The Politics of Feedback
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Readers' response to my presidential endorsement reveals
much about the rift our disagreements can cause.
WE RECEIVED A NUMBER of responses
(see Your Letters, in the print edition) opposing
my endorsement of Barack Obama for
president ("President Ed Tech," October).
We expected that not everyone would
agree, but we hoped to stir discussion
and prompt people to consider the
technology in education platforms of
Sen. Obama and Sen. John McCain.
We did indeed stir discussion. As I
have answered each letter writer individually,
I've noticed a few themes.
"You have made your publication
partisan." T.H.E. Journal is and will
remain nonpartisan. We have praised
John Bailey, a Bush appointee to the
US Department of Education, for his
leadership and openness, and we
have criticized the Bush administration
for attempting to cut off technology
funding. Likewise, we will criticize an
Obama administration if we find it is
making decisions contrary to the goals
of the education technology community
or education as a whole.
"You have made your publication
political." We have
never been apolitical. Education
does not happen in a
vacuum; policymakers from
local boards of education on up
to the Oval Office all make
decisions that affect
what happens in the
classroom. Part of our
mission is to inform
them about technology
and education and
urge them to pursue
the best policies. We
regularly encourage
readers to contact their
congresspeople about
matters related to technology
and education. That may be
acting politically, but it is also part of
being a responsible citizen.
"Your focus was too narrow." I will not
vote for president or any other office
exclusively on a candidate's technology
and education platform, and I would
be surprised if anyone else would.
However, that is what we, as one of
our readers pointed out, "are competent
in." Many of the letter writers
raised other issues, such as abortion,
terrorism, and tax policy, as well as a
few unprintable, xenophobic views.
Though my ballot will ultimately reflect
many concerns, I felt my endorsement
should only consider the single issue
that T.H.E. is devoted to, namely, which
candidate's platform would help to
best prepare the most children to live
and work in the 21st century.
"Cancel my subscription." Some
readers, fueled by their disagreement
with my commentary, asked to be
removed from our mailing list, which
we have done. That certainly is their
right, but it's a reaction that will
ultimately shut a person off from
every publication, every news
channel, and a large swath
of the internet. Opposing
viewpoints help people grow and
learn; they have certainly
helped me.
The philosopher
Ralph Waldo Emerson
said, "The only sin
we never forgive
each other is
difference of
opinion." I think
I've had a glimpse
into how right he
was.
-Geoffrey H. Fletcher, Editorial director