Bullshit. B-U-L-L-S-H-I-T. Bullshit.

I opened this article about a school district cancelling the spelling bee, with mild interest, but I became a lot more invested after reading their reasoning:

The administrators decided to eliminate the spelling bee, because they feel it runs afoul of the mandates of the federal No Child Left Behind Act.

"No Child Left Behind says all kids must reach high standards," Newman said. "It’s our responsibility to find as many ways as possible to accomplish this."

The administrators agreed, Newman said, that a spelling bee doesn’t meet the criteria of all children reaching high standards -- because there can only be one winner, leaving all other students behind.

"It’s about one kid winning, several making it to the top and leaving all others behind. That’s contrary to No Child Left Behind," Newman said.

Political-correctness run amok? Or does the blame lie in the wording of the NCLBA itself? Is it less about helping those "left behind" to catch up than keeping those who excel from getting too far ahead?

And oh yes: "Winning a spelling bee, she added, 'just meant you were a good speller.'"

A shot across the bow to grammar mavens? Prepare yourselves for far more "would of" and "should of"s in future 'net postings!