I've always believed that education is a partnership between teachers, students and parents. All have to work together to produce satisfactory outcomes. The trouble is that today only teachers are being held accountable. Critics of my view will be quick to respond that great teachers can overcome whatever obstacles they face. I say they've been seeing too many movies. I offer the example of Jaime Escalante of "Stand and Deliver" fame. Without doubt, he was a virtuoso. But despite his prowess, he was unable to duplicate the success he enjoyed at Garfield High School in Los Angeles when he transferred to Hiram Johnson High School in Sacramento in 1991. I don't believe for a second that Escalante had lost his dedication or skills, but in the seven years at his new school he faced a different set of circumstances.