Despite the fact that I agree with the argument Walter Backstrom tries to make, reading Backstrom’s article “Who really needs a bailout” left me bewildered by his lack of evidence. I will not go into all of the flaws, but here are a few:

1. Backstrom cited that “children of color” have graduation rates at 30 percent, but the credible Alliance for Excellent Education and the Civil Rights Project at Harvard claim the current graduation rate of African Americans is actually at 59 percent and 50.2 percent respectively.

2. He then stated, “We also have parents who profess to love their children, but forget that love is a word that requires action.” It is atrocious to insinuate that because some parents have not taken the action that Backstrom believes is appropriate, they do not really love their children.

3. Backstrom also called school officials “arrogant” and “clueless” without supporting any of the circumstances that would merit this denunciatory language. Show me evidence or show me nothing.

Jillian Altizer

Bellevue