Saturday, September 04, 2010

Dear Denver Post - You're the Disappointment

I teach high school. I love all of high school, including high school sports, and including the fun that students have at Friday night (or Thursday night this week for us) football. So I understand the intent of the following headline in The Denver Post.


But, as it does every year at this time (and several times throughout the year), The Post throws the rest of school under the bus.
Summer is almost over, and the disappointment about returning to class . . .
Really?

Really, Denver Post, that's the message you want to send? With all your whining on the editorial page about the state of our schools (and pretty consistently getting it wrong by the way), you don't feel any responsibility to actually read your own paper and perhaps, just perhaps, make sure you aren't contributing to the anti-education culture of the state of Colorado?

Not only did school start for most of us quite a while ago, but many of us are excited about returning to school (teachers, administrators, students and parents - apparently everyone except The Denver Post's writers and editors). Yes, I know many high school students won't readily admit to being excited about being back, and certainly students don't love everything about school, but come visit my school and you can feel the excitement. We've got great students, a great staff, and a great community, and we're doing important and meaningful things with students every day (including Friday night football), but you chose to go with "disappointment about returning to class."

So, as the self-proclaimed Voice of the Rocky Mountain Empire, perhaps you could pay closer attention to the headlines in the section that many students turn to first because it's about them. Because, if you continue to use your "voice" to undermine what we try to do day in and day out, you'll have plenty more to write about on your editorial pages. Of course, maybe that's your intent.

13 comments:

  1. Perhaps you should send this to the "Letters to the Editor", if you have not. Or, perhaps this is what they would like you to do so that other people can take it out of context and continue to bash education. I did see that there was a reply on Twitter though.

    -Nice post.

    ReplyDelete
  2. That is incredible! I can't believe you have to put up with that kind of negativity from the press. It always infuriates me when non-teachers trot out unthinking and usually inaccurate cliches about education, but I can usually excuse it just because I don't take what they say personally and can forgive their ignorance.

    But for this rubbish to come from the press is inexcusable! They really should know better and be held to a higher standard. You would hope that various public institutions could work together regarding things like education, not undermine each other at every turn.

    Shame on you, Denver Post!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Maybe the best thing you can do is continue to give my generation the tools we need to finish of print media once and for all!

    Maybe that's somewhat hyperbolic. But I certainly don't fear for our democracy when Internet media that empowers every day citizens with it's diverse meritocracy causes a self-anointed voice of an empire to go out of print.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Well said, Karl. Perhaps those at the Denver Post have long forgotten one of the core tenets of journalism, as well as education, accountability, in their zeal to stay popular. It's oh so very easy, as we who work with kids everyday know, to ride along with whatever the trend of the day might be just to be in and cool; or in this case sell papers. So very easy to accept over-crunched statistics as fact, sound bite media propaganda as news, and to wag an accusing finger in the direction of those whose sweat is so often given thanklessly.

    Reminds me of an old saw that seldom seems to lose its edge; if you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem.

    Thanks for stepping up, as usual, and calling the Post out. Now it's their turn to step up.

    ReplyDelete
  5. That is horrible that a paper would print that! I always (even in college) look forward to school starting back. A lot of other students do too. It sounds like the Denver Post doesn’t know what it is like to be in school. Like you said, you have a great number of people and you are doing important and meaningful things with students. Also, among those important things, you all come together for football games. Football games in school are a way of bringing a school and community together, and that is a wonderful thing!

    The Denver Post obviously needs a wake up call. They most definitely need to see this post and reevaluate their story they printed. Thank you for writing this post it was very good. I enjoy how you voice your opinion.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Well-said. Have you sent this to the editor? Would also be interesting to see some students reply in regards to their own impressions of being back in school. As a student and now a teacher, I love being back in school because of the excitement of new learning, reconnecting with friends, and making new memories. I'm not sure what this author refers to regarding disappointment, but it perpetuates old negativity about schools.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I really think you should send this to the editor, Mr. Fisch. It would benefit all Denver Post readers to see it as well.

    ReplyDelete
  8. amyw - It might mean more coming from you . . .

    ReplyDelete
  9. @Karl Fisch - I was appalled when I saw "disappointment about returning to class." Adults, ideally, are supposed to motivate us about going back to school, not call it a disappointment. You'd think someone at the Post would've noticed that...

    ReplyDelete
  10. Although I am in college I am always excited about going back to school and I'm very sure I'm not alone with that. Instead of them posting about the enjoyment of school and motivating them to continue higher education this saddens me but I think you commented your frustration with them in a very professional way and maybe they should think about what they write before they decide to print it.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Bravo! The atrocity here is the media and politics that continue to undermine Public Education in the US. Sorry to disappoint others, but my three children couldn't wait to get back to school. They missed all of their friends and yes even those so presumed "worthless" public educators. As a dedicated and passionate public educator, I will continue to love waking up everyday to head into schools where I know I can have a profound impact on student learning and success. A much more rewarding experience than so many other professions. Inspiring learning and a passion to teach and empower our youth are not skills that can be tested or measured by standardized test scores. Truly this type of public disappointing attitude will continue to chip away at the free quality education programs that all children have the right to experience. Thanks for your continued inspiration and passion Karl.

    ReplyDelete
  12. I think the comment in the Denver Post was very negative. Students are excited about returning to school especially younger students. Printing a comment like can hurt the moral of students. They think that other student's their age are not excited about returning to school so they in turn act like they aren't excited too. Newspapers need to be careful about the way the print things because it can have a very negative impact on schools and children's education.

    ReplyDelete
  13. I think that was such a negative thing to say, considering that we are dealing with adults who should know the importance of education. The media should always show excitement when it come to educating our students, they should realize that comments like that can discourage some students who already need that extra boost when it come to going to school and actually graduating.lawannahintonedm310.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete