Shorten the school year: Give advocates an 'F' grade

Budget crises are a breeding ground for bad ideas. A particularly bad one is spreading and is in need of stomping out before getting embedded -- the idea that we can save money by shortening Washington's school year.
"It reminds me of the sheriff scene in Mel Brooks' movie 'Blazing Saddles.' He put the gun to his head and said, 'Stop or I'll shoot,'" said George "Pinky" Nelson, the former NASA astronaut who is program director of science, math and technology education at Western Washington University.