Battle of the Edubots

In this corner, the Conservative Gaia, fresh from six weeks' spa training in Palm Springs:

After all those years of educators focusing on improving the basics in public schools, how is it possible that the National Assessment for Educational Progress just gave America's high school seniors their lowest score for reading since 1992?

and in this corner, the Conservative Nick Charles, fresh from bourbon on the rocks on Capitol Hill:

NCLB injected into the federal aid to education program important doses of accountability -- yearly testing of kids from grades 3 to 8, consequences for failing schools, disaggregation of data by race and ethnicity -- and it seems to have resulted in some modest improvements in test scores.

Meanwhile, the Godfather of Intellectual Soul says, "I'm sorry, all right. I'm sorry for your sorry ass."

QueensGuy responds: The Godfather's best line is:

Possibly, the whites who voted in support of the declaration were mau-maued into it or they felt guilt over our history of slavery. In any case, they should know that their actions mean little in dealing with the day-to-day plight of many black Virginians -- which has nothing to do with slavery.

I had heard the term "mau-mau" before, and always assumed it was a reference to the Russian roulette scene in The Deer Hunter, where they should "di di mau!" (or something similar) to goad the players. Turns out it's from a bit further back, in a whole 'nother language. Voracious gobbling of hyenas, eh?