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an independent newspaper EDITORIALS
How to discourage college students Choice matters in higher education, too. T
HE OBAMA administration is consider- ing rules that could sharply limit the availability of for-profit colleges to Amer- ican students. The government is right to
fashion reasonable regulation to discourage fraud or misleading practices, but it would be wrong to impose rules that remove an option that is espe- cially useful for poor and working students. Readers should know that we have a conflict of interest regarding this subject. The Washington Post Co., which owns the Post newspaper and
washingtonpost.com, also owns Kaplan Univer- sity and other for-profit schools of higher educa- tion that, according to company officials, could be harmed by the proposed regulations. But our feelings about career colleges, as the for-profits are often called, are consistent with our editorial policy on education more broadly: that is, the more options available to parents and students, the better. Particularly among some Democrats, that’s not always the prevailing view. But for the most part it has been the philosophy of the Obama administration, which is why an effort to narrow choice in this area would be in- consistent as well as misguided. In a speech on higher education in Texas this month, President Obama noted that getting more Americans into — and successfully out of — col- lege is an economic imperative. “It’s an economic issue when the unemployment rate for folks who’ve never gone to college is almost double what it is for those who have gone to college,” Mr. Obama said. “Education is an economic issue when nearly eight in 10 new jobs will require workforce training or a higher education by the end of this decade.” But the president noted that in college completion the United States has been “slipping. In a single generation, we’ve fallen from first place to 12th place in college gradua- tion rates for young adults.” He vowed to reverse that trend. Part of the answer, as he argued, lies in improv- ing community colleges, which can be a road to opportunity but which graduate only 30 per cent of their students within six years. Also key is of- fering more generous Pell grants, which the ad-
ministration managed to do by taking control of the student loan business, a legislative initiative we supported. Part may lie with improving ac- countability in four-year colleges and universi- ties, a process that the George W. Bush adminis- tration gingerly embarked upon.
CAROLYN KASTER/ASSOCIATED PRESS President Obama speaks at the University of Texas in Austin on Aug. 9. But it’s difficult to imagine achieving Mr. Oba-
ma’s goal of 8 million more college graduates by 2020 if the for-profit sector is severely con- stricted. According to the Career College Associa- tion, as of 2006-07 about 9 per cent of the nation’s 25 million college students were attending tax- paying schools such as Kaplan or Strayer Univer- sity, and the number has been growing rapidly. It’s been growing because for-profit schools have been adept at meeting the needs of working stu- dents who want to advance their careers but can afford to study only part-time and, often, online. The government has an important role to play
in helping to ensure that these students aren’t taken advantage of. A recent Government Ac- countability Office video revealed repugnant in- stances of misleading and high-pressure recruit- ing, including by Kaplan employees. It’s also rea- sonable to discourage students from paying for courses that promise but fail to deliver improved career pros- pects, which is why statistics on repayment of government loans are relevant. Government data released last week suggested that only 36 per- cent of for-profit students are paying back their government loans on time. The figure was on a par with other institutions that educate a high proportion of low-income students; the Uni- versity of the District of Colum- bia, for example, was said to have a 33 percent repayment rate, and Bowie State University, 22 per- cent. Yet the new regulations would limit federal loans only to students attending for-profit schools whose repayment aver- age falls below a given threshold. The truth, though, is that for all schools the numbers are mis- leading. They count as deadbeats students who have restructured their loans, with government ap-
proval, to pay only interest for the first few years, until their earnings can be expected to grow, and who remain up to date on their restructured pay- ment schedules. It makes no sense to retroac- tively punish schools, and their potential stu- dents, for practices that the Education Depart- ment has encouraged until now. If the data released Friday are used without fur-
ther refinement, the effect will be to deprive many working students of their best option for higher education — and to worsen the national problem that Mr. Obama has dedicated himself to solving.
