[toenail]

If by "rathole" you mean worthless, then you only need to figure out who's defining the worth. Some very influential groups want Americans monitored from start to finish, and that's all this is. When Bush says anything about "assessment" near "children," sirens should go off in your head.

[rbmillerjr]

I have a different perspective on this one my conservative friends.

Who educates the vast majority of people in the country? Public education.

If we are to have a US Dept. of Education (and btw Head Start is run by HHS)...Should we not try to 1)modernize and reform the failed liberal policies while we have a chance and 2) implement our priorities vs the 12 years of liberal feel good and self esteem crap without any accountability

Seems to me that if we want to have students that can read, we need to jump in and get in the game - or let the libs have their way with education.