#5. Baghdad Bob is back and better than ever
Baghdad Bob was easily the best part of the Iraq War. Real name Mohammed Saeed al-Sahhaf, he served as Saddam Hussein’s press chief. While American soldiers and tanks streamed into the capital city right behind him, he calmly reassured television cameras that no such invasion was happening. It was PR performance art.
I suspect Bob is now writing press releases for state education agencies. In the face of dismal national NAEP results, almost every state claimed victory and did a goofy, unconvincing touchdown dance.
Wyoming’s performance dropped on three of the four NAEP tests and was flat in the other. Its official statement, which makes no mention of this, says Wyoming “continues to stand out nationally.”
It was a popular move. The logic? Because other states did poorly, our state is doing awesome by comparison—even if our students are learning less than before. Shout outs to Illinois and Washington, among others, for going all in.
Florida, which had particularly bad reading results, goosed the ante by having its state chief, Manny Diaz, write a letter saying NAEP’s methodology is wrong and calling for the Department of Education to be abolished.
The only thing more disappointing than the NAEP results themselves has been the state response.—truly a low point for our sector. We are hiding from the truth about what we are providing for our students. Let’s do better, friends.
