Of course the public schools in America are problematic, with how they teach young people to write empty essays full of vague platitudes while getting them to hate reading and classroom discussion. But before that can be changed (keeping the ultimate goal in mind of preparing America for democracy), the test-taking frenzy needs a coalition against. Here is Gary Orfield's sally against the No Child Left Behind act. Orfield, for those who don't know him, is Jonathan Kozol's favorite researcher...

and, speaking of education, here is the origin of the internet term "spam," so I do not want my students complaining anymore that they do not know this stuff...