July 16, 2004

An 'Unfair' Law and Children Left Behind

To the Editor:

I am certainly no fan of the No Child Left Behind Act, and Theodore K. Rabb is right on many aspects of his criticism of the law ("What Has Happened to Historical Literacy?," The Chronicle Review, June 4). It asks school districts to do more with less, reduces the trust in the professional ability of educators, and is especially harsh on children for whom English is a second language.

However, I question the structure of Rabb's essay. He opens by placing blame