In Wisconsin, state legislators backed off plans to require high school graduation tests because of strong opposition by parents from affluent suburbs. One parent group calling itself “Advocates for Education” argued that high-stakes testing would not be fair to children and would hurt educational quality in schools.

Critics of graduation tests were worried that tests would put too much pressure on children. Suburban parents lobbied parent-teacher organizations, and state legislators eventually scrapped graduation test before a single high-school student had taken it.

Similarly, New York and Massachusetts officials yielded to pressure by parents to set low passing grades for their new graduation tests. In Virginia and Arizona, state boards of education have backed away from graduation tests that were too tough for even so-called better schools. Only 7 percent of schools in Virginia met new achievement standards, and 9 out of 10 sophomores in Arizona schools failed a new math test.

In New York City, school authorities estimated that over 30 percent of city’s 11th-graders would not be eligible to graduate if English language standard that will take effect next year was being applied today. Diane Ravitch of Brookings Institute in Washington is a longtime analyst of New York’s public-school system She estimated that in some neighborhoods, less than 5 percent of high-school seniors would qualify to graduate under new standards.

Parents, particularly those with younger children, should take heed. You don’t want to end up with high-school kids who may not graduate because they can’t pass new tests.

In Chapters 8, 9, and Resource section of "Public Schools, Public Menace," I explore how you can circumvent these serious problems by finding real education alternatives outside public schools.

Not only is this child’s spelling atrocious and teacher’s “Wow” grade damaging to child, but lesson itself is insidious. Should teachers be giving writing assignments to children about how and why they should run away from home?

Spelling affects people’s lives. A person who doesn’t spell words correctly can’t communicate effectively with employees, supervisors, customers, patients, clients, business associates, contractors, or parents. He or she can’t be sure of exact meaning of misspelled words in a contract, mortgage, medical consent form, or other crucial documents or instructions.

Invented spelling also makes a bad impression on employers and college admissions officers. Yet many public schools no longer think spelling is important enough to spend time on during school day.

Parents, invented spelling is yet another reason why you should seriously consider taking your children out of public school and looking for better education alternatives elsewhere.

The Resources section in "Public Schools, Public Menace" describes many low-cost, quality education alternatives you can take advantage of right now.