A14 Tuesday, November 24, 2015 | PROVIDENCE JOURNAL | providencejournal.com COMMENTARY Janet Hasson PUBLISHERS OF John C.A. Watkins PRESIDENT AND PUBLISHER The Providence Journal PUBLISHER 1954-1979 SINCE 1829 Edward C. Achorn Michael P. Metcalf PUBLISHER 1979-1987 VICE PRESIDENT AND The Providence Sunday EDITORIAL PAGES EDITOR Journal SINCE 1885 Stephen Hamblett PUBLISHER 1987-1999 David J. Butler SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT The Evening Bulletin Howard G. Sutton 1863-1995 AND EXECUTIVE EDITOR PUBLISHER 1999-2014 EDITORIALS Portrait of corruption ne of the reasons Rhode the two times he was convicted Island has struggled of felonies for his abuse of his O for years is a political public office. Evidence of his culture that embraces corrup- corruption throughout his Don’t shoot messenger, R.I. tion and insider dealing. That public life is both copious and boosted the public’s tax burden, damning — with some of his scared off investors and made wrongdoing and fondness for By Michael J. Petrilli a comforting illusion that most young people today complete a it very difficult for the state duplicity spelled out in his own and Robert Pondiscio children were on track to succeed four-year college degree.) to encourage job creation and autobiography. in college, carve out satisfying The new standards should help improve its schools. Clearly, Sadly, he was still trying to ive long years ago, Rhode careers, and stand on their own to boost college readiness — and political corruption is neither a tout his greatness the other Island and more than two feet. But for too many young college completion — by sig- joke nor a victimless crime. night. Cianci claimed he had F 40 other states adopted people, that simply wasn’t true. nificantly raising expectations, In light of that, it is sad to see raised “the self-esteem of the tough new standards in reading Imagine being told year after year starting in kindergarten. But that, even now, some members people of the City of Providence and math, setting dramatically that you’re doing just fine, only we shouldn’t be surprised that of the political class and their to levels they would have never higher expectations for students to find out when you apply for Rhode Island found that less than hangers-on are determined to thought they would achieve.” in elementary and secondary college or a job that you’re simply one-third of its students are “on mock the idea that ethics have In truth, he brought national schools. Now we’ve reached a not as prepared as you need to be. track” for college. In fact, that’s any consequence in Rhode shame on the city through his critical milestone in this effort, as Such experiences are not what we should expect. Parents, Island government. They have notorious bullying and crimes, the public just got to see for the unusual. Every year, two-thirds in other words, are finally learn- been particularly set on ven- something that shrouded the first time the scores on the new of Rhode Island students enter- ing the truth. erating Vincent Cianci, an good work that more honest tests aligned to the standards. ing the state’s community college This is a big shift, but a neces- unrepentant twice-convicted and less self-aggrandizing The news was sobering: only must take “remedial” courses sary one, from the Lake Wobegon felon who spent more than four leaders have done in making one-fourth of Rhode Island’s when they arrive on campus. days, when, as in Garrison years in federal prison for run- Providence a wonderful place. students are on track in math, Many of those students will leave Keillor’s fictional town, all the ning Providence City Hall as a Younger voters rejected and just one-third are proficient without a degree, or any kind of children were above average. criminal enterprise. Cianci’s brand of old-fashioned in reading and writing. Though credential. That’s a lousy way to Parents and taxpayers should Last week, a group of his corruption last fall, and there the scores may come as a shock to start one’s adult life. resist the siren song of those who acolytes — among them, former is reason to hope that Rhode many, let us explain why people The most important step want to use this moment of truth Mayor Joseph Paolino, now Island is ready for a different shouldn’t shoot the messenger. toward fixing this problem is to attack the new standards or a property developer — held kind of politics. Fame, like life, First it’s important to remem- to ensure that our children are the associated tests. two events in honor of Cianci, is fleeting. Anyone looking at ber why so many states started ready for the next grade, and They may not be perfect, but including the unveiling of an that portrait in future years down this path in the first place. when they turn 18, for college