<<How many other choices in our lives do we rely on a "consensus of professionals" to decide for us? Not too many, I hope.>

Let's see: medical choices, accounting choices, banking choices, architectural choices, engineering choices...

The list goes on and on.



You must have misunderstood my point somehow. I get to pick my doctor--at least until the Left takes over the medical industry. I get to pick my bank from many choices of banks fighting for my business. Same with architects and engineers. Same competitive choices for almost everything of value that I buy for myself and my family. Housing. Food. Vitamins. The works. What makes schooling so different that it has to be socialized?

Chefs don't design bridges. Doctors don't plan military campaigns. Cabdrivers infrequently deliver babies.



But somehow, teachers are stupid.



Not sure what you're driving at here. I never said teachers were stupid--I was talking about state authorities and committees that select books and educational programs.

Look, I live in California. Every time the "professionals" in Sacramento have a brain fart, my kids and I have to live with it. Bilingual education. New math. "Arithmetwists." Non-phonetic reading. "Socialization" programs. Every education professor's pet project ends up in the schools, and most of them end up stinking up the joint. As with most liberal policies, the actual results have no impact on their enthusiasm.

A choice. Why does this frighten the educational establishment so badly? Listening to them when vouchers come up, you'd think you were dumping vampires into an Olympic-sized pool of holy water.

I have to go -- severe thunderstorm in 10.

Pull the plug on the computer. See you later!