Can Somebody Check the School Board's Diplomas?

The Times has already called on the School Board to resign. Seattlest is calling for the school board to repeat 9th grade English.

They just released their evaluation of Superintendent Raj Manhas, and it's polluted with flaccid language, poorly-defined words, and nonsensical clichés. Any writing teacher would exhaust her red pen with frowny faces trying to edit it.

Here's just one example, from the mysterious "Leadership, Advocacy and Communications" section (the only one critical of outgoing Superintendent Raj Manhas).

The Board would like to see accelerated progress in leadership within the community, building broad-based coalitions and partnerships...

Wow. An entire clause with only one definable term. "The Board" we understand. But "accelerated progress in leadership within the community" (accelerated from what? what constitutes progress? what community? voters? parents? teachers? marauding Visigoths? who?) "building broad-based coalitions and partnerships" (this is a corporate cliche that means absolutely nothing. "Broad-based"? Like, lots of people? Or different types of people? Or what? Should pets be included?)

...and more thorough and consistent analysis of items brought forward to the Board for action.

Consistent analysis? Meaning...the same analysis every time? And if they are items "brought forward to the Board for action" (which is also just a terrible sentence), shouldn't they analyze them? I don't blame them for thinking they are unable to analyze anything any more confusing than shampoo directions, but still.

...we also want to see accelerated authentic family and community involvement in planning and problem solving demonstrated at all levels.

What constitutes "authentic" family involvement? Is there a rash of fake parents attending parent/teacher conferences? Or are we just talking about not letting the parents of adopted kids attend school board meetings? Or what? "Demonstrated at all levels." At ALL levels? Really? In every single classroom in every school in the entire city of Seattle? And WHAT THE F-BOMB DOES "ACCELERATED" MEAN IN THIS CONTEXT? BETTER? MORE? FASTER? PUSSYCAT? KILL? KILL?

Sorry. What's got us more frustrated about this report is this: Manhas, who's quitting because he doesn't have the full support of the school board, is rated on three things. He rates highly in the first two, academic performance and management.

So it must be his failure in the third thing that's turned the school board against him. The third thing is that "leadership" category which they can't even define!

AGGGGH!

Maybe the entire city should be repeating 12th grade civics--after all, we're the ones who voted the board into office.