--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Accountability makes no sense when it…" description: "\"Accountability makes no sense when it undermines the larger goals of education.\" — Diane Ravitch" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/71b/diane-ravitch-11245_accountability_accountability-makes-no-sense-when-it-un_2068346.jpg" --- # Accountability makes no sense when it undermines the… ![“Accountability makes no sense when it undermines the larger goals of education.” quote by Diane Ravitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/71b/diane-ravitch-11245_accountability_accountability-makes-no-sense-when-it-un_2068346.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/71b/diane-ravitch-11245_accountability_accountability-makes-no-sense-when-it-un_2068346.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/71b/diane-ravitch-11245_accountability_accountability-makes-no-sense-when-it-un_2068346.jpg) > “Accountability makes no sense when it undermines the larger goals of education.” [Diane Ravitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-ravitch/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Prioritizing accountability can conflict with broader educational objectives, reducing overall effectiveness. **In simple terms:** Accountability may clash with larger goals. Key Takeaway Balance metrics with mission. Themes education policy accountability Mood critical reflective Type analytical policy When to use this quote - school leadership - curriculum design - teacher evaluation Key Concepts systems thinking goal alignment Questions to Reflect On - How can accountability support, not hinder, learning? - What broader goals should guide assessment? A Different Perspective Metrics alone can incentivize narrow focus. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Accountability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accountability/) [Accountability Makes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accountability-makes-3980484/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Goal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goal/) [Goals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goals/) [Goals Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goals-education-3161021/) [Sense Undermines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sense-undermines-3980483/) [Undermines Larger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/undermines-larger-3980485/) ## Related quotes > [“This is simply a piece of paper that has a month’s worth of days across the top (1–31) and your three daily 100-calorie changes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-wansink/this-is-simply-a-piece-of-paper-that-has-a-month-s-worth-of-days/) [Brian Wansink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-wansink/) > [Any effort which wittingly or unwittingly draws a wedge between the people and Armed Forces of Pakistan undermines the larger national interest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashfaq-parvez-kayani/any-effort-which-wittingly-or-unwittingly-draws-a-wedge-between-the/) [Ashfaq Parvez Kayani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashfaq-parvez-kayani/) > [I knew I wanted to be a part of NASA in any case, and so I chose my goals in education to be consistent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peggy-whitson/i-knew-i-wanted-to-be-a-part-of-nasa-in-any-case-and-so-i-chose-my/) [Peggy Whitson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peggy-whitson/) > [One of the goals of education should be to teach that life is precious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-maslow/one-of-the-goals-of-education-should-be-to-teach-that-life-is-precious/) [Abraham Maslow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-maslow/) > [Women need to look for men with goals , education & a future. in ten years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/women-need-to-look-for-men-with-goals-education-a-future-in-ten-years/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Theories and goals of education don't matter a whit if you don't consider your students to be human beings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-ann-walker/theories-and-goals-of-education-don-t-matter-a-whit-if-you-don-t/) [Lou Ann Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-ann-walker/) > [This strongly asserted but ill-defined license to kill without accountability is not an entitlement which the United States or other states can have without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-alston/this-strongly-asserted-but-ill-defined-license-to-kill-without/) [Philip Alston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-alston/) > [Our particular principles of religion are a subject of accountability to our god alone. 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Inculcate transparency in attitude and experience a life free of controversy and blame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-anil-kr-sinha/transparency-pertains-to-impartial-behavior-implies-openness/) [Dr Anil Kr Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-anil-kr-sinha/) > [In the battle for police reform, accountability and justice, Americans don't have to re-invent the wheel. We just have to revoke the thing that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-johnson/in-the-battle-for-police-reform-accountability-and-justice-americans/) [Jason Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-johnson/) > [Think of these things, whence you came, where you are going, and to whom you must account.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/think-of-these-things-whence-you-came-where-you-are-going-and-to-whom/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) ## More by Diane Ravitch > [“Our schools will not improve if we continue to focus only on reading and mathematics while ignoring the other studies that are essential elements…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-ravitch/our-schools-will-not-improve-if-we-continue-to-focus-only-on-reading/) [Diane Ravitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-ravitch/) > [We will continue to chase rainbows unless we recognize that they are rainbows and there is no pot of gold at the end of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-ravitch/we-will-continue-to-chase-rainbows-unless-we-recognize-that-they-are/) [Diane Ravitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-ravitch/) > [When you succeed at keeping almost everyone in school, you must figure out ways to educate everyone you keep in school.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-ravitch/when-you-succeed-at-keeping-almost-everyone-in-school-you-must-figure/) [Diane Ravitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-ravitch/) > [“The history of education is a seemingly endless parade of “new ideas” that are actually old ideas renamed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-ravitch/the-history-of-education-is-a-seemingly-endless-parade-of-new-ideas/) [Diane Ravitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-ravitch/) > [We should totally ban for-profit charters. For-profit's first obligation is to its stockholders, not to its children.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-ravitch/we-should-totally-ban-for-profit-charters-for-profit-s-first/) [Diane Ravitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-ravitch/) > [“By picking a few winners, the Race to the Top competition abandoned the traditional idea of equality of educational opportunity, where federal aid favored…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-ravitch/by-picking-a-few-winners-the-race-to-the-top-competition-abandoned/) [Diane Ravitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-ravitch/) > [“The reformers define the purpose of education as preparation for global competitiveness, higher education, or the workforce. 