The Belmont Club has an interesting post on the failure of teachers to actually teach and the failure of students to actually learn. Teachers unions will not permit the firing of bad teachers, and the standard tests mandated by the No Child Left Behind Act induces teachers and administrators at failing schools to fake the test data to make it appear they are in compliance. It would be nice if we could start over with eager little kids and non-union schoolmarms. Maybe then we could cut down on the number of high school graduates who can neither read nor write nor do simple arithmetic. 

I brought an apple every day

I tried so hard in every way

I read my lessons, learned them well

I evin treid to lern to spel

Arithmetic I couldn’t get

That’s why my mommy got upset

And history I always failed

Who cares when that Columbus sailed

My teacher gave us all a test

I failed it just like all the rest

But teacher gave us a good grade

No matter what we really made

I graduated top of class

Though not a subject did I pass

I think my childhood they did rob

Because I cannot get a job