Monday, October 29, 2007

Kentucky Education Blogger Misses Point

Former Lexington principal Richard Day read another Louisville Courier Journal hit piece on the Bluegrass Institute this weekend, then read an Institute response, and followed up with posting his thoughts on his blog.

His conclusion misses the key issue.

Day says:

What makes the C-J's point is BGI's criticism that "cheerleading for the education establishment when it is undeserving is what undermines our public school system." In BGI's hands, it can seem that the public schools are always undeserving. That's just not a true and accurate picture.


I've never seen anything from the Bluegrass Institute suggesting or even implying in any way that "public schools are always undeserving." In fact, the cited quote speaks of the "education establishment," not students or schools. The Bluegrass Institute has spent years pointing out problems that were improperly addressed or even created by the administrators of Kentucky's public school system. Protecting current taxpayers and future taxpayers (yes, the children) by pointing out where those "leaders" fall short is an effort worthy of appreciation, not attacks from those who should be fighting the same fight.

(And yes, I work for the Bluegrass Institute. But as a father of four public school students, I wouldn't cast my lot with them if they were doing anything but showing the way for Kentucky to have world-class public schools.)