What many people believe is that it is not only a failure, but has taken American education down the same kind of path as the war in Iraq---a dead end, destructive venture that has cost Americans huge sums in both money and human costs.It is fostering dropouts, low self-esteem for children and a burnout of teachers.

Surely these 15 people that comprised the Commission were not shills for Ms. Spellings.But if they were not, then they would have surely noticed some problems with NCLB.But they did not.In addition to not understanding the damage that NCLB is doing to our schools, the report urged Congress to enlarge this damage, by expanding the tentacles of NCLB into high schools.Worse, they reiterated the most unintelligent and inane mantra of our time---that all children can be above average by 2014.Either this group needs to go back to third grade arithmetic or they had virtually no say in the final report.

Yet, you have to ask the question, why would people who have reputations to uphold allow their names to be placed on such a vile document?Why would they support impossible goals that can only demoralize and damage children and teachers?Why?I can only surmise that they did not know what would be contained in the final report

Dr. Solomon is a retired Universiy of Kentucky Professor and can be reached at mbsolomon@aol.com

Published April 19, 2007