Breaking the Spirits of the Best and Brightest

Six-year-old Latisha studied problem number two on her math test. She closed her eyes, scratched her head and then re-read the problem. Her face grew distraught, and Mrs. Jones could see tears forming in the child’s eyes.

“Don’t worry about that one, Latisha, just bubble it and move on,” the teacher encouraged.

But Latisha wouldn’t continue. She stuck her thumb in her mouth and concentrated harder.

“We haven’t learned this yet, sweetie, move on to number three. I know you can get number three,”...