I have tried, since joining the Street administration last January, to set aside other people's biases regarding City Paper. I wanted to establish a working relationship with your editorial staff and help your writers do their job, while promoting the accomplishments of the Street administration -- or deflecting criticism when warranted. I had believed that City Paper was a legitimate newspaper -- you know, with real news items. I now acknowledge that I was wrong. You, Howard [Altman], pose as an objective journalist covering the ongoing skateboarding/LOVE Park controversy, when, in fact, you are the primary agitator. Ed Bacon thanks you for your support, literally and figuratively. The middle-finger-salute-to-the-Mayor photo you ran of those poor put-upon skateboarders [in August] was especially juvenile and tasteless.

Congratulations on appealing to the lowest common denominator segment of the population. You sent Daniel Brook to cover a media briefing on the findings in the City's 2002 Children's Report Card and all he wrote about was how Naomi Post supposedly chided me during the meeting for answering BlackBerry messages from the mayor. Not one mention of the condition of Philly's children. I'm assuming it was your brilliant idea to slap the cliched "Keel-Hauled" headline on that insightful piece. The latest insult came courtesy of Mary Patel, who ripped me personally for supposedly not returning her phone call. In fact, she never spoke with me, nor left a message for me. My colleague, Christine Ottow (please note the correct spelling, Mary) took her call. If Ms. Patel never received an answer back from Christine, there was a legitimate reason for this office's non-disclosure of information at that time. Mary, if you felt I was not inclined to return your calls before your unfounded rant, imagine how I feel now.

Finally, Howard, I want to take this opportunity to answer your query (before you take another shot) regarding the city's possible donation of the old granite benches and slabs from LOVE Park for the proposed construction of a replica LOVE in upstate Pennsylvania. The answer is no. At the time of the restoration of LOVE Park, the administration was asked about incorporating the benches and slabs into a new skatepark to be built in Philadelphia. We still intend to honor that request, but it makes no sense to contribute our city's assets to a proposed project in the hinterlands of the state.

Here's hoping City Paper reexamines its editorial content and priorities. The potential still exists that it could become a publication that matters.

Edison Responds

We write to respond to Jonathan Stein's Oct. 24 guest opinion, "Whittle Me This." It is a shame when individuals do not bother to do their research before writing such an article. Let us clear up the areas where Mr. Stein gets his facts wrong.

1) Edison's academic record is strong: Edison students are making some of the highest gains of the 50 largest school systems in the U.S. On independent criterion-referenced tests, Edison's annual rate of gain over the past five years is 5.7 points per year -- a rate 2.7 times better than the average major public-school system in America. On independent norm-referenced tests, our annual rate of gain is 4.7 points, almost three times greater than the average major system.

Mr. Stein tries to evaluate Edison's performance in Chester, but there are some key points missing. As we are in only the second year of managing the Chester schools, we see some progress from the SAT 9 test: Chester High School had a gain of 2.5 national percentiles, Columbus gained 4.3, Showalter gained 11.4 and Wetherill gained 7.8. Mr. Stein only refers to the PSSA test. As there were many changes in enrollment last year, we believe the PSSA yields inaccurate results.

2) Edison maintains high client satisfaction: Serving 80,000 students in 23 states, Edison maintains strong relationships with its clients. In fact, Edison has a client retention rate of 83 percent. The contracts that have been discontinued were due to financial or management issues that often prevented the proper implementation of the Edison program. In some cases, Edison initiated these discontinuations. Like any provider of critical services, Edison knows that a solid partnership with the local school district or charter client is critical for schools to improve.

3) Investors believe in Edison's business model and finances: After all the recent media, we would have thought Mr. Stein might have read the full coverage about Edison's financial situation. The reality is that Edison expects its first operating profit this year of at least $20 million and expects to produce its first net income in the fourth quarter of the current fiscal year. Our financial position is strong (with $30 million in cash at the end of September), despite the ups and downs of our share price. Edison has raised over $500 million in capital since its inception and those funds were raised to invest in critical supports for the schools that Edison partners: creation of a great research-based school design; opened 150 schools with our partners; built the best professional development program for our educators; implemented industry-leading accountability and data systems.

4) Edison invests in new materials and principal training: Mr. Stein can't make up his mind. First Edison has no money, then we are spending lavishly. Edison does invest in educators and the schools. For example, Edison recently invested in professional training for its school principals across the country. The principals of the 20 schools Edison is managing for the Philadelphia school district did attend with their peers.

Mr. Stein also incorrectly reports that the 20 schools in Philadelphia did not receive new supplies. Edison was named to run 20 schools in April, but we did not have a contract until early August -- just before the start of school. We decided in April that we would prepare, even though we did not know the level of funding. We had to make estimates on what level of supplies our schools would be able to receive under our contract. Our final contract provides for our core school model, but not our fully loaded model. So more materials were ordered than were needed. Mr. Stein's article omits another key fact: Edison purchased state-of-the-art educational supplies for our entire curriculum for the 20 schools. Edison has now invested $6.6 million in new materials and technology for the schools it manages in Philadelphia.

For years, educators have not been treated as professionals and Edison Schools believes that investment should be made in the educators in our 150 schools across the country.

5) Students working in schools?: We hardly think this is worth responding to, but it is important to clear up completely incorrect assumptions. Edison does not have a plan or proposal to give students jobs at its schools. At a principal's training event, the idea of making the learning experience more meaningful through hands-on opportunities in the schools was discussed. Edison is interested in exploring options that allow students to learn more, whether through internships, volunteerism, or other forms of service learning.

We are saddened to have to respond to this kind of article. People are genuinely concerned about what occurs in the schools, and half-truths cause real panic for families. Maybe that is not Mr. Stein's concern, but we invite him to learn more as Philadelphia's schools undergo great improvements.

Much LOVE

Thank you for the article about Edmund Bacon's protest at LOVE Park. Last June, my 15-year-old brother was killed by a truck while riding his skateboard. At his funeral his friends placed a piece of LOVE Park granite under his sneakers. That place meant so much to those kids. Mr. Bacon is their hero.

Thanks for Nothing

I'd like to comment on the cover story, "Rendell for President?" [Nov. 7, 2002]. What a waste of space. I'd much rather have read something about how Rendell's governorship is going to affect the city of Philadelphia. Instead, I get a big Seinfeldian story about absolutely nothing. Let's see, what did the poll workers think and what did they eat, and hey, maybe Ed can get elected president in the future. Where did that come from? What about Mayor Street's Neighborhood Transformation Initiative? Some insight into Rendell's probable impact on Philly neighborhoods would have been appreciated.

Shakespeare on a Lark

Harold Hecuba?! I was eating lunch at the Reading Terminal and almost fell off my stool. All afternoon I kept singing to myself, "Never a borrower or a lender be, do not forget, stay out debt ..."

The Nov. 14 Arts Pick on the Wilma/ Philadelphia Orchestra production of Every Good Boy Deserves Favor ("Rare Favors," Toby Zinman) listed incorrect ticket prices. The correct range is $27-$102.