The Everett School District missed a chance to show tolerance for freedom of expression when it fired a Cascade High School teacher who dared to help students produce an alternative newspaper.
The district, which has developed a reputation for intolerance towards student expression, didn’t dismiss the teacher who worked with students publishing a paper established to protest a requirement that students at Everett High School submit their newspaper to censorship.
WIAA cheats Arch Bishop Murphy team
Two weeks ago, the Archbishop Murphy team was 10-0 and, seemingly, headed for another state high school championship. Now, the team is 2-8, with its season over. That’s all because the team had used an ineligible player for the last 8 games of the season. The player was ineligible because he had not had a physical the required 13 months after his previous physical. The 13-month period is to allow students who get a physical at the beginning of the season, to have a month into the new season to get it. The late Terry Ennis was known as someone who kept track of every detail, but somehow, this one detail slipped through while Ennis was dying of cancer.
Simple majority passes now what?
HJR 4240, which would allow a simple majority to pass school levies, is apparently headed to victory. Now it’s time to eliminate the need for these special levies that account for nearly 20 percent of local school budgets.
It’s time to provide support for basic education through regular state and local tax money. Our Legislature has an obligation to provide basic education to all our children. Voters shouldn’t have to be asked to approve levies over and over again.
What now for roads and transit?
The roads and transit package lost overwhelmingly.
The question is, what next?
If Sound Transit and the Regional Transportation Improvement District want my vote in the future, here’s what they will have to do:
1. Make Sound Transit and RTID boards elected bodies. If we vote for schools, we’re turning over our money to an elected body. We should do the same for transportation.
2. Let’s have no more expansion of light rail until the first phase of the project is done.
3. Let’s allow private development of the Eastside railway corridor. Let the private developer put commuter rail on existing track on the Eastside rather than tear out the tracks and build a light rail system to serve the Eastside Corridor.
Evan Smith is the Enterprise Forum editor. Send comments to entopinion@heraldnet.com
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