Given the ongoing rollback of democracy in America and throughout the world, it is discouraging to see columnist Marcela García join the crusade against democratically elected school committees. That is the Globe’s editorial position too. The Globe prefers mayorally appointed school committees. We don’t need less democracy, we need more democracy. The issue at hand…
Category: Boston Globe
How Boston Globe’s Education Coverage Educates Us About the Capital v. Labor Divide
When I was a kid in the Sixties we’d occasionally hear stories about some poor Japanese soldier, abandoned on a Pacific island after WWII, finally being rescued while believing he was still fighting the war. That’s sort of where the Boston Globe’s post-MCAS coverage is. But as a lesson in the biased media approach to…
The Globe Puffs Up Another Dubious “Science of Reading” Program
Last week in This teacher has a super power to help her young students learn to read the Boston Globe introduced us to a new “superpower” a “research backed practice” endorsed by “experts” based on the “science of reading, or scientifically based research on how to teaching (sic) reading.” Relax. It’s just the Globe promoting…
How the Boston Globe and Barr Foundation Rig the Discourse II: Voices for Academic Equity
We had another fine example yesterday of “What wealthy people do is rig the discourse” in the Boston Globe’s story about high school graduation requirements based upon a report by Voices for Academic Equity. Nice name—but what is Voices for Academic Equity? The Globe story is Half of all Mass. high schools don’t abide by…
Globe Gets the Big Stuff Wrong on Question One
Before reading my analysis below, go HERE and read the Globe’s endorsement of Question One. Done yet? If so, read on. I was quite pleased when the Boston Globe editorial board invited me to meet with them to explain why voters should reject or pass on Question One on the 2024 state ballot. The measure…
The Barr Foundation and the Boston Globe “Rig the Discourse”
When I wrote Barr Foundation K-12 Interest Groups Throw Their Weight (and Dollars) Around in May I closed with a quote from Anand Giridharadas, “What wealthy people do is rig the discourse.” That is where I should have started and added “and the Boston Globe helps.” So here is The Barr Foundation and the Boston…
Barr Foundation K-12 Interest Groups Throw Their Muscle (and Dollars) Around
The Barr Foundation Family of K-12 Interest Groups has had a heady two days with a story in the Barr funded Boston Globe touting a poll commissioned by the Barr funded Education Trust from the Barr funded MassInc Polling Group with remarks from Keri Rodrigues of the Barr funded National Parents Union and Lisa Lazare…
Yes, The Boston Globe Can Report Who Is Funding K-12 Dark Money Interests. Or Not. It’s a Choice.
I hate to be the one who spreads rumors, but this one is true: Media in small towns, rural districts, and major cities across this county cover dark money in K-12 politics. It happens. Just not in Boston. Selectively, even the Globe has done it! The paper has revealed in editorials or op-eds that Citizens…
It’s True. The Globe Sports Page Really Does Provide Better Coverage of Sports than the Globe Does of K-12 Education Interests
I dragged myself down this rabbit hole by responding to a Globe story titled MCAS ballot question pits Massachusetts Association against business community – again. As a critique I wrote Why Is the Boston Globe’s Sports Coverage So Much Better Than Its K-12 Interest Group Coverage? It’s true. You can regularly see Globe sports reporters…
2024 Ballot Questions: Capital v. Labor
The Boston Globe recently framed the possible MCAS ballot question as a contest between the “Boston business community” and the Massachusetts Teachers Association. A better frame would be “capital v. labor”–which applies to additional ballot questions this year as well. First, some housekeeping: I’ve recently been writing about coverage of billionaire-funded K-12 interest groups and…