SCHMID: LOOKING BACK FROM THE LEFT COAST - JULY 8, 2013
The NAEP released its 2011 scores. The National Assessment of Educational Progress tests fourth and eighth graders every two years in reading and math. In ND, The great majority of students are white (85%). Fourth grade white students in ND were below the national average for white students in reading and at the average in math. Eighth grade white students in ND scored the same as the national average in reading and slightly exceeded the average in math. American Indian students (9%) are the only significant minority in ND -- they score below the national average for American Indians in both reading and math.
Time to stop bragging -- test scores of ND students are average and not improving. ND students rank high when their overall scores are compared to national overall averages. However, about half of all students nationally are nonwhite and have significantly lower scores than white students. The exception is Asian students who easily exceed all groups. As a result, ND students are, to a significant degree, compared to underperforming black and Mexican students. The state media and educational establishment should drop the pretense that ND students perform better than similar students in other states. Invalid comparisons stand in the way of addressing declining performance in ND public elementary schools and more serious deficiencies on the reservations.
“Getting in the way of the people.” -- That’s Minnesota Sen. Dave Thompson’s view of his state’s government. One of four Republican candidates for governor, Thompson is a UND graduate and native of E. Grand Forks. Speaking in his home town he said, “(Gov. Mark) Dayton is a Twin Cities guy, and a Washington (D.C.) guy, he doesn’t understand the challenges we face.”
Minnesota license plates roll into the parking lot of Big Cigs in Grand Forks. The new Minnesota cigarette tax is $2.83 a pack, compared to $.44 in ND. Minnesotans from as far away as the Twin Cities are swarming into ND to arbitrage cigarettes.
Cigarettes are part of a much larger picture of how Minnesota border counties are crushed by their counterparts in ND. In the past decade, ND counties along Minnesota have grown by 20%, while the corresponding Minnesota counties have grown 3%. A representative of the F-M Chamber said, “It’s not just Moorhead or Fargo. All border city communities can have difficult times based on what the two legislatures are doing with the states.”
Soon, several 100-car, mile-long trains of oil will leave northwest ND each day bound to four refineries in Anacortes and Ferndale, Washington. Presently, the refineries receive oil by ship, but declining production and higher prices from Alaska are switching the refineries to ND oil. The refineries are building 2-mile-long rail loops to handle the long trains.
Larry’s a bad, bad boy! Larry Dean Jacobson Jr. (24) sped away in his gangster car (a black Chrysler 300C) at speeds up to 130 mph pursued west on I-94 for 30 miles by the Highway Patrol. Valley City police punctured his tires with spike strips -- no problem, Larry u-turned and thumped east before ramming two Barnes County squad cars. To maintain his gangster rep, Larry earlier damaged windows and other property in Fargo. An article pictures him in black rimmed glasses looking very much like a serious eighth grader.
The 1978 Indian Child Welfare Act is misnamed according to columnist Lloyd Omdahl. He believes “it places the interests of the tribe ahead of the rights of children” and should be changed to shift the emphasis to children. Omdahl says Indian children are placed in unsuitable homes “because there are not enough Native American homes available.” His column was written in the context of child abuse on the Spirit Lake Reservation, called a “rudderless ship” by former U.S. Senator Kent Conrad. The child protection program there has been surrendered to the control of the federal Bureau of Indian Affairs.
Members of the Spirit Lake Tribe reacted to negative publicity by ousting Chairman Roger Yankton Sr. A Herald article said tribal members welcomed new chairman Russ McDonald by singing celebratory songs, beating drums and forming long lines of congratulations.
The Ft. Berthold Reservation (Three Affiliated Tribes) has oil . . . and organized crime and drugs. Federal authorities have indicted 22 individuals on the reservation for drug conspiracy. The drug distribution covers the entire Oil Patch, but operates from the reservation because of a perception of weak law enforcement there.
“We’re back at the river.” -- A historical reference by Three Affiliated Tribes Chairman Tex Hall as he hailed the launching of the new tribal yacht. He proudly added TAT has the only casino in the state with a boat. The yacht will be used for dining and entertainment -- 75 special guests enjoyed the inaugural voyage. Next year there will be another yacht for gaming.
The obituary of Loren Lee White Sr. (60) of White Shield indicates he made his journey into the spirit world this week. The obit is full of superlatives: “an extremely amazing and talented athlete . . . a well-known and accomplished musician . . . a great carpenter and a perfectionist.” Mention was made of Loren’s affinity for nature: “He raised three baby hawks and taught them how to fly and released them into the wild. They remained around his home for several years and when he would call them by imitating the hawk’s call they would appear out of nowhere and would circle above or land close to him.”
“How much government is too much?” -- A Bismarck Tribune editorial noted the state has 53 counties, over 350 cities, 1,320 townships and 771 special districts -- most are inefficient, but nearly all are jealous about local control. More government per capita than any other state.
Oh, what a relief! The Fargo Forum reported that NDSU President Dean Bresciani’s deleted emails reveal no stinging revelations, but “Many of the emails Bresciani sent expressed his disdain for Shirvani (the chancellor), his staff and officials from other North Dakota universities.”
DAKTOIDS: ND led the nation last year with housing growth of 2.3% -- the national equivalent was 0.3%. Northwest counties led the state with Williams (Williston) growing 14% and Ward (Minot) 5% . . . The corn belt will keep creeping north. Much of ND and southern Canada will be affected by Monsanto’s $100 million program to develop early maturing hybrid corn . . . Wheee! ND topped the nation in per capital beer drinking, followed closely by guzzlers in Montana and South Dakota.
DakotaBeacon