I'm sure you're right that some people "think" like that. But it should be made clear that there are more than two sides to this debate. I'm all for standards that can be used for measuring achievement, but am vehemently opposed to the goal of equal achievement for all.
I agree with you completely. But the problem is that the people in charge of the schools and a lot of the teachers really believe this stuff. It's an ideology. And you can't debate rationally. I've tried many times. They get angry or ignore the facts or dismiss them or something else or a combination of these things. They see the higher achievers as being "already proficient" and the concept that they could learn more is seen as widening the achievement gap. I haven't just debated this locally; I've been in discussions at national conferences and during grant review for a federal agency. It sucks.
