[Andrew Wiggin]

"I wonder how Ms. Burkett will enjoy being publically lambasted as a right-wing John Birch KKK kook, now? "

Notice that she high-tailed it out of the US, all the way to Kyrgystan and now Afganistan.

PS If her husband also followed her out of the country, he is certainly devoted.

[dasboot]

I finished reading the interview after my initial post; and it seems that, while she observes the problem, she proposes a bad solution, to wit: changing the locus of funding and control from local to regional, state, or national boards.

My view is that the mess stems from violations of right- principle, like truth, honor, honesty, etc. I think the only solution is to allow the immoral to suffer the consequences of their actions: failure, ostracism, angst. As long as the schools seek to ameliorate these consequences, there will be no incentive for the erring student to amend himself. Few administrators have the spine to obdurately stand for principle against the whithering fire of pissed-off parents who support the error of their offspring ; but there is no alternative that will bring the desired result-- excellence.

There is an alternative to the individual, however: choice; homeschooling.