Numbers often say really very little

We’ve all gotten suckered into it.

I study those “by the numbers” summaries whenever I see them – and they’re everywhere – even on the back of drink coasters at one of my favorite Valley restaurants. How we Americans love our statistics and our lists! In reality, the numbers are often meaningless.

First, I must confess that I am not a “local.” I grew up in Southern California. It was my parent’s fault, really. I didn’t have a choice. Sheesh! It’s not like I could have run away and gone to Gonzaga or Whitworth or something. I mean, mom disliked Catholics and distrusted Presbyterians. What choice did I have?

So I ended up getting my bachelor’s and master’s degrees from public institutions in the “Golden State.”

Then I fled.

One of the alumni newsletters I get just reported 33 percent of the 2006 student body is Latino and 34 percent is white – a net difference of 359 students. The problem is the report counts Latinos as a minority and not Caucasians. Latinos may, in fact, be a minority somewhere, but definitely not at my alma mater with its 35,921 students, and absolutely not in the state of California where, according to the 2000 census, more than 53 percent of the population identified itself as nonwhite.

It all just shows how statistics can be, well, less than forthcoming.

To further prove the point, the same alumni newsletter also reported 11 percent of the student body is engaged in graduate work, but failed to break out the numbers by income, ethnic background or gender, all of which are more important in measuring equal opportunity on campus than a simple percentage.

As is so often the case, the numbers really say very little.

This is not unlike the lists and surveys some media outlets use to boost circulation – and politicians use to sell tax increases.

You’ve seen the banner headlines: “10 best places to put suppositories (and they’re not where you think!)”; “91.56 percent of men leave the toilet seat up”; “Dinosaur redux: Scientists predict 100 percent of baby boomers dead by end of century!”

Even the venerable Parade Magazine has fallen victim to the mumbo jumbo of “numerology.” Joining their annual “What people earn” issue is “World’s worst dictators” which, in a post-modern twist on what constitutes public service, outlines the lives of atrocious men – it’s always men, isn’t it? – who very likely both leave the seat up and probably should be using suppositories, too.

Keep all this in mind as the Central Valley School Board revs up the levy engine one more time (“It will only cost one latte a week!”), light rail proponents refuse to accept defeat (“91.56 percent of officials don’t understand election results”), and the county discusses costs for the new sewage plant (“91.56 percent of county can’t afford to lift the toilet seat”).

These are all very important civic issues that bear careful scrutiny, thoughtful debate and meaningful numbers – not just feel-good sloganeering.

I am a firm believer in education, transportation, sewers and democracy. But oversimplified statistics are an insult to thinking citizens everywhere. We want more depth. We want more meaning. We want to be informed. We don’t want to wake up to the headline, “City built a parking garage but nobody came.”

It may feel good to read that your college scored in the top 10 nationwide, but it’s important to know if it was for “Basket weavers at West Coast public schools with enrollment over 20,000” or if it’s “One of the best places to become a doctor or a lawyer.”

I believe most voters care about the difference.