fresh take on
life and learn new skills.
This would be one way to retain expe-
rienced teachers.
4. Allow Oregon’s community col-
leges and small institutions to unite.
Small private colleges are in a finan-
cial bind. Meanwhile, the regional state
universities struggle to maintain their
places.
Why not allow a community college
to join with a regional or private uni-
versity? That might bring down stu-
dent costs while maintaining diversity in
offerings, including varied approaches to
teacher training.
I know, I know, there would be all
sorts of things to work through. But are
you going to be naysayer or a “Let’s do
it”?
5. Make classes relevant.
In my era, boring classes seemed
acceptable. That won’t cut it anymore.
Dropping out no longer is considered
appropriate.
The key is for each student to have
a reason to come to school each day.
That calls for profound redesign of cur-
riculum and teaching methods to make
classes interesting, perhaps transform-
ing basic science into “crime science
analysis,” economics into “how to be
a music mogul” and English composi-
tion into “how to create and produce a
screenplay.”
We’ve come to our senses by recog-
nizing that career and technical educa-
tion classes have tremendous value. It
is common for 90% of CTE students
to graduate, as Gov. Kate Brown fre-
quently touts. What she and others don’t
say enough, however, is that music, the-
ater, sports and other programs also can
achieve those levels. For each student,
the answer may be different — but it
always involves a caring adult.
North Salem High School sought to
raise its graduation rate through identi-
fying a trusted adult to serve as an advo-
cate for each student at risk of drop-
ping out. For many advocates, that meant
checking in daily with their student.
The school’s goal was to boost the
graduation rate 10 points within four
years. It was accomplished in one year.
dick Hughes has been covering the
Oregon political scene since 1976.