The Dispiriting State of Public Education

Yes, yes, I am old and crabby and devoted to high standards of education. Our president has said that this is a 'Sputnic moment'. His children attend one of the best schools in the nation, where every classroom is vibrant with educational energy.
Our local elementary school is a lackluster affair. Most of the kids are Hispanic and get free lunch and breakfast. But! These kids can be as stellar as any at Sidwell friends in D.C. where Sacha and Malia go.
I love our local school. I volunteer there every week (in the second grade). I am appalled by the complete takeover of the FCAT materials. These are large books that tell every single teacher what to do by the minute of each week. This is the ultimate disrespect of teachers having any mind or intelligence or control about what to do. Staff meetings are all about the FCAT materials.
Are we saying that these teachers are so stupid and uneducated that they cannot be trusted to teach? Or are we saying that we have bought into the Big Education Machine of publishers of textbooks?
Everything in this local classroom and school is driven by FCAT and the big E machine. Think of what we could save by actually requiring those teachers to consider closely what they teach, come together as colleagues, hammer out a changing curriculum to meet goals they all agree on. We might be surprised to have an outcome of excited kids, excited teachers, and a bunch of kids (and teachers!)who ACTUALLY READ. They could get into math and science. There might be time to write on a daily basis.
I fear that this 'sputnic moment' will be nothing if we do not respect our teachers. We need to get those teachers on board as excited and committed leaders of the next generation. Right now, so many of them are drones, fearfully following the constrictions of the FCAT curriculum. Set them free! Get rid of the ties to the textbook industry. Reward creativity and energy and innovation of our teachers. Pay them well and respect them. And we will all be surprised with the progress of our children (who deserve the best).
Sputnik going to the stars!