A Fable for Our Times

Item: NEA Endorses Obama's Re-Election Bid
My friends, I have had an epiphany. Last night in a dream Four Horsemen appeared to me. The first, called Testing, was an old grey nag who promptly lifted her tail and shat on my sandals, and her rider was moneyed purveyor of standardized assessments.

The second, called Evaluation, was a fearsome beast who charged and kicked the children around me, then said it was my fault that the kids were hurt. On his back rode an opulently-dressed CEO carrying twin swords called Foundation Cash and Purchased Research.

The third horse, called Funding, was dead, the only sign of life a buzzard called Austerity picking at the corpse and yelling, "There's plenty here for everyone!"

And on the last horse was a fellow in a cowboy hat. He clearly had some authority over Testing, Evaluation, and Funding, but didn't choose to do an awful lot about it. And when he said to follow him, despite the horseshit and the abuse, I kissed his boots and went along, because it was clear to all: he was going to have a lot more power to change me than I ever would to change him.

Then seven trumpets sounded, seven plagues came, and public education was no more.