Dear Editor,
The recent article in Thursday’s Dispatch regarding the Gilroy
School Board Trustee choice once again exposes a singular problem
in American journalism. An op-ed piece, designed to stoke knee-jerk
emotional reactions from readers,
Dear Editor,
The recent article in Thursday’s Dispatch regarding the Gilroy School Board Trustee choice once again exposes a singular problem in American journalism. An op-ed piece, designed to stoke knee-jerk emotional reactions from readers, masquerading as news, received front-page treatment in place of what should have been a thoughtfully written reportage and analysis of events.
The anonymous question that ruffled so many feathers, reflects a startling and unacceptable fact that was given cursory treatment in the Dispatch article: “HISPANICS AS A WHOLE ARE ACHIEVING AT ABOUT ALMOST HALF THE RATE OF NON-HISPANICS IN OUR DISTRICT.” Here is the “shame” by which Denise Apuzzo should have been so incensed and at which Jackie Stevens should be “shuddering.”
This statistic should be the sour taste in everyone’s mouths. The drama of applicant Bob Heisey’s stung feelings, unspoken thoughts (thoroughly aired by the Dispatch), frustrated political ambitions and Apuzzo’s vitriolic finger-wagging, were all given priority over a stark reality that reveals an academic wound in Gilroy that “scars” not only the students of this generation, but their children.
Heisey says he did not feel ambushed. Good, because he was merely asked a question. Bravo to Javier Aguirre, an intelligent, highly-educated choice who will be able to embrace Gilroy’s broad academic spectrum. Bravo, I say, that this question was NOT censored. From this one statistic alone, I should hope that Heisey, who has been attending school board meetings “religiously” will continue to view the Hispanic community through the lens of his vaunted global perspective, and will roll up his sleeves on behalf of all of Gilroy’s students. There is plenty of work to be done, in or out of the spotlight.
Rochelle Arellano, Gilroy
