A whole new thought on Math Teacher Quality: Vern Williams in the NY Times(fits with WA's CCSS collusion)

http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2011/03/27/how-to-raise-the-status-of-teachers/let-us-teach

Looking at what is going on all around us in WA state, Mr. Williams has hit this Spot On.

Until practicing classroom teachers are allowed to make real decisions regarding curriculum, assessment, textbooks and professional development, the status of teachers will remain low.

At the moment, our profession seems to be in the hands of politicians, researchers, special interest groups, school system bureaucracies, unions, technology companies and textbook publishers. ...... Why should bright high school students decide to become teachers if they suspect that everyone will make decisions concerning their profession except them?

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Mr. Williams ...teaches honors math at Longfellow Middle School in Fairfax County, Va. He was named to the National Mathematics Advisory Panel in 2006.

Note Mr. Williams was the only k-12 classroom teacher on the NMAP.

The Washington State Board of Education selected a math advisory panel, which no longer meets.