To the Editor:
In response to “The National Board: Challenged by Success?” (Aug. 15, 2007):
You’re kidding, right? After years of having the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards’ certification process in place, we are approaching 2 percent of teachers in the United States attaining the credential, and your article asks if increased teacher participation will water down the program’s standards?
Instead of this elitist hand-wringing, we should be agonizing over the fact that so few teachers are participating, and so few are found worthy. Certification is a lofty standard for teachers, and those who go through the program seem to find it very powerful. Let’s see if we can’t find ways to have dramatically increased numbers of people seeking the credential.
What the hell. Let’s throw caution to the wind and try for 3 percent.
Mike Riley
Bellevue, Wash.
