Off With Their Heads Pt 2

The advocates of free speech are at it again. It seems that an online petition has been started by some of the usual suspects to get Star Tribune columnist Katherine Kersten fired. They apparently did not like her reporting on the inconsistencies at the TIZA school. Some of the esteemed signatories include Mark Gislason, our dear friend Eva Young and failed Congressional Candidate Coleen Rowley. One anonymous commenter had this to say:

May 15, 2008, Anonymous, Minnesota
Katherine Kersten should lose her job because her column is extremely poorly researched, completely lacking any criticism of those in power who hold her narrow and intolerant views, and is invariably divisive to the community. It takes advantage of the Right of Freedom of Speech to perpetuate oppression --time and time again. The Star Tribune can certainly find a conservative columnist who is not so one-dimensionl.(sic)

Poorly researched??? I guess talking to an EYEWITNESS is Anonymous' idea of "extremely poor research". Scott Johnson at Powerline has listed out all of the "extremely poor research" that Katherine Kersten did in a post here.

What is most frightening about this is the fact that this petition had it's genesis in an elected official calling for Ms. Kersten's employer to fire her.

In response to questions prompted by Katherine Kersen's recent columns on Tarek ibn Ziyad Academy (TIZA), I decided to visit the school myself.

What I learned during a tour late last month is that none of Kersten's concerns that the charter school is promoting religion in violation of a state law that prohibits public schools from doing so is valid.

What I did see was excellent teachers hard at work in the classroom focused on improving student achievement. I saw engaged students of different religious and cultural backgrounds learning reading, math, government and science. I spoke with parents, teachers and administrators who all stressed their high standards for TIZA students.

While an outsider, or someone like Kersten who is trying to validate a predetermined conclusion, might be tempted to brand Tarek ibn Ziyad as an "Islamic School" because it leases space from the Muslim American Society of Minnesota, the school, like other charter schools in Minnesota that lease space from churches, is a separate entity. It does comply with federal law that requires all schools to accommodate a student's right to practice his or her religion. And unlike other charter schools that have faced financial and other administrative challenges, the school was recognized with a 2008 School Finance Award from the Minnesota Department of Education for its "sound fiscal health and financial management policies."

Kersten's reckless journalistic standards have diminished this paper's credibility. Worse, they have threatened the safety of the children and staff at the school, which has been forced to take extra security measures in the wake of recent death threats. While I value a broad range of opinions from a variety of perspectives, I value the facts even more. Kersten's gross distortion of the facts in this case should compel Star Tribune management to ask for her resignation.

REP. MINDY GREILING, DFL-ROSEVILLE; CHAIRWOMAN, HOUSE K-12 FINANCE DIVISION

Now Rep. Greiling accuses Kersten of "gross distortion of fact" for quoting an EYEWITNESS to the events in question. Did Rep. Greiling also speak to this EYEWITNESS when she did her "research" or did she simply take the school administrators word that there was no violation of "church and state" here and would Rep. Greiling show the same understanding to a Catholic Church if someone accused them of having mandatory chapel services during the school day?

To Ms. Kersten's credit, she is keeping a sense of humor about this. However, the fact can not be ignored that the oh-so-tolerants on the left are yet again calling for the head of yet another person who dares to insert cold hard facts into their nice fuzzy preconceived notions. The good thing is that Rep. Greiling has shown her true colors just in time for the election. Here is hoping that her opponent can put this information to good use.