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Measuring Student and Teacher Success: Does One Size Fit All? Misguided -- this could be the best way to summarize today's United States' lawmaker mentality that considers a test score to be the proper and best way to evaluate student success, as well as, teacher performance. Already, we are starting to see the fallout of this ridiculous methodology. The Atlanta Public Schools is perhaps the best known to date to be cited in the unethical quagmire surrounding high stakes standardized testing but in reality, the problem will only fester if this educational course of action continues. Recently, in my own backyard, the Detroit Free Press developed an article on the increased pressure placed upon educators to ensure that the students under their supervision score well on standardized tests. In this survey, 29% of the educators polled feel pressure to cheat. While this statistic is both alarming and angering to me as both an educator and parent; I am more SADDENED than anyt

Does Salary Determine Wealth? In the 1700's, during the founding of what would become later the United States, the Puritans wanted to create a community or a commonwealth for future generations to emulate or look up to, a model society; one of the governors of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, John Winthrop, would describe it in a sermon as a "city upon a hill." This society was hierarchical and going to church was a priority (one could write it was a "requirement"). Seating at church services, community gatherings, and political discussions was done by levels of societal importance. The closer to the front the more vital to the well being of the Commonwealth (of course one who was wealthy enough could buy their way closer to the front). So who do you ask sat in the front? The minister's of the church, the Governor, then came professionals like lawyers, doctors, elected officials, wealthy entrepreneurs, and also the schoolmaster. Yes, the "schoolmaste