MM> VH> Without any prompting, they told me their number one problem
MM> VH> was "teachers who can't read."

MM>I mentioned NZ's new regulations for ensuring teachers were
MM>literate and numerate before being allowed into a classroom ... it
MM>occurs to me after I'd posted that reply that a similar bit of
MM>legislation would solve a great many of society's ills...

But how do you do that?

In Europe, they measure literacy by the number of years of school
completed -- one doesn't have to be able to read in order to be classed
as literate.

Here in the US, we have used teacher tests -- but the  teacher's union
bitterly opposes that and erects all sorts of obstacles.

MM>How about insisting on parents demonstrating both skills and
MM>theory in bringing up babies before the first offspring births ?

Again, how do you do that?  Especially in a society that has rewarded
women for having children out of wedlock?

MM>I keep trying to have basic child-rearing introduced into the year
MM>0-12 curricula here  -  a very lone voice,  I'm afraid.

Both child-rearing and economics -- so they can support their offspring.
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