one doesn't need to know any gay people.

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"The law, in its majestic equality, forbids the rich as well as the poor to sleep under bridges, to beg in the streets, and to steal bread."

Most conservatives would support the local school boards---the best control over schools is exercised at the local level.

I know MANY teachers in public education. I do not know a single one, or have even heard of a single classroom teacher who believes the No Child Left behind has been good for education. It has some support among administrators, but zero, in my experience, among teachers.

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1982 300SD " Wotan" ..On the road as of Jan 8, 2007 with Historic Tags

I think Texas is the only state with a single state-wide school board. We have a local school board here that has been generally excellent over the years not only in providing good education but also in keeping costs in check. The schools are good enough to affect property values.
I do agree with your assesment of NCLB.

You probably would have asked that same question of Ted Haggard.

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

That does beg the question. Why? When something raises the bar on a group, the group tends not to want it so I am not sure their opinion is really a standard to go by. Sure, it removes some of the creativity when it comes to methods of teaching and it makes them prepare students to pass a test. OTOH, it does set a minimum standard.

IIRC, NCLB wasn't a one sided deal. I thought it was proposed by the Bush admin and co-authored by some people high in the Dem food chain and had huge support in Congress.

Nice sounding idea but I tend to be more in favor of leaving those who cannot make it behind so they don't drag down those who can.

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01 Ford Excursion Powerstroke
99 E300 Turbodiesel
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hey, ted has liberated and exorcised the evil, satanist homosexual urges from his body, and is 100% heterosexual. ....

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"The law, in its majestic equality, forbids the rich as well as the poor to sleep under bridges, to beg in the streets, and to steal bread."

That makes it truly bipartisan--the stupid party agreed with the evil party.
None of the teachers I know are afraid of accountability--they see it as simply a bad idea.

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1982 300SD " Wotan" ..On the road as of Jan 8, 2007 with Historic Tags

Which is which? Or does it not matter?

So what was the main objection? Why is it a bad idea to have standardized tests?

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01 Ford Excursion Powerstroke
99 E300 Turbodiesel
91 Vette with 383 motor
05 Polaris Sportsman 800 EFI
06 Polaris Sportsman 500 EFI
03 SeaDoo GTX SC Red
03 SeaDoo GTX SC Yellow
04 Tailgator 21 ft Toy Hauler
11 Harley Davidson 883 SuperLow

Standardized tests encourage schools to teach what will be tested.

Obviously so but how is that worse than setting your own testing standards? How do I know you are making an earnest effort in the testing and not just setting the bar low so that you will have a higher percentage of passing grades?

Edit: I agree NCLB just MIGHT not be the best idea in the world but how is it worse than everybody setting their own standards and doing their own thing? When you do that, how can I be sure that your standards are up to snuff? With multiple standards, your 3.0GPA might not be worth what the other guys 2.8 GPA is because his school test is harder than yours. How can I be sure that the instructors don't lower the standards? How can be sure that the curriculum is good? While a standardized test has it's flaws, it ensures that the kid has the basic requirements. Anything else is a bonus.

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01 Ford Excursion Powerstroke
99 E300 Turbodiesel
91 Vette with 383 motor
05 Polaris Sportsman 800 EFI
06 Polaris Sportsman 500 EFI
03 SeaDoo GTX SC Red
03 SeaDoo GTX SC Yellow
04 Tailgator 21 ft Toy Hauler
11 Harley Davidson 883 SuperLow

The local tax payers are or should be responsible for the cirriculum, not some jackass in DC. Educators are paid big bucks by local school boards to ensure students get the best education possible. You don't have an interest in the educational process in my area, so there's no need to address your concerns.

But the question is whether they DO ensure that the kids get the best education possible. Look at THIS article in 2005.

Among adults age 25 to 34, the U.S. is ninth among industrialized nations in the share of its population that has at least a high school degree. In the same age group, the United States ranks seventh, with Belgium, in the share of people who hold a college degree.

The report bases its conclusions about achievement mainly on international test scores released last December. They show that compared with their peers in Europe, Asia and elsewhere, 15-year-olds in the United States are below average in applying math skills to real-life tasks.

In all levels of education, the United States spends $11,152 per student. That's the second highest amount, behind the $11,334 spent by Switzerland.

We should be asking whether these educators that are paid big bucks to ensure that the kids get the best education are really doing their best or simply passing time.

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01 Ford Excursion Powerstroke
99 E300 Turbodiesel
91 Vette with 383 motor
05 Polaris Sportsman 800 EFI
06 Polaris Sportsman 500 EFI
03 SeaDoo GTX SC Red
03 SeaDoo GTX SC Yellow
04 Tailgator 21 ft Toy Hauler
11 Harley Davidson 883 SuperLow

Perhaps, but foisting standardized tests on schools isn't going to do either.

And, for weeks at a time that is ALL they teach. So the smart kids are ignored, and not allowed to learn because the teacher is too busy trying to get the slow kids to pass the test.
How will we ever excel if we allow the slowest learners to set the pace?

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1982 300SD " Wotan" ..On the road as of Jan 8, 2007 with Historic Tags

What kind of standardized test are we talking about? Are AP tests good? Seems to me that they aren't that bad.

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13