One cannot competently teach what one does not know. Another objection was that no study guide was provided. The results were not surprising, because they are similar to those in other states where comparable tests have been given. The controversy over the test has obscured the real story, which is that so many prospective public school teachers failed a test that a bright 10th grader could pass without difficulty. This is a telling indictment of higher education in America.
Professors routinely complain about the illiteracy of freshmen.
Many other instructors, however, contribute to the problem by being overly generous in their grading. Grade inflation has reached the point where even outstanding students accepted at the best law schools are often deficient in writing skills and need remedial courses. Nowhere are standards lower than in schools of education. In 1997, the average combined S.A.T. score for all students was 1,016. But those hoping to become teachers scored only 964, 5.1 percent below the national average.