Opinion: In today’s pages: Charter schools, missile threats and Prop. 8 boycotts
This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts.
The Federal Communications Commission needs a makeover--an updated look, or at least attitude, for our time, the editorial board writes. That’s especially true of the time and attention it gives to enforcing decency rules:
The FCC also showed an alarming willingness to use government power to impose ineffective and discriminatory decency rules on broadcasters in the name of shielding children from profane or violent programming. More relevant to a bygone era’s media environment, such rules reflect how poorly the commissioners seem to understand today’s technological realities.
The Obama family hasn’t even had time to pick a puppy yet, and already President-elect Barack Obama is confronted with missile threats from Russia. Missile defense threats are rattling their own sabres, but Obama ‘should not react to the rhetoric from either quarter, but he should reconsider missile defense on its merits -- or lack thereof. The president-elect rightly is skeptical of the defense shield, given that it doesn’t yet work and it’s intended to defend against nuclear-tipped Iranian missiles that don’t yet exist,’ the board advises. It also calls on federal immigration authorities to be open about their rules for deportation of detained illegal immigrants and to inform potential deportess of their rights.
On the other side of the fold, Los Angele Unified school board member Tamar Galatzan wants a more consistent system for approving and assessing charter schools:
Charters should not be rewarded for simply out- performing their underachieving LAUSD counterparts. The philosophy of charter schools is based on accountability, and the district must hold them to their promises. Lack of accountability is not uncommon in the school district, but we cannot let it seep into the charter movement as well.
Arguments about the genocide in Rwanda are at the heart of a court case in which the African nation seeks to shake itself free of French influence. And Joel Stein calls for a ‘No Gays for a Day’ day, in which the gay and lesbian community would display its financial clout by staying home from work and shopping.
Illustration by Signe Wilkinson/Philadelphia Daily News