Van Roekel Rebuts WPost Editorial

In a letter to the editor of the Washington Post (10/21, 572K), NEA President Dennis Van Roekel takes issue with an October 19 editorial in which the paper's "editorial board compared educating students to remodeling a kitchen." He argues that "teachers don't install knowledge like carpenters install cabinets, and every student learns in his or her own way," necessitating varied methods to reach children with different learning styles. "That's why it takes more than a multiple-choice test to measure a student's progress, and it's also why we shouldn't judge teachers on the basis of standardized tests alone. Contrary to what the editorial stated, the National Education Association recognizes that student achievement is an important indicator of teacher effectiveness." He concludes by lauding Senate HELP Chairman Tom Harkin and ranking GOP member Mike Enzi for exlucing such a mandate from their NCLB overhaul bill, noting that "the federal government should not dictate from Washington how teachers in local school systems are evaluated."