Getting Educated

In an amazing turn of events, it appears California is now leading the way when it comes to school reform.  Okay, that is hyperbole, but a recent court decision ruled (for the kids...it's always about the kids, isn't it?) against the almighty teacher's unions of California.

In what truly has become a civil rights epidemic in the United States, the courts found that too many bad teachers were able to coast in a system designed ti protect incompetence at the real loss of students whose future earnings would be affected.  According to one expert in the case, students lost $50,000 in future earnings due to ineffective classroom teacher.

The case which was heralded by Education Secretary Arne Duncan is an interesting one if for no other reason, it may pit two Democratic groups against one another: teacher's unions and child advocates.  The dissension in those ranks should be interesting to watch over the coming months and years.

In any case, perhaps not all is lost in California, and perhaps in this case, it is the teachers who are getting educated.