Catherine Seipp was a Los Angeles-based journalist, columnist, and cultural critic known for her sharp commentary on media, education, and California culture. She wrote for numerous publications including National Review Online, the Los Angeles Times, and Reason, and was a prominent media blogger. She contributed to The Weekly Standard with writing on public education.
Editor's Note: Cathy Seipp (1957 - 2007) died last week after a five-year battle with lung cancer. She was 49. Seipp wrote this piece for THE WEEKLY STANDARD in 2000 and it became an instant classic.