I know not how old you are, but I remember Chet Huntley and David Brinkley doing the election of 1960. If you were alive and aware, how could you not? A CATHOLIC was running for president. Pretty provocative! And America was about to take the American out from under the steady hand of Ike. And all was reported the best they could.

But we had Chet and David, the New York Times, our local newspapers, and local TV.

OK. Let's stipulate that "news" isn't. And I think I know why.

I read Art Buchwald's book about how he got to Paris and into the news writing business (before he did the humorist gig) but what struck me (like a ton of bricks) was his statement that his editor at the Herald Tribune was a former prize fighter.

And I thought, yeah. Back when the mold was set people drifted to being reporters because they liked weird hours, or got jazzed by the police beat. Read Ben Hecht's Gaily Gaily. It's about weird deals and cheap whores and being in the know.

Now journalists have to have credentials and those credentials are bestowed by people who think just like the people who bestowed theirs.

There ain't any more former prize fighters on the staff of the Herald Tribune. Certainly not in management.

You want to know the answer? before I answer let me relate something which happened to me with my daughter:

She was visiting me (divorce) and wanted to do a paper on my computer. Fine. To cut to the chase the paper said that America was starving children in the third world by selling those countries cigarettes on credit and then demanding repayment which caused these countries to short their social welfare programs.

This woman was a woman, She was black. She was in a progressive school. I tried to undo the idea my 7th grade daughter had that her country was intentionally killing children around the world in order to make a few bucks for the cigarette companies but I think not entirely.

So I would say that the only way to ensure education without indoctrination would be charter schools where the parent have control. Damn it – that used to be the way it was when I was in school. There was no übermensch to come along, pat everybody on the head, and then go along warping the children.In the incident I related I knew I was a dead man. I, a white male parent, challenging a black female with a masters degree? r a c i s t…