Prince George’s schools Our picks for the Board of Education P
RINCE GEORGE’S County residents are accustomed to instability in their Board of Education. First, there was the elected school board that acted so erratically it was abolished and replaced with an appointed body in 2002. Four years ago came the return of an elected board. Now, yet another permutation will occur as the county ditches the board’s at- large members in favor of a nine-member board composed solely of district representatives. The first step comes Sept. 14 when voters will winnow a field of 37 candidates to 18 who will advance to November’s general election. The stakes couldn’t be higher for a county whose school system, while seen to be improving, still ranks in the bottom of the state. There is little doubt that the lack of board stability, matched by a revolving door of superintendents, contributed to the system’s problems. Superintendent Wil- liam R. Hite Jr., who took over in 2008 from John E. Deasy, seems to have the system headed in the right direction. But there are worries that prog- ress could stall, particularly since a bad financial situation has forced painful cuts in programs and personnel. More cuts are in the offing if the state tries to shift teacher pension costs to the counties or relaxes its maintenance of effort law. The need for a sensible board able to direct policy without micromanaging Mr. Hite has never been stronger. One worry is that the district-only representa- tion will cause members to care primarily about the parochial interests of their communities, but the redrawn districts have resulted in a healthy field of candidates. There are primary contests in the nonpartisan races in seven of the nine dis- tricts. The top two vote getters in each will ad- vance. Candidates in District 2, Mark Cook and Peggy Higgins, and in District 8, Edward Bur- roughs III and Steven E. Morris, will not be on the primary ballot and will automatically advance to the general. District 1, which includes Laurel, Beltsville and
part of Adelphi, features incumbent Rosalind A. Johnson and six challengers. As a teacher for
more than 30 years, Ms. Johnson brought a deep knowledge of the system to the board, but there are stronger candidates. Foremost is Chonya Johnson, 36, a congressional liaison with the U.S. Census Bureau. Chonya Johnson’s manage- ment and policy experience as well as her insights as the mother of a 6-year-old daughter in the sys- tem would make her a valuable addition. Also strong are Mike McLaughlin, 57, a longtime par- ent advocate with expertise in the needs of spe- cial education students, and David H. Murray, 18, a former student member of the State Board of Education with a good grasp of the challenges facing schools in Prince George’s as well as the state. Incumbent Amber Waller, 62, is the clear choice over two challengers as she seeks reelec- tion in the reconfigured District 3, which in- cludes Hyattsville, University Park and Brent- wood. Ms. Waller has used her longstanding civic ties to promote community involvement in the schools. She’s also brought common sense to the board, as evidenced by her opposition to the ill- fated plans to purchase a new administration building. District 4, which includes Cheverly, Glenarden, Bladensburg and Landover Hills, features three newcomers, with the most impressive being school activist Aimee Olivo, 33. It was three years ago, when her son was 11
⁄2 , that Ms. Olivo re-
alized she needed to get involved in her local school, and the result was the highly successful Cheverly Advocates for Public Schools. Smart and savvy, Ms. Olivo preaches the importance of com- munity having a sense of ownership over schools, and as a former fundraiser she has ideas about how to go after new resources. Jeana Jacobs, 43, current chair of the board,
deserves to be reelected from the new District 5, which includes Bowie, Mitchellville and parts of Upper Marlboro. A lawyer and educator, Ms. Ja- cobs has provided steady leadership, balancing the demands of her colleagues against the need for Mr. Hite to have the freedom to do his job. She
keeps a practical eye on the budget and has prov- en herself able to make tough calls, while still building consensus. In District 6, which includes the Largo and Ket- tering area and parts of Upper Marlboro, in- cumbent Pat Fletcher, 60, faces three challengers, including Judy Mickens-Murray, 62, a former member of the appointed school board. Ms. Fletcher should be commended for the courage she showed in voting to close schools, many in her community. But Ms. Fletcher is seen as want- ing to micromanage school operations, and her defense of the new administration building pur- chase was ill advised. Better choices for the seat are Ms. Mickens-Murray, who did standout work on the previous board, or Darin Kenley, 37, a Teach for America alumnus who has an impres- sive resume in education reform. Four candidates are vying to represent District
7, which includes District Heights and Hillcrest Heights. The best bet is Henry P. Armwood Jr., 60, a former parent liaison, who has been in- volved in community affairs and is well versed in the issues. Among Mr. Armwood’s sensible ideas is the need for a better process to let interested community groups get involved in schools. Incumbent Donna Hathaway Beck, 54, is the clear choice to represent the southern part of the county in the new District 9. Ms. Beck is a long- time parent activist who, by virtue of her deep knowledge of the system and tireless work in the community, is perhaps the board’s most effective member. Smart about the budget, she has a keen understanding of what programs work and what is needed to promote school improvement.
