Eavesdropper, it seems to me like you are having issue with the style, not the substance of my comment. My poor choice of words is caused by a reflex reaction to the tone of the article which I perceived as a lament to the loss of an awesome teacher. If the article was about inability to keep mediocre at best teachers as the one described in the article I would not respond.
My second paragraph assumes that the person described in the article could not have achieved the level required to teach math at a level that exceeds the generally atrocious level of public education in the U.S.
I grew up in a family of pedagogists and andragogists (my dad’s side, including my dad. My mom’s side are mostly cops, including my mom :)) and I married to one, I am six-time national champion in mathematics (some another nation, obviously) and I taught highschool and college-level math for several years. I often have no idea what I am talking about, but this time I have a leg to stand on.
