The Fix Is In

No matter how flawed the system, though, the public still perceives that high TAAS scores signify good schools. And for those who would rather send out the cheerleaders and marching bands than implement instructional methods that work for children, it's a simple matter to make sure a school has high marks to flaunt when the TAAS scores come back in the fall. "Those were the most sickening days, when we were talking about TAAS," remembers one teacher who left Kashmere Gardens after five years. "It would be like over and over; it would be shoved down your throat--'We're so wonderful! We're so great.' it was too obvious. When you're good, you're good, and you just let it lie."

Next week: Is the TAAS a wimp among tests?

E-mail Shaila Dewan at shaila.dewan@houstonpress.com.