MAYBE PANEL'S FOCUS SHOULD BE ON CREATING 'WORLD CLASS LEARNERS'
By Lynn Harsh
Letters to the Editor, Seattle Times, Wednesday, July 21, 1999

        I read with some amusement The Sunday Times editorial that criticized my nomination to our state's new Academic and Achievement Accountability Commission ("Political hot dogs won't help students," July 11).

        Members of the commission, said The Times editorial writers, must be people who are "smart, fearless, productive and committed to world-class public schools," and they believe none of the candidates forwarded by the Legislature meet that criteria.

        Hmmm. I don't know Andrew Coulson, one of two nominees named and criticized by the editors, but I read his well-researched book on education. The editors might not agree with his opinions, but he is clearly intelligent and passionate about providing excellent educational opportunities for children.

        As for me, I come from a family of public-school teachers and have spent part of the past 20 years either teaching or researching education issues.

        Even so, it is precisely because I know people who are smarter and more experienced than I am that I originally declined the nomination and suggested others.

        But the Republican lawmakers who asked me to reconsider said they wanted commissioners who love education, who aren't afraid of the education bureaucracy and who believe parents need more education options for their children.

        Perhaps instead of committing to create "world-class public schools" as the editors suggest, commissioners should focus on creating "world-class learners."

        Lynn Harsh is a former teacher and founder of the Evergreen Freedom Foundation.

        The Center for Education Reform is a national, independent, non-profit advocacy organization founded in 1993 to provide support and guidance to individuals, community and civic groups, policymakers and others who are working to bring fundamental reforms to their schools.

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