Nothing sets my teeth on edge more than "education reform," because it's inevitably someone who has barely set foot in a classroom and has no clue what they saw there. The ideas typically range from absurd to successful in test programs but not scalable.

As far as I can tell, the only successful solution is respect for schools and teachers - not by kids, but by society and adults. Kids don't behave in a vacuum, they model themselves on their parents and society.

If mom, dad, teachers, administrators, and the wider culture are pulling in the same direction, misbehavior will be limited and less likely to spread through the student population.

But then politicians and interest groups would lose their wedge issues, parents would have to accept that Junior deserved his low grades or discipline, and people who lack or don't trust education (looking at you, churches) would have to sit down and stay out of it. Testing companies would go out of business, and taxes would go up to pay teachers what they are worth.

America can call itself pro-life and pro-family, but that's bunk.