Court blocks standardized test

The national religion of standardized testing has just received a mild blow, as a judge has blocked California from implementing a statewide algebra test for 8th graders.

The reason for the court's decision is that the state Bored of Education acted outside its jurisdiction and with no public input.

Few tears are being shed over the ruling. Most families agree that there's too much standardized testing in today's schools - and not enough teaching. Schools today are forced to teach to the test, not to the student.

On the other hand, I have to ask why so few 8th graders in California have even taken algebra. I think I had something resembling algebra even by 4th grade, so it seems rather odd.

Maybe the reason not as many 8th graders take algebra now is that the schools spend too much time teaching gimmicky feely-bad courses instead and enforcing moronic dress codes.

(Source: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/ALGEBRA_DISPUTE?SITE=FLTAM&SECTION=US)