Fill in the Blanks

The Memphis City Schools is sending out a questionnaire to parents and citizens asking them to help decide which programs get cut to help balance the budget.

This is a golden opportunity for some local media outlet, particularly the papers. Instead of having your "education beat" reporters file the usual "side with the schools" stories where they fight a rear-guard action to save funding and all programs by increasing funds, try instead this:

Take each of the programs listed. How much does it cost? What will be actually saved by ending it? How many students will be affected? Which schools and in what parts of town? How many employees will be affected? Will the program affect NCLB and TCAP test scores? Will it make a difference on preparedness for college, not in a nebulous sense, but in a real, on-the-application sense?

In other words, give the people of Memphis real information. Put meat on the bones of the survey. Give the parents valuable facts that enable smart choices.

Y'all can do it. Will you?