Dear President Obama:
I know you are a busy man, so I'll get straight to the point:
It is intellectually inconsistent to claim that you don't want our schools "teaching to the test," then implement a policy that drives states to base teacher evaluations on their students' test scores while encouraging tests for students as young as five-years-old.
It is intellectually inconsistent to claim that a teacher can change a child's life, then give federal funds to a program that gives first-year teachers a mere five weeks of training before putting them in the most difficult teaching assignments.
It is intellectually inconsistent to claim "choice" will help all students, then promote charter schools which often serve only the students who are the easiest and cheapest to educate.
You are a good man and have been, on many issues, a fine president. You inherited more challenges than any president in my lifetime. You brought our country back from the brink of disaster; for that, you will have my vote.
But this teacher and father must tell you: you are taking the wrong path on education. It is the one policy area where you have consistently received bad advice - probably because you have not spent enough time listening to those of us who are actually on the job.
When this election is over, do yourself and America's students a favor: fire Arne Duncan and hire someone like Linda Darling-Hammond to lead our nation's schools.
Your legacy - and the future of this great nation - depends on it.
Sincerely,
Jersey Jazzman