they are finally giving parents, official portrait at City Hall and a with any idea of who Cianci was Under law, every state must test or work. Several national stud- educators, and taxpayers a much dinner on Federal Hill. will surely reflect that he was children every year in grades ies, including analyses of the more honest assessment of how “This is quite an honor, but I not a great man, but one who three through eight and once in National Assessment of Educa- our children are doing. Virtually must say this is not the first time could have been great had he high school to ensure they are tional Progress (NAEP), show all kids aspire to go to college and I’ve been framed,” Cianci said, cared about conducting himself making progress. That’s a good that just 35 to 40 percent of prepare for a satisfying career. to guffaws from his cronies. with honor, by obeying the law idea. Parents deserve to know high school graduates leave our Now, at last, we know if they’re He certainly was not framed and serving the common good. if their kids are learning, and education system at the “college on track to do so. taxpayers are entitled to know if prepared” level. Considering that the money we spend on schools is 20 percent of our children don’t —Michael J. Petrilli and Robert being used wisely. even make it to graduation day, Pondiscio are president and vice But it is left to states to define that means that maybe a third of president, respectively, of the what it means to be “proficient.” our kids nationally are getting to Thomas B. Fordham Institute. Russian dopers Unfortunately, many states set that college-ready mark. (Not They are fathers of school-aged a very low bar. The result was coincidentally, about a third of children. ussia has been a power- house in amateur sports R for decades. During the years when it was consti- tuted as the Soviet Union, few Obama’s critics stop making sense countries ever did as well in the Olympics. And, even though the By Eugene Robinson hundreds of thousands flood- “I think that was the Crusades.” old empire has since broken up, ing into Europe. Boosting the Jeb Bush, the ultimate estab- Russia still amasses huge medal he impact of the Paris number to 10,000 over the next lishment candidate, seemed to counts at the games. attacks on the Republican year, as Obama plans, would still sense both opportunity and peril. Well, this may not be the case T presidential race may turn mean that the U.S. contribution “The United States should not for much longer. out to be minimal, especially to alleviating one of the worst delay in leading a global coalition This month, the International since the establishment candi- refugee crises since World War II to take out ISIS with overwhelm- Association of Athletics Fed- dates aren’t making any more doesn’t amount to a drop in the ing force,” he said in a speech erations council voted 22-1 in Yelena Isinbayeva, a Russian pole sense than outsiders Donald bucket. I could describe in detail Wednesday. “Militarily, we need favor of suspending Russia from vaulter, a two-time Olympic gold med- Trump and Ben Carson. the lengthy pre-entry vetting to intensify our efforts in the air amateur sports competition. alist and a three-time World Champion, Theoretically, a deadly ram- process, which can take up to two — and on the ground.” This decision followed attends a press conference in Moscow page by Islamic State terrorists years, but why bother? As far as Coming from anyone else, stunning revelations by the last week about Russia’s suspension. ought to make Republican voters the GOP field is concerned, gen- those words might strike Repub- World Anti-Doping Agency. AP PHOTO think twice about presidential erosity of spirit is for losers. lican voters as tough and sober. An independent commis- hopefuls who have zero expe- Carson’s response to the Coming from a candidate named sion chaired by former WADA but around the world.” At the rience in government and no Islamic State is, unsurprisingly, Bush, however, they could President Dick Pound released same time, he stated that the expertise in foreign or military vague and off-the-wall. He portend a geopolitical blunder of a 325-page report following an allegations against Russia have affairs. But the contenders who wrote an op-ed in The Wash- historic proportions. 11-month investigation, alleg- been “a shameful wake-up call hold or held high office are offer- ington Post calling for a military All the establishment GOP ing that Russia has engaged in and we are clear that cheating at ing little more than bellicose strategy virtually identical to candidates pledge to rely on the illegal, widespread doping of its any level will not be tolerated.” rhetoric and overblown pledges President Obama’s, augmented generals to tell them how many athletes.