" demand that the teachers perform."
Problem is in a lot of districts staffing is very difficult as it is. The reason they take bad teachers is because nobody else wants the job. A lot of NC schools are like this. Upping the bar will just mean empty classrooms. It is a spectacularly complex problem that will take a generation of good leadership to solve.
The leadership has not emerged in 200 years. Its not going to emerge today either. There is a sub set of people who will at all costs keep their children suppressed. They are easy to spot. You are not able to overcome this mindset. Jessie Jackson and Al Sharpton speak DIRECTLY to these people. We need to cut welfare and social give away and let the chips fall. Lets get by this. You can only beat a dead horse for so long.