Tom Toles is away.
SUNDAY, AUGUST 22, 2010
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
dletters@washpost.com
Sparks from a cancer drug
The Aug. 16 front-page article “Breast cancer drug in dispute” was a balanced look at Avastin, but the dueling claims were confusing. Here’s the most impor- tant issue: Research shows that breast cancer patients taking Avastin don’t live as long and they have more serious side effects than patients taking placebo. That is why Avastin should not be used for breast cancer, even if it were free. Its cost is not the main point, and politicians need to understand that just because a drug is expensive doesn’t mean it improves health. The manufacturer is correct that Avastin can delay the progression of breast cancer. So why aren’t Avastin patients living longer? Data indicate that it’s because women taking Avastin are more likely to die from side effects such as stroke and heart disease. If a breast cancer patient takes Avastin, it will not improve her chances of living longer, but her quality of life is more likely to be harmed because of the debilitating condi- tions linked to the drug. Avastin may help some breast cancer patients, but it appears that nobody can predict which ones it will help and which ones it will hurt. The research in- dicates that it harms more breast cancer patients than it helps, which is why its approval for breast cancer should be rescinded. If the manufacturer wants to help breast cancer patients, it should do the research necessary to show who is helped by Avastin and seek approval just for those types of patients. DIANAZUCKERMAN, Washington
The writer is president of the Cancer Prevention and Treatment Fund of the National Research Center for Women & Families.
I am a nurse with 10 years of experience in clinical research. Sen. David Vitter (R-La.) said, regarding the Food and Drug Administration considering revocation of approval for Avastin for breast cancer treatment, that “this is the beginning of a slippery slope leading to . . . rationing under the government takeover of health care that is being forced on the American people.” This was an insult to health-care providers and insensitive and dangerous to consumers. It was sound scientific clinical research, not the
Democratic Party, that showed Avastin to be of little benefit in breast cancer. Should we use medications without sufficient evidence of efficacy or safety be- cause Republicans don’t like the new health-care bill? It is time elected officials think rationally about health care using science (evidence-based medicine) and common sense, not partisan politics, as their guide. ELIZABETHKINGERY, Chevy Chase
As China goes on the death penalty . . . In his Aug. 16 op-ed, “Is mercy coming to China?,”
John Kamm noted that in the past decade China has reduced its rate of executing prisoners by half, from 10,000 per year to fewer than 5,000, with about 2,000 executions projected for 2012. The government has a stated goal of abolishing the death penalty. It abolished public executions some time ago. It is not often that China can serve as a human rights model. But a stated goal of abolishing the death penalty is a step that we should be taking. It would do much to remove a barbaric relic from our judicial system. We have reduced executions in the United States from about 100 a year 10 years ago to about 50 now. That is about the same percentage reduction as in Chi- na and with much smaller numbers. Still, even one ex- ecution is too many. And with an average of 15,000 murders per year in the United States and only 50 ex- ecutions for murder, the penalty is so freakishly rare as to be “cruel and unusual.” It should be abolished. HERBERT C. PUSCHECK, Alexandria
Dominion Power shines in the storms
The officials at Pepco who are happy with their me- diocre performance during recent storms would do well to shadow their counterparts at Dominion Power in Virginia [“Pepco leaders defend effort after storms,” front page, Aug. 18]. We live in Del Ray, just across the street from the Beverly Hills section of Alexandria. These two neighborhoods were hit very hard by the Aug. 5 storm. The response of Dominion Power’s offi- cials and workers — working in tandem with city offi- cials — was simply amazing. Our streets were full of trucks with dedicated, friendly workers out in the ear- ly morning and into the late hours of the evening; parking lots were crowded with out-of-the-area power trucks resting at night; and our neighborhood list- servs have been full of kudos to Dominion Power and their subcontractors. You guys did the job well and quickly — thank you!
