Journalism in general and opinion writing in particular is challenging if done well. For that reason, I’m often hesitant to call out flawed work. Goodness knows I’ve made my share of mistakes.
But an unsigned Denver Post editorial published July 14 is so ill-informed, illogical, and just plain stupid that it merits a response.
The topic is the current kerfuffle over Denver Public Schools Superintendent Alex Marrero’s transparent desire to skedaddle out of Denver ASAP. (Listen to this episode of the Boardhawk podcast for details).
In a sterling example of pretzel logic, the Post argues that because Marrero wants to leave, and because the district has spent well over $100,000 on a (possibly corrupt) mentor and international travel to conferences (generously referred to in the editorial as professional development), he should be forced to stay through the end of his contract in 2028.
The Post writes:
“Marrero needs to fulfill his responsibilities and do the job we are paying him to do until his contract expires in 2028. He needs dial back his travel — stop flying to Helsinki and Japan for conferences — and instead spend more time focusing on Denver’s many challenges – a drop in student population due to low birth rates, a historic effort to redraw school attendance zones to end or at least reduce segregation, and the still unacceptable rates of literacy before 3rd grade in more than a dozen schools.”
The editorial goes on to say that the district can’t afford to pay off Marrero (the total severance cost could approach $500,000) and hire a top-flight new superintendent, so we’re stuck with someone who has been bad at his job.
The Post clearly lacks expertise in the district’s finances. Keeping Marrero at this point is the epitome of being penny-wise and pound-foolish. He doesn’t want to be here, he has poisoned his relationship with his board, which appears to be beyond salvaging. Despite frenetic spinning, any honest data analysis shows that student learning has suffered during his tenure.
It’s obvious that the longer he stays around under these circumstances, the worse things will get. Insiders tell me morale inside the district is at an all-time low.
But The Post’s argument is “swallow all of this and then vote out the bums that approved his appallingly generous contract in the first place.” The problem is, most of those folks have already been voted out or term-limited off the board.
Michelle Quattlebaum and Scott Esserman lost reelection bids. Carrie Olson was term-limited off the board. Xóchitl Gaytán is still on the board but term-limited, though if anyone has ever deserved to be recalled, it’s her. That leaves only Marlene De La Rosa among those who voted for the extension as vulnerable to reelection. Five of the seven current board members either voted against the extension or weren’t on the board when it was approved. Those five are blameless.
Here’s the editorial’s cuckoo coup de gráce:
“Despite everything, Denver Public Schools have thrived under Marrero’s tenure, in large part due to dedicated principals, teachers and staff who work tirelessly every day without complaint and for far less pay than Marrero. We know Denver schools will persevere under another two years of Marrero’s tenure.”
Under what measures is DPS thriving? Sure, all-time high graduation rates are a point of pride. But precious few of those graduates leave the system prepared for any post-secondary options. It’s a hollow data point repeated ad nauseam by Marrero and his dwindling number of defenders.
Despite its drastically reduced stature, The Denver Post remains one of the major media outlets in this area. It needs to take more care when wading into topics it knows little about.
