To the Editor:
Thanks to Robert J. Sternberg for his Commentary “Good Intentions, Bad Results” (Oct. 27, 2004), in which he lists a dozen reasons the No Child Left Behind Act is failing our schools. Here’s reason No. 13 to add to his list:
This federal law dumbs down the field of education and nullifies the profession by assuming that educators/teachers are (a) ignorant about children and learning and incapable of self-education; (b) self-serving and incapable of self-development; (c) incompetent and incapable of self-governance and self-organization; and (d) lazy and incapable of self-motivation.
Even if—let’s be generous— 10 percent of all teachers are incorrigible, why create a law that assumes 100 percent bad apples? The No Child Left Behind Act never considers that teaching is a noble calling.
Joan Jaeckel
Project Director
Communities Educated, Empowered,
and Democratic (CEED)
Studio City, Calif.
