I’m terribly reminded of this poem by Edward Lear.

Kind of unfortunate for those of us who’d prefer not to sail in a sieve, but yes, it does terribly remind.

We here in Puget Sound are also up-in-arms about the idiots in Federal Way.  Today’s editorial cartoon by the always-excellent David Horsey captures a bit of it.  And the P-I editorializes about the ruling today.

Federal Way has quite the reputation for inanity around here.  They regularly vote against school levies, and when they’re not electing wingnut slime they’re choosing idiots (of course, their elected officials sometimes have both characteristics).

To me, the real problem with their decision is that AIT will never be seen in Federal Way schools, because the school board will be unable to locate any scientific “credible, legitimate opposing view” to put up next to it.

Is Federal Way a charter school or what?

What else can you say besides what has already been said? We have a country full of dangerously ignorant people.

Federal Way is a fairly large school district, covering the city of Federal Way itself, two other cities, and unincorporated areas in King County.  There may be some charter schools—some of their schools have “uniforms” (actually, more like dress codes)—but I’m really not sure.

What they are, though, is a copout, in that they appear to make the WASL the be-all and end-all of student achievement and districtwide success.  What became of actually learning, actually thinking critically, instead of testing well?

Thinking critically and testing well don’t necessarily go hand in hand. You don’t need one for the other. And, in fact, according to good old Frosty, in the first article cited, thinking critically is dangerous because it encourages heretical ideas. We mustn’t have that.