THIS IS ABOVE-THE-FOLD NEWS?

Is the Grand Rapids Press utterly incapable of critical reporting?  Last week the Grand Public school district put lipstick on the pig and crowed about a big boost in suburban students transferring into city schools.  The Press then takes the story and slaps on it the above-the-fold headline "Lure of GR Schools Grows".

There must be something big going on, right?  Well, no.  Not if the facts actually matter.  For the past decade Michigan law under the School Choice Program has allowed students to transfer from one public school district to another if openings are available.  Thousands of GRPS students have taken advantage of this program to get out of rotten city schools to enroll in suburban schools.  Of course, there are always a few suburban students who trickle into city schools, but not many over the years -- and still not many this upcoming year, despite the Press's puff-piece story.

In fact, all the crowing and chest-thumping is over the fact that twenty-five -- yes, twenty-five -- more suburban students are transferring to city schools than last year for a grand total of sixty-one suburbanites enrolled in the GRPS.  Meanwhile, about 900 city-dwelling students are fleeing the GRPS for suburban schools next year (to say nothing of all the other G.R. kids attending private, parochial, and charter schools).  That means the GRPS is losing under the School Choice Program fifteen students for every one gained.

Hardly cause for celebration -- or an above-the-fold headline.  But then, who expects real news from the Grand Rapids Press anymore?

Comments

[Wilhelmus]

25 students is a trend? What is the Press on these days? Somthing tells me it was either this story or an expose on Ms. Johnson's 4th grade classes feild trip to the zoo. I dont expect anything serious from them anymore. The GR Press is the Fisher Price of newspapers!

I swear the whole GR media seems to be off the wagon these days. If this site was to have a print version, I would get a subscription. Keep up the good work!

[The Executive Director]

Hi, Wilhelmus.

A dead-tree version of the website is a long-term goal of L.A.W.

Regards,
Bill Tingley
Executive Director