This is what you get when education is driven by politics, specifically liberal politics, and not by the real needs of the students and the community.

This is a cultural problem--the culture of the 60's, and the generation of educators steeped in that culture.

Vouchers are part of the answer.

Washington D.C.'s mayor...no Republican, has seen the light.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20030509/pl_nm/life_congress_vouchers_dc_1

But a voucher program in some form has won cautious support from Washington's Mayor Anthony Williams and School Board President Peggy Cooper Cafritz, both of whom have long sided against the concept but who now want to give new ideas a chance.

Norton took a swipe at them, saying they had "bowed to the Bush administration." She dismissed Flake's assertion that the $45 million would not reduce federal funds for public schools.

But her opposition drew tears from some low-income mothers attending the hearing.

"It is ridiculous for her to get up there and say she is speaking for D.C. parents when she has not spoken with the majority of us that want a better education for our children," Elizabeth Stallans told Reuters.

Apparently Norton's position has little to do with what parents want or students need, and everything to do with political power.