Editorials / Opinion

I read with dismay and deep anger in The Seattle Times that Boeing will pull 1000 engineering jobs out of our state [“Boeing moving 1,000 more engineering jobs to California,” Business/Technology, April 10]. As a retired public-school teacher, this hurts me deeply in two ways. First, my state Legislature agreed to grant Boeing almost 9…

In 2009, editorial boards gushed over an education-reform bill to be fully funded by 2018. This future liability was unfunded, a concern for many legislators, including myself. As I asked then, how could we expect future Legislatures to possess the courage of our convictions if we didn’t possess that courage ourselves? The Washington Supreme Court has…

Thank you for Lance Dickie’s excellent column about education in Afghanistan [“An educator’s optimism for Afghanistan,” Opinion, March 27]. I saw impressive figures from the BBC in the last month. It reports that there are currently 10.5 million kids in Afghan schools now, 42 percent of them girls. Where there were just 400 teachers…

After hearing about the state’s budget proposal’s, I was ecstatic to know at least some legislators are putting education first [“Time for Olympia to do the hard work on the state budget,” Opinion, March 2]. Coming from Seattle’s Franklin High School, I know additional funds would definitely provide students with more resources to succeed….

I’m disappointed in the misinformed editorial on federal education funding [“WEA misleading Legislature on California education waiver,” Opinion, March 12]. Bills being pushed through the Legislature are being rushed through with little thought about their effects on teachers and students. A student score on one state test does not show the growth of that…

Multiple choice: Many parents and teachers believe that states should not be forced to use student test scores in evaluating teachers because: A. Complaints that tests promote a narrowed curriculum; B. Evidence that students in more affluent districts score higher (stable residences and sufficient food could be factors); C. Concern that students and teachers would be judged by…

I take exception with two things in The Seattle Times’ endorsement of Gov. Jay Inslee’s proposed legislation to protect $40 million in federal education funding [“Olympia must act to keep federal education funds,” Opinion, March 11]. First, The Times describes a “menacing” teachers union. However, Washington state teachers receive 5.7 percent less than the average American…

In an Education Lab blog post, the writer indicated that researchers were not sure why good English teaching led to higher math scores other than that students must read and write to do math [“To raise math scores, hire a good English teacher,” Feb. 26]. I’d like to demonstrate further just why reading…

NANCY OHANIAN / OP ART

Include arts in STEM learning

Guest columnist Robin Lake makes a compelling argument for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Math) education [“Washington state lags rest of U.S. on STEM education,” Opinion, Feb. 9]. I only wish that she had included the “A” for the arts, making it STEAM instead of STEM. STEAM includes the arts as a vital part of each student’s education.

The data support the economic argument for increasing STEM education. But data need to be interpreted to get a better idea of the big picture. Seventy percent of all new jobs may be in computer-related occupations, but that encompasses a broad category, which covers everything from data entry to designing video games to curing cancer. Which would you rather do and how should you prepare yourself to do it?

Technical proficiency isn’t enough. You will need creative problem solving skills and imagination. Both can be acquired through the arts. The arts are valuable in and of themselves for the meaning, richness, depth and perspective that they add to our lives.

If we want to engage more students, we need to spark their interests and their passions. The arts are a great way to accomplish this. Innovative thinking should prepare our students for fulfilling careers in a variety of fields.

Kristin Austin, Bothell

STEM isn’t right for everyone

Isn’t education reform a fascinating topic. Only ten years ago SLCs (Small Learning Communities, aka “small schools”) were the answer to all of our education problems. Then DLCs (Digital Learning Commons) became the new silver bullet in education. Then “Mainstreaming.”

Who decided to have a parade in the middle of a school day? ["Seahawks parade starts at 11 a.m. Better bundle up," Today File, Feb. 4] For the past four weeks, schools have been going crazy with Seahawk pride. Our children have been dressing up, decorating their classes, raising 12th Man flags, and incorporating…