Quotables

What's it all about?

This is exactly what life is about. You get a paycheck every two weeks. We’re preparing children for life. —District of Columbia Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee (Mark Slouka in Harper's)

Look Ma, I'm a "school-based factor"

“We firmly believe that in order to have a good understanding of effective teaching we need multiple measures,” said Gates spokesman Christopher Williams, adding, “a teacher is the most important school-based factor in student achievement. We want research that helps the field better understand what makes a great teacher. What does great teaching look like and how do you measure it?” (L.A. Times)

Berkeley--It's not the drinking water

I mean, protests at Berkeley are necessary, not because the water produces radicalism or that there’s something, you know, that we just do at Berkeley; it’s the nature of the institution. In the ’60s it was necessary to protest UC Berkeley, because they were developing atomic weapons. And now it is necessary to protest at UC Berkeley because of what is being forced on us. (Michael Cohen, lecturer in American studies at UC Berkeley)