Everything is BIG in Texas, Except Our Education!

My first years as a college student I was an education major. I loved the classes, the professors were encouraging, inspiring and real. I could just imagine my future as an educator, until one day my dreams came tumbling down. I saw how corrupt our education system has become. The day I realized that educated was about teachers making high rank in the passing of TAKS rather than the accomplishment of our students, I quickly decided that if my job was no longer about the kids, I was not going to teach a manual instead of an education.
As stated by Forbes contributor, Erica swallow, America's "lackluster education system" is showing to be more true each year. Hearing that teachers have to tip-toe around students and parents so that they are not offended, is ridiculous. While in college I was told that even if a students fails a test or homework paper, we are only allowed to give students the lowest grade of a 70. As I a teacher, if I give a students a 70, it is because they earned a 70. If we teach students that they don't have to try and still pass, what motivates them to do well on anything? Just as the old proverb says, "give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach a man to fish, he will eat for the rest of his life. " Why can we not have an education system where we teach our children responsibility? The longer we- as a society- put if off, the harder it will be to change what we have instilled - laziness.
The sad prospect of Texas education is that all of the districts are concerned with money instead of the kids education. The only ones who suffer are the students and eventually the economy. Right now we are raising and teaching students the mediocrity is ok. I can only hope that the next graduating class is not the future of McDonald's serving as complacent cashiers and hamburger flippers. That's not a bad thing, it's really not, but not having a desire to be more than that is.