Submitted by Paul Schickler, Feb 6, 2007 23:56

In the hard sciences, reports gain credence when they appear in peer-reviewed publications. Since the Manhattan Institute -- a think tank with a well known conservative tilt -- publishes its own reports, it avoids that review. The Sun should realize this, just as it should realize that the squishy soft social sciences are hard to pin down. And it should certainly recognize the journalistic imperative to find and print contrary viewpoints to present a balanced story. Those contrary viewpoints cannot be hard to locate, whether from other think tanks, educators, or their union representatives. The truth is out there. One final point: In the Institute's report, teacher salaries are compared to test scores, implying that tests are the proper, and perhaps the only, way to judge teaching effectiveness. Yet my students are not even tested in science, social studies, library, physical education, art, or Spanish. Nor do I or most teachers concede that once a year tests in English or math adequately or accurately measure student progress. Come into a classroom and see what a quality teacher can do. It may not all translate to a standardized test.

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