Why Johnny Can’t Read

The State of Massachusetts decided that to uphold educational standards, prospective teachers should be required to pass a basic skills test. The results of the first round of testing are in: 59 percent of the prospects failed. Education Commissioner Frank Haydu III urged that the test be scored more leniently so that “only” 44 percent would fail, but that so outraged the governor that Haydu resigned, leading to charges that the test is now a political issue. “Teachers are feeling really put upon and demoralized,” said one of the prospective teachers who took the test. “Some are even switching their majors away from education.” (AP) ...To political science.