EDITORIAL: Cheers & Jeers: Innovation; information delayed
Cheers: To innovative education. As detailed in a recent Columbian article, Seton Catholic College Prep has embraced the four-day-a-week education model it implemented in the fall of 2024. The private high school adopted the schedule not out of budget constraints but out of a belief that it would improve education. Students have Mondays off to pursue employment or volunteer opportunities - or to study - and teachers work Mondays on lesson plans, professional development or tutoring.
With a minor extension of the school day, students spend more time in class during the course of the year than they did in the past, and administrators say that test scores have improved. The unorthodox schedule can be a burden for some parents but appears to be well-suited for high school-age students. Nationally, critics have called for vast reforms in American education, but implementation often is hampered by bureaucracy. Seton's experiment can provide some insight for other schools looking for ways to improve student outcomes.
Jeers: To a backlog of public records requests. A recent report indicates that the city of Vancouver and the Vancouver Police Department are falling behind on filling requests under the state's Public Records Act.
Part of the reason is an increase in requests for video records, which take more time to process, and an increase in the complexity of requests. Attorney General Nick Brown is taking public input on how to streamline the system. Providing public information is essential for being a responsive government, but the situation highlights the need for adjustments to the law and the process for filling requests.
Cheers ... and jeers: To a spate of new laws. With June 11 marking 90 days since the close of the 2026 legislative session, more than 200 new laws have taken effect in Washington. Among them are several rules to bolster and protect voting rights in the state, at a time when the federal government and the U.S. Supreme Court are working to undermine voter access. Other legislation addresses microchip implants, gambling on college sports, and student restraints.
Each law is meaningful to somebody. At the same time, the state lawbook is overdue for a thorough scrubbing. The Revised Code of Washington has 91 titles, each with numerous chapters that contain multiple chapters. Many of them are antiquated and should be reconsidered.
Sad: The death of an eaglet. Harmony, a 10-week-old eaglet at Royal Oaks Country Club, fell from a tree and died last week. The young bird and her sibling, Peace, have had their lives documented on a livestream that drew widespread attention.
"Nature can be both inspiring and heartbreaking, and Harmony's short life touched many who followed her journey," Royal Oaks staff posted online. The young bird reportedly was engaged in a tug-of-war with its sibling over a piece of food, then fell over the edge of the nest. It was on a branch for several hours before falling to the ground. The loss is a sad reminder of nature's fragility.
Cheers: To support for the arts. The city of Vancouver is continuing to develop a vision for the Vancouver Arts Hub, which is taking shape in a former library building. After reaching out to arts groups, officials are focusing on affordability and flexibility that will allow artists to work and provide access to the public.
A focus on the arts improves the quality of life for all residents, lending vibrancy and creativity to a city. Vancouver in recent decades has embraced that ethos, enhancing the local economy and culture.
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