of the poorest school districts in the state."
What did Briggs omit? "School administrators stubbornly maintained special programs
for poverty-stricken and disruptive students while cutting back programs for the majority
of children," wrote
Wall Street Journal
reporter William Bulkeley in a story about the
same time. "Some voters are angry at school administrators they consider
uncommunicative and wasteful." In addition, in the Heritage Foundation's quarterly
magazine Policy Review, writer Patricia Summerside spotlighted South Dakota, ranked
51st in teacher salary and 43rd in spending per pupil: "South Dakota's 1988 ACT scores
rank fifth among the 28 states that take the test. Its high school graduation rate ranks
second."
Looking to liberal politicians as role models while ignoring the successes of those who
implemented conservative policies is also fairly common. Shortly after President Clinton
took office,
NBC Nightly News
anchor Tom Brokaw introduced a report on governors
"who have raised taxes, cut programs, and yet politically survived." Reporter Bob
Herbert referred to "tough economic medicine," including tax hikes by New Jersey
Governor Jim Florio, Connecticut Governor Lowell Weicker and California Governor
Pete Wilson. Preceding soundbites from Weicker, Wilson, Florio, and Florida Governor
Lawton Chiles on the merits of taxation, he insisted "the governors say Clinton should
stick to his guns." Herbert omitted any mention of governors who balanced budgets…
Michael Knutson