Perhaps you could give a few pointers to Pepco. MARYHUBER ANDMICHAELWILKER, Alexandria
Pentagon cost-cutting deserves support
Regarding Rep. Gerald E. Connolly’s Aug. 14 letter criticizing Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates’s initia- tive to reduce defense costs: The intervention of Mr. Connolly (D-Va.) was unfor-
A plea for Sen. Coburn to let the Metro bill proceed LOCAL OPINIONS
Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) [letters, Aug. 17]
gave his rationale for placing a hold on a bill for the federal government to regulate safety stan- dards at Metro and transit systems nationwide. The bill is in response to the Metro accident that killed nine people in June 2009. He expressed some concern over funding, a valid issue that can surely be resolved by Congress. But his main issue was constitutional authority to regulate subway systems, and he concluded by saying that if Metro is tone-deaf to safety, “The Post should demand a house-cleaning within Metro.” A more direct and productive way to improve safety is to accept the reality we have. First, as the National Transportation Safety Board concluded, the main contributing factor to the accident was Metro’s lack of a work culture de- voted to safety.
Second, it is well-settled by Congress and the 3Join the debate at
washingtonpost.com/localopinions
courts that the federal government can set stan- dards for commuter trains. Third, it is highly unlikely that transit systems will significantly improve safety without an ex- ternal, standard-setting body. In his Aug. 15 Local Opinions commentary, general manager Richard Sarles discussed actions being taken by the Wash- ington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, but continuing independent oversight is necessary. Fourth, a federal approach to transit safety is more cost-effective than having localities develop the needed expertise. It also promotes sharing of lessons learned between different transit systems and can improve operational efficiencies. For the sake of transit commuters and employ-
ees nationwide, I encourage Mr. Coburn to work with his colleagues to find suitable funding and then to move quickly to approve this bill. ALBERT G. JORDAN, Vienna
News pages: ABCDE
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Drunk with delusions Steven Pearlstein’s endorsement of privatizing Vir-
ginia’s liquor stores is flawed [“Drink up, Virginia, to a winning proposition,” Economy & Business, Aug. 18]. Its financial soundness is predicated on the enactment or increase of three taxes: (1) an increase in the current liquor excise tax, (2) a new sales tax on restaurant li- quor sales and (3) a new tax/fee on the market value of the license upon its periodic renewal. These taxes are not part of the plan but are Mr. Pearlstein’s ideas and would require legislative action. One only needs to look at the Virginia legislature’s recent refusal to raise one of the nation’s lowest ciga- rette tax to realize there is no chance any tax increase would be enacted. Without them, privatization gives away a good state revenue source. JOHNSWIECA, Great Falls
tunate. Mr. Gates’s undertaking should be emulated by the heads of all executive departments and should earn broad congressional support. Mr. Connolly’s questioning of the Gates initiative and requesting con- gressional hearings before anything is done demon- strates congressional overreach. Of course Congress will be involved before major changes are implement- ed. But who better than the defense secretary to de- cide where to start looking for economies in the de- fense establishment? At this stage, Mr. Connolly should be voicing enthu- siasm for Mr. Gates’s efforts, not narrow political self- interest. With a clarity rarely seen on the part of a freshman congressman, Mr. Connolly is demonstrat- ing that he has already been in office too long. JOHNJ. KOHOUT III, Alexandria
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