Jerry Jesness: 'The Floating Standards'

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In July 1991 an article swept the pages of Reason magazine. The author Jerry Jesness, a former public school teacher, discussed how “the floating standard” is inescapable and how it is destroying our Nation’s public education. Teachers who fail to support this standard are seen as setting their students up to be unsuccessful and in a way are being punished if they do so. So teachers pass their students and if the student can’t reach that standard the standard is lowered. Jessness states that “The floating standard makes everyone a winner. Students gain self-esteem, parents gain a peace of mind, and schools save

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