A better idea

News comes today that the Kentucky Department of Education will be seeking authority from the legislature next year to remove school superintendents and/or duly elected school board members in school districts where students don't perform well.

We have a better idea. How about removing the teachers whose students don't perform well?

After all, no state agency has the authority to remove a county judge-executive or magistrate or county road foreman if the local road crew doesn't perform very well. And school board members actually have very little authority over school districts anymore, thanks to KERA. Likewise, superintendents have basically had their hands tied behind their backs when it comes to dealing with persistently poor schools.

The teachers are the ones who are responsible for how well students do, not the superintendent or the elected school board members. They are the ones who should be accountable for the kids' performance in the classroom.