Update 9:30p: In the comments below, Editorial chief Allen Johnson points us to Doug Clark's response to Ms. Rodenbough below her letter at the N&R Letters to the Editor site.
The two omitted portions of Rodenbough's "Counterpoint" referenced the controversial High Point 'Choice' Plan as an example of how our school administration may have moved too quickly in order to bring federal grant dollars into Guilford County; one reference was specific, the second was made through inference (from my read).
In my opinion, Rodenbough's edited letter is less informative as to how the federal grant process continues to drive Guilford County Schools' programs than her original submission. In this instance, I give the editing, and the justification for doing it, a "C-".
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In yesterday's N&R editorial pages, parent Melanie Rodenbough offered a 'Counterpoint' rebuttal to the paper's March 8th editorial supporting ninth grade academies in some Guilford County high schools.
Turns out, Rodenbough's rebuttal was edited before publication. While the possibility of editing such submissions is disclosed both in print and online, it can be interesting to discern how such editing might alter the author's point of view. Through an e-mail, Melanie provides us with such an opportunity.
With her permission, I have posted her original submission with editing notes. Link here. She has this to say about the editing job....
"This morning the paper printed an editorial I wrote, but significantly altered the content in two ways:
1) omitting my reference to the High Point schools as an example of what can happen when school restructuring is imposed upon a school community without adequate input and thoughtfulness, and
2) adding language and omitting other language to make it seem as though this is a dead issue at Grimsley just because the 9th grade academy is no longer being considered. As you know, our principal has specifically stated he is still interested in pursuing the grant, which was the heart of the subject of the editorial piece.
I cannot explain why the editor made those decisions, but I have written to protest and request that the piece run as I sent it. I will let you know if I receive a response."
The omissions from Melanie's submission spoke to the parental perception that "adequate input from the community" sometimes takes a backseat to money-chasing expediency on the part of the administration. Case in point, as the original submission included, would be what recently occurred with the implementation of the High Point 'Choice' Plan. Here are some of the words that were edited out. (The original word count was 398 words, BTW, the N&R allows 400 for rebuttals):
"...A good plan for restructuring a school cannot be developed overnight with adequate input from the community Why not take the time to think and plan together, you ask? Well, you see, the grant application is due."
In a follow up correspondence, Melanie suggests that the N&R's editorial editor, in this case Doug Clark, might not have liked some of what she had to say...
"...Turns out he (Clark) is described by Allen Johnson on his blog as a 'longtime High Point resident and supporter of the schools there'..."
Meanwhile, back over at Thinking Out Loud, Melanie bristles at Allen Johnson's suggestion that reconsideration of a ninth grade academy at Grimsley highlights, "The tension between the haves and have-nots in our schools...", among other things. To which Melanie replies:
"...Polarizing a community with simplistic labels is an easy way to respond to criticism or disagreement that avoids the uncomfortable work of trying to listen and understand what folks are actually saying... The Grimsley process was antithetical to what the grant speaks of as necessary and vital to the school reform's success; having a school community involved and supportive. If recognizing that makes me disgruntled, then I'll cheerfully plead guilty."
Of course, through the course of this episode, I suggested to Melanie that it is high time for her to start her own weblog, to which she replied, "Me? Need a blog? Good Lord, I can't get anything done as it is."
9:42:56 AM 
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