Tics, Tests and Whom do You Trust?

There are two phenomena at work in the news right now which seem unrelated but actually speak to the same issue.   First there are the actions of a dozen teenage girls in up-state New York.  These girls are exhibiting tics and verbal outbursts that they say are uncontrollable.  A physician who has examined and is treating 10 of the 12 girls has done extensive testing and attributes the problems to, “conversion disorder.”   This is a psychological problem, formerly referred to as, “mass hysteria.”  After seeing one of the parents yelling at the school board I can see where the hysteria came from.  These apples don’t fall far from the tree. 
            Teenage girls are the prime target for this, “disorder.”  I’ve seen these girls on television and their uncontrollable movements don’t seem to keep them from putting on lots of eyeliner, mascara and other precision makeup.  One of them seems to be fine at cheerleader practice, but, “suffers” from symptoms at home—maybe when she has to do homework or help with chores????  
            We have seen this syndrome before.   During the 1692 Salem Witch Trials, a similar pack of hysterical and attention seeking teenage girls successfully brought about the death of 20 citizens of the colonies.  And just as the Salem Witch Trials had Cotton Mather busily pushing his agenda, these girls have their dubious champion in the form of Erin Brockovich, who couldn’t resist a chance to get back in a very old and cold spot light.   Brockovich is basing her allegations of environmental contamination on a train derailment that occurred in 1970 the results of which have somehow remained underground and dormant for 40 years!
            A reasonable person would note that the school is served by a public water system and an environmental contaminate would affect the entire community, not a handful of teenage girls.   But a psychological instead of a medical diagnosis is not what you want if you insist on a culprit. 
            If I seem a bit jaundiced in my view, you are correct.  I taught pre-teen girls for 30 years.  I know the territory.  And that brings me to the second of the two phenomena I referenced earlier.   Today I read an article from the Texas Tribute about a backlash against student testing.  The article argues that tests are bad because they put too much pressure on students, teachers and administrations.  Like all the articles that lobby against educational accountability, they reference, No Child Left Behind, as if it represents the anti-Christ.  What these people seem to want is a return to the days when schools could blithely pass students along with an invented grade and nonexistent success.   If the child graduated with no ability to read, write or compute, well who cares.  They can always go on welfare.  The same Democrats that don’t want accountability in the schools are more than happy to make working people pay for up-keep on the ignorant. 
            How do these two news items relate?  In the first scenario (girls with tics and tempests), liberal minded people can’t wait to make big business responsible for vague, unsubstantiated problems.  In the second scenario (proof that schools are or are not teaching their students) the same liberal people refuse to hold schools responsible for doing their job.  Why are successful companies to be held accountable, even without evidence of wrong doing; but unsuccessful schools are not to be held accountable, even with evidence of failure?  The answer is simple.  A constituency is to be rewarded, protected and encouraged.  Responsible and disciplined behavior has never been the long suite of the Democratic Party. 
            Trump hysteria with education and keep the faith. 

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