It seems that the US isn't the only country trying to drive teachers crazy

In Britain:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2011/apr/25/stress-drives-teachers-out-of-schools

"Stress is driving increasing numbers of teachers out of the profession, with some even considering suicide, a teaching union conference heard on Monday. Delegates at the National Union of Teachers conference in Harrogate heard there had been a "meteoric" rise in work-related stress due to demands to meet government targets."

In Chile:
http://www.economist.com/node/17679703

"[President] Piñera took office in March after two decades of centre-left rule. His centre-right alliance claims that despite a big rise since the mid-1990s in the proportion of young people at secondary school and university, standards have not improved. That is not borne out by the PISA results. Chile’s average scores have risen steadily since 2000."

Werner Herzog Enters 'The Cave Of Forgotten Dreams'

"German filmmaker Werner Herzog was one of the few people permitted to enter a cave in France containing the oldest recorded cave paintings. What he saw — and what he imagined — is the subject of a new documentary, The Cave of Forgotten Dreams."

http://www.npr.org/2011/04/20/135516812/herzog-enters-the-cave-of-forgotten-dreams

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1664894/

BRICS in search of a foundation

http://www.economist.com/blogs/banyan/2011/04/emerging_economic_powers?fsrc=scn/fb/wl/bl/briceinsearchoffoundation

This is worth reading. It's also worth knowing who the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and, now, South Africa) are and how they will end up shaping the world over the next few decades.

Q: How do you prove that public schools are failing and that charter schools will save our children?
A: Lie.

http://niemanwatchdog.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=ask_this.view&askthisid=00503

"Former Assistant Secretary of Education Diane Ravitch tells reporters to dig deep when states or school districts or even individual schools claim big educational gains; chances are someone is gaming the system."

Cerabino: ZIP code edges are battle lines in FCAT war

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/schools/cerabino-zip-code-edges-are-battle-lines-in-1392277.html

"If you want to know which schools will do well on the FCAT, you don't have to consider the teachers at all. You just need to look at the school's ZIP code.
The idea that there's a direct relationship between the value of the teacher and the test scores of his or her students ignores the obvious: That what goes on in the students' lives outside the classroom is the biggest determinant of FCAT success."

Bolivia enshrines natural world's rights with equal status for Mother Earth

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/apr/10/bolivia-enshrines-natural-worlds-rights

"The Law of Mother Earth, now agreed by politicians and grassroots social groups, redefines the country's rich mineral deposits as "blessings" and is expected to lead to radical new conservation and social measures to reduce pollution and control industry."

Prison spending bleeds education system

http://www.cnn.com/2011/OPINION/04/07/jealous.prison.reform/index.html?hpt=Sbin

There is a bipartisan tide of lawmakers who are trying to fix our nation's out-of-control corrections system, and make funding for education the priority.