ANDREW CUTLER
Publisher/Editor
KATHRYN B. BROWN
Owner
PHIL WRIGHT
News Editor
JADE McDOWELL
Hermiston Editor
ThuRSDAy, June 24, 2021
A4
Founded October 16, 1875
OUR VIEW
What
should be
required to
graduate in
Oregon
ome high school graduates are profi-
cient in calculus while others struggle
with algebra.
Some graduates can write complex
sentences without pondering the myster-
ies of clauses, while others can’t distinguish
between the passive and active voices.
But despite the range in accomplishments,
it’s hardly an extreme notion that Oregon
students should demonstrate basic abilities
in math and writing before they receive a
diploma.
Beyond the obvious reason — after 12
years in school, students ought to be capable
of proving they’ve learned a certain amount
in those two subjects — to distribute diplo-
mas to students who lack these skills is to set
them on a potential path of frustration and
failure, particularly if they go to college.
But Oregon’s Democrat-controlled Legis-
lature thinks differently.
Lawmakers recently passed Senate Bill
744, which now awaits Gov. Kate Brown’s
signature. The bill will suspend for the next
three years the Essential Skills graduation
requirement, and it directs the state Depart-
ment of Education to evaluate how Oregon
determines graduation requirements.
(Rep. Bobby Levy of Echo and Sen. Bill
Hansell of Athena voted against Senate Bill
744, while Rep. Greg Smith of Heppner
voted for it.)
An evaluation is reasonable.
But it’s hardly necessary to waive the
current requirements while evaluating them.
Oregon initially suspended the Essen-
tial Skills requirement due to the COVID-19
pandemic, during which many students in
the state have taken mostly, or only, online
classes.
That suggests, if nothing else, that
“comprehensive distance learning” wasn’t
especially comprehensive.
Another flaw in the concept is that it
ignores the reality that most students prepar-
ing to graduate were subjected to distance
learning for less than a year and a half. Surely
it’s not too much to expect that many of those
students would have acquired the necessary
skills to show proficiency even before comput-
ers monitors replaced actual classrooms.
An organization that supports the bill,
Foundations for a Better Oregon, said in a
statement, “An inclusive and equitable review
of graduation and proficiency requirements,
when guided by data and grounded in a
commitment to every student’s success, will
promote shared accountability and foster a
more just Oregon.”
That statement falls squarely within the
category of “sounds nice but what, exactly,
does it mean?”
First, why would any review of graduation
requirements be anything except “inclusive
and equitable” if the same standards, as they
do now, apply to all students?
Second, what evidence is there the current
graduation requirements are not “grounded
in a commitment to every student’s success”?
What else would they be grounded in? The
entire purpose of graduation requirements is
to ensure that students have learned what they
need to learn to have a chance to be success-
ful.
The last part of the sentence from Foun-
dations for a Better Oregon is even more
perplexing. What does “shared accountabil-
ity” mean in this context? That schools are
responsible for teaching, and students for
learning? If so, just say that.
It’s a laudable goal to improve Oregon’s
graduation requirements. High school diplo-
mas should have relevance; they should
ensure the students who receive one have,
during the preceding years, learned enough to
pursue a productive life as an adult.
But suspending such requirements, even
for a few years, is more likely to hurt students,
by awarding them diplomas that imply a level
of education they haven’t actually attained.
S
More things that make me go hmmmm
TAMMY
MALGESINI
INSIDE MY SHOES
E
arlier this year, I wrote a column
about things that puzzled me or
defied logic — based on a bit from
Arsenio Hall’s late-night talk show. So,
for Round 2 of “Things that make you
go hmmmm,” here are some recent head
scratchers:
• Living in Eastern Oregon since
1985, I’ve noticed a pervasive attitude
among people who seem to feel the west
side of the state controls things. People
get annoyed with statewide election
results, saying that Willamette Valley
voters basically make the decisions.
With low vaccination rates in our
part of the state, I’m betting the people
of Umatilla and Morrow counties (and
beyond) won’t be complaining when
many additional COVID-19 restrictions
are lifted when the 70% statewide vacci-
nation rate is met — thanks mostly to
people residing in the western part of the
state.
• With significant limitations on
indoor gatherings still in place during
gradation season, how was Hermiston
High School able to pack all the gradu-
ating seniors into its gymnasium (along
with school officials and guests of the
graduation speakers)? It seems most
other area school districts held their cere-
monies outdoors.
• I never understood how the state
justified the expense to open an Oregon
Lottery payment center in Wilsonville,
which is approximately 30 miles from the
main office in Salem. During the onset of
the global pandemic, both offices closed.