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Advocating the privatization of public education is deeply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-ravitch/the-corporate-reform-movement-has-co-opted-progressive-themes-and/) [Diane Ravitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-ravitch/) > [American Education has a long history of infatuation with fads and ill-considered ideas. The current obsession with making our schools work like a business…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-ravitch/american-education-has-a-long-history-of-infatuation-with-fads-and/) [Diane Ravitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-ravitch/) > [An attack on public education is an attack on democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-ravitch/an-attack-on-public-education-is-an-attack-on-democracy/) [Diane Ravitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-ravitch/) > [The greatest obstacle to those who hope to reform American education is complacency.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-ravitch/the-greatest-obstacle-to-those-who-hope-to-reform-american-education/) [Diane Ravitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-ravitch/) > [“Social scientists generally agree that students’ families (especially family income, which determines advantages and opportunity) have an even bigger impact on student performance than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-ravitch/social-scientists-generally-agree-that-students-families-especially/) [Diane Ravitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-ravitch/) > [The ladder was there, from the gutter to the university, and for those stalwart enough to ascend it, the schools were a boon and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-ravitch/the-ladder-was-there-from-the-gutter-to-the-university-and-for-those/) [Diane Ravitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-ravitch/) [Explore all 61 Diane Ravitch quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-ravitch/) ## More Accountability quotes > [Think of these things, whence you came, where you are going, and to whom you must account.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/think-of-these-things-whence-you-came-where-you-are-going-and-to-whom/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [In the battle for police reform, accountability and justice, Americans don't have to re-invent the wheel. 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When there is debate, there are solutions.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atifete-jahjaga/democracy-must-be-built-through-open-societies-that-share-information/) [Atifete Jahjaga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atifete-jahjaga/) > [Democracy is not being well served as we're accustomed to. There is less information, there's less investigation, there's less analysis, there's less accountability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-greenspon/democracy-is-not-being-well-served-as-we-re-accustomed-to-there-is/) [Edward Greenspon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-greenspon/) > [I come from a world where accountability and accomplishments matter, and where titles and rhetoric take a back seat to results.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carly-fiorina/i-come-from-a-world-where-accountability-and-accomplishments-matter/) [Carly Fiorina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carly-fiorina/) > [It means a lot. It means I'm accountable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/champ-bailey/it-means-a-lot-it-means-i-m-accountable/) [Champ Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/champ-bailey/) > [Our particular principles of religion are a subject of accountability to our god alone. I enquire after no man's and trouble none with mine;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/our-particular-principles-of-religion-are-a-subject-of-accountability/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [This strongly asserted but ill-defined license to kill without accountability is not an entitlement which the United States or other states can have without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-alston/this-strongly-asserted-but-ill-defined-license-to-kill-without/) [Philip Alston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-alston/) > [Responsible Development shares many practices with XP but the roots are different. Responsible Development's values are honesty, transparency, accountability and responsibility. These lead me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kent-beck/responsible-development-shares-many-practices-with-xp-but-the-roots/) [Kent Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kent-beck/) > [“Opinion is really the lowest form of human knowledge. It requires no accountability, no understanding. The highest form of knowledge… is empathy, for it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-bullard/opinion-is-really-the-lowest-form-of-human-knowledge-it-requires-no/) [Bill Bullard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-bullard/) > [The American people deserve accountability over wasteful spending, and we accomplish that by prioritizing taxpayer dollars in a responsive and responsible manner.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-britt/the-american-people-deserve-accountability-over-wasteful-spending-and/) [Katie Britt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-britt/) > [If torture is going to be administered as a last resort in the ticking-bomb case, to save enormous numbers of lives, it ought to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-dershowitz/if-torture-is-going-to-be-administered-as-a-last-resort-in-the/) [Alan Dershowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-dershowitz/) > [“There are many professions that require individuals, on an ongoing basis, to pass drug tests, physicals and psychological evaluations in order to keep their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-hopkins/there-are-many-professions-that-require-individuals-on-an-ongoing/) [Gary Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-hopkins/) > [“Expecting accountability from the UN system was akin to expecting a blind dog to catch a flying Frisbee.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-soussan/expecting-accountability-from-the-un-system-was-akin-to-expecting-a/) [Michael Soussan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-soussan/) [Browse all 860 Accountability quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accountability/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Accountability makes no sense when it undermines the larger goals of education.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Diane Ravitch" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-ravitch/accountability-makes-no-sense-when-it-undermines-the-larger-goals-of/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Accountability" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-ravitch/accountability-makes-no-sense-when-it-undermines-the-larger-goals-of/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/71b/diane-ravitch-11245_accountability_accountability-makes-no-sense-when-it-un_2068346.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/71b/diane-ravitch-11245_accountability_accountability-makes-no-sense-when-it-un_2068346.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/71b/diane-ravitch-11245_accountability_accountability-makes-no-sense-when-it-un_2068346.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Accountability makes no sense when it undermines the larger goals of education.” — Diane Ravitch", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Diane Ravitch", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-ravitch/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Accountability makes no sense when it...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-ravitch/accountability-makes-no-sense-when-it-undermines-the-larger-goals-of/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-ravitch/accountability-makes-no-sense-when-it-undermines-the-larger-goals-of/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```