Dear Old Golden Rule Days

Many Los Angeles Unified School District students were compelled to start school in the dead of summer.

I'm sure there was a good reason. Let's take a look:

 

Got it.

The students are taught so well that we need to make sure we capture their test scores before they forget everything. In a matter of a couple of weeks off from school. This makes total sense. The best way to judge learning is through performance on tests. OK, I'm convinced.

Wait, what?

It seems that we have a dissenting opinion. Probably some radical outsider trying to stir up trouble against the teachers.

From the L.A. Times:

"You're leading people in a dangerous direction, making it seem like you can judge the quality of a teacher by … a test," said A.J. Duffy, president of United Teachers Los Angeles, which has more than 40,000 members.

Oh.

Hot Topic

Look, if you're going to compare a situation to Nazi Germany, I strongly suggest that you brush up on your historical facts, lest you risk sounding like a complete imbecile. Especially if you happen to hold a history degree from UCLA.

I know it's probably too much to ask that you put together a cogent and coherent argument against a position with which you disagree.  I'm sure you're busy doing important things that positively impact millions of people. After all, you are on the city council of the second largest city in the U.S. 

Maybe your time is taken up with the superb job you're doing balancing the city budget, with a nice healthy surplus which will be used to shore up the city's crumbling infrastructure.  Or perhaps you've put your prowess as a leader into building a school system which is unrivaled in preparing the next generation to meet the challenges of an ever-changing world.  I bet that, even as I sit here writing, you're rounding up the last, desperate stragglers of the gangs that used to rule the city through intimidation and violence.

Wait, what? You haven't gotten around to these things yet? You banned the construction of fast food restaurants?

Oh.

Well, I guess it is easier to just spew out some scary words that everybody knows about, whether or not they actually address the circumstances at hand. I mean, the point is to get the people's attention, right?  It's not like they're going to question you. Or even think about what you said. Hey, you've given the self-appointed victim crowd a new banner to march under.

Congratu-freaking-lations! Baby, you're a star.

And you didn't even have to rub more than two brain cells together.