The new national education standards (you know, the ones commissioned by state governors and school chiefs that somehow amount to federal government overreach if you live in Virginia) were released, and they sound like the kind of standards one probably already thought schools followed.
The standards suggests books that are appropriate to read for certain grades, but five texts are required:
High school juniors and seniors must study the Declaration of Independence, the Preamble to the Constitution, the Bill of Rights and Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address. Also, said Susan Pimentel, a consultant in New Hampshire who was lead writer on the English standards, 'Students have to read one Shakespeare play — that's a requirement.'
It's good to see the foundational texts of our democracy up there with Shakespeare. After the Tea Party ridiculousness about what is or isn't in the Constitution, it's a particular relief to know that students may actually have to read it before they become the adults who expound on it.
-- Monica Potts
