LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

[October 11th, 2006] SCHOOL RIVALRY

It's bad enough to be named Rogue of the Week [WW, Sept. 20, 2006], but it is doubly bad if it is based on incorrect information. Willamette Week stated that the Oregon Department of Education is starting its own "virtual academy," and the Department acted against Connections Academy in an attempt to squash a competitor. Both statements are incorrect.The 2005 Oregon Legislature passed legislation which directs the Oregon Department of Education to create a state virtual school district, not a school. This project will provide resources, standards and other tools for online education providers. The Oregon Virtual School District does not, and will not, compete with ANY school. Willamette Week is just plain wrong.The issue that threatened to hold up funding to Connections Academy was their discriminatory enrollment policy, requiring students to have a "learning coach." No public school may impose restrictions on the enrollment of students, other than age and grade level. That is a violation of state law, and State Superintendent Susan Castillo acted to enforce the law. Isn't that what Oregonians elected her to do?By the way, Connections Academy has agreed to make the change to their enrollment policy, and the whole issue was settled in a matter of days. That doesn't sound like rogue action to me.

Ed Dennis
Deputy Superintendent
Oregon Department of Education

Nigel Jaquiss responds: The issue here is whether legislation sought by the Oregon Department of Education put ODE in competition with Oregon Connections Academy, an online public charter school run through the Scio, Ore., district. On his first point, Mr. Dennis makes a distinction between a "school" and "school district" that appears to contradict the legislative language in the bill that created ODE's online capacity: "There is created the Oregon Virtual School District within the Department of Education. The purpose of the Oregon Virtual School District is to provide online courses to kindergarten through grade 12 public school students," the bill states. As for "squashing a competitor," ODE's bill also contains a provision that would have shut Scio's school down before it opened. Finally, ODE abruptly cut off funds to Connections Academy two days before the school year began over an easily resolved technicality. Maybe this doesn't qualify as "squashing" in Mr. Dennis' mind, but neither move is typical of ODE's behavior toward other school districts.

CORRECTIONS

WW incorrectly reported in last week's cover story, "Rough Times at Roosevelt High," that the Portland Public Schools local-option levy on the November ballot would help pay for 380 new teachers. In fact, the levy would help retain 380 teaching positions. Also, WW incorrectly reported in a Sept. 13 story, "Good-Deal Hunting," that Standard TV & Appliance owner Bill Gander characterized former employee Dan MacNeil as emotionally unstable and trying to extort money from the business. Gander did not make either statement. WW regrets the errors.