Ignorance is bliss and a low grade

15 Latin 3 tests.

Answers to the derivative question "Who was the English potentate during the American Revolution?":

King George: 3
King Henry: 1
The King of England: 2

That's fine, at least they knew it was a king. Here's where it gets distressing:

The President: 2
Colonists: 1
England: 1 (England was the English potentate? Seriously?)
"The North": 1 (Revolutionary War, Civil War, who really knows the difference?)
Powerful: 1
and my favorite, George Washington: 3

I tell myself that surely the "George Washington" responders just didn't read the question well enough, and do, in fact, know that he was on our side... but there are nagging doubts. What do they learn in history? I knew who King George was in elementary school (hell, he was even in Gumby cartoons).

Also had a 2.5-hour faculty meeting this morning in which we "brainstormed" ideas on how we need to "adjust" our academics, etc., to the "current, changing economy" (i.e., f*ck you unless you teach agriculture, shop, or business). Sometimes I feel like I need to get a job at a private school, or at least a less rural school. Someone actually suggested turning the library into a vocational research area because it "isn't very effective". Sigh.