The Salem office reopens June 24
for in-person claims, while the Wilson-
ville center still is closed. I’m suggesting
that maybe the Wilsonville office should
remain shuttered.
Jack Roberts, who was the Oregon
Lottery director at the time the Wilson-
ville center first opened, explained on
OregonLive the rationale behind the
additional payment center. “Provid-
ing a closer alternative for those play-
ers is a win-win for both the players and
Lottery,” he said, referring to Portland
metro area residents.
Seriously, they are going to get a wad
of cash and they can’t spend the extra
time and money to drive an additional
30 miles? If a second center is truly
needed, instead of eventually reopening
the Wilsonville center, why not consider
opening one in Southern Oregon, the
Bend area or Eastern Oregon?
• The phrase “common courtesy” is
an oxymoron, especially in regards to
some fellow drivers behind the wheel.
Most of us have experienced inconsider-
ate motorists — you know the ones who
won’t let another vehicle over in a lane
of traffic or someone who cuts you off to
take a parking spot.
Situated on a truck route, sometimes
the traffic is horrendous in front of our
house. I can’t even begin to count the
times I’ve had someone hugging my
bumper when I’m slowing to turn into
our driveway or having someone zoom
up on me when I’m backing out.
You can be sure none of them have a
“How’s my driving?” decal on their rig.
I urge people to drive as if their phone
number was plastered on the back of their
car.
• And lastly, if you truly love your
children and your pets, prove it. Don’t
leave them unattended in your vehicle,
especially during the current heat advi-
sory.
———
Tammy Malgesini, who recently
returned as an East Oregonian commu-
nity writer, enjoys spending time with her
husband and two German shepherds, as
well as entertaining herself with random
musings.
was transported by an air ambulance
to the hospital.
My real concern is the fact that the
person who was shot actually went
into the pub with a loaded gun, and
apparently was unaware that if the
trigger were pulled it would actually
fire a round. I have no problem with
the possession and/or shooting of
firearms, but to go into a tavern with
a loaded gun, and then pull it out to
show off, just seems to be the height of
stupidity.
It is actions like this that anti-gun
people use to try to limit our right to
have firearms. We are seeing too many
shooting stories in the news already,
and it is predicted there will be many
more before the summer is gone. But
stupid acts like this incident in Helix
need to be illustrated in order for
people to wake up and use better judg-
ment in their actions.
Hopefully, the victim in this case
has learned his lesson.
Robert Park
Helix
Utility bills aren’t as cheap
as you think
YOUR VIEWS
Irresponsible accident
gives gun owners a bad rep
I realize that Helix is a rather small
town, even by Oregon standards (that
is why I chose to live here), and I do
appreciate the articles that occasion-
ally appear in the East Oregonian
concerning Helix. I would like to draw
your attention to a particular incident
that occurred in Helix on Wednesday,
June 16, but never showed up in the
newspaper.
On the late afternoon of June 16 a
gentleman entered the Helix Market
and Pub, and while enjoying himself
at the pub, he pulled out a handgun
and, in playing around with it, he shot
himself in the arm.
Due to the quick response of Ms.
Jeralyn Dodge, the market opera-
tor, and our resident deputy sheriff,
John Roberts, who was off duty at the
time, they were able to call emergency
services and apply pressure to the
wound to control the bleeding until the
ambulance got there and the victim
I got my Pendleton city utility bill for
$124.15, along with a nice letter from
the Public Works Department telling us
how cheap our utility bills are. They say
we are 27th out of 42 cities.
What they don’t say is that that the
more expensive utility bills are all in
Western Oregon, with higher wages
than Pendleton; closest to us are The
Dalles and Bend. The amazing fact is
that most of the cities below us are in
Eastern Oregon or Eastern Washing-
ton. Seven of the cities with lower rates
are cities we are in competition with for
businesses, industry and tourism.
Why would they send this letter out
to all utility users knowing the above
facts? I wonder if our city department
heads think we all would believe their
propaganda.
Even high-paid city management are
not always correct.
Rex J. Morehouse
Pendleton
EDITORIALS
Unsigned editorials are the opinion of the East Oregonian editorial
board. Other columns, letters and cartoons on this page express
the opinions of the authors and not necessarily that of the East
Oregonian.
letters that address concerns about individual services and products
or letters that infringe on the rights of private citizens. Letters must be
signed by the author and include the city of residence and a daytime
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letters will not be published.
LETTERS
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on public issues and public policies for publication in the newspaper
and on our website. The newspaper reserves the right to withhold
SEND LETTERS TO:
editor@eastoregonian.com,
or via mail to Andrew Cutler,
211 S.E. Byers Ave. Pendleton, OR 97801