--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Congress and state legislatures should…" description: "\"Congress and state legislatures should not tell teachers how to teach, any more than they should tell surgeons how to perform operations.\" — Diane Ravitch" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/479/diane-ravitch-11245_congress_congress-and-state-legislatures-should-n_2075926.jpg" --- # Congress and state legislatures should not tell teachers… ![“Congress and state legislatures should not tell teachers how to teach, any more than they should tell surgeons how to perform operations.” quote by Diane Ravitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/479/diane-ravitch-11245_congress_congress-and-state-legislatures-should-n_2075926.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/479/diane-ravitch-11245_congress_congress-and-state-legislatures-should-n_2075926.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/479/diane-ravitch-11245_congress_congress-and-state-legislatures-should-n_2075926.jpg) > “Congress and state legislatures should not tell teachers how to teach, any more than they should tell surgeons how to perform operations.” [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. Teachers should retain professional autonomy; political mandates risk quality. **In simple terms:** Let teachers decide teaching methods. Key Takeaway Support teacher-led curricula. Themes education autonomy policy Mood critical thoughtful Type analytical reflective When to use this quote - classroom innovation - curriculum design - teacher training Key Concepts professional expertise political interference Questions to Reflect On - What balance between guidance and freedom works? - How to protect teacher expertise? A Different Perspective Standardization can ensure equity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Congress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/congress/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Surgeons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surgeons/) [Teacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teacher/) ## Related quotes > [When I Die , bury me deep Ten feet down fast as deep. 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Tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-mcmahon/if-you-ve-witnessed-bullying-or-if-you-re-being-bullied-tell-somebody/) [Stephanie McMahon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-mcmahon/) > [We should have high expectations of our children, but politicians should not tell teachers how to meet them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kennedy/we-should-have-high-expectations-of-our-children-but-politicians/) [Charles Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kennedy/) > [The teachers teach the children that are going to take care of us. These are our future leaders, doctors, lawyers. So, they need to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lil-jon/the-teachers-teach-the-children-that-are-going-to-take-care-of-us/) [Lil Jon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lil-jon/) > [Let the teachers teach English and I will teach baseball. There is a lot of people in the United States who say isn't, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dizzy-dean/let-the-teachers-teach-english-and-i-will-teach-baseball-there-is-a/) [Dizzy Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dizzy-dean/) > [If teachers can't teach every subject, why do students have to Iearn them all?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-teachers-can-t-teach-every-subject-why-do-students-have-to-iearn/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Many Karate teachers teach a watered down style - no hip action and no depth of punching - so it is easy to say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/higa-yuchoku/many-karate-teachers-teach-a-watered-down-style-no-hip-action-and-no/) Higa Yuchoku > [Teachers teach because they care. Teaching young people is what they do best. 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Education occurs when students get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-demille/teachers-teach-and-students-educate-students-are-the-only-true/) [Oliver DeMille](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-demille/) > [“The greatest impact on learning is the daily lived experiences of students in classrooms, and that is determined much more by how teachers teach…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dylan-wiliam/the-greatest-impact-on-learning-is-the-daily-lived-experiences-of/) Dylan Wiliam > [Let the main object... to seek and to find a method of instruction, by which teachers may teach less, but learners learn more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-amos-comenius/let-the-main-object-to-seek-and-to-find-a-method-of-instruction-by/) [John Amos Comenius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-amos-comenius/) > [Think about the world you want to live and work in. What do you need to know to build the world? Demand that your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-kropotkin/think-about-the-world-you-want-to-live-and-work-in-what-do-you-need/) [Peter Kropotkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-kropotkin/) > [When my kids were growing up, I wanted their teachers to teach them science, reading, math and history. I also wanted them to care…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-hamilton/when-my-kids-were-growing-up-i-wanted-their-teachers-to-teach-them/) [Adam Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-hamilton/) > [“Those who can, do; those who can't, teach; those who can't teach, teach the teachers; and those who can't teach the teachers go into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muriel-barbery/those-who-can-do-those-who-can-t-teach-those-who-can-t-teach-teach/) [Muriel Barbery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muriel-barbery/) ## 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. They view students as “human capital” or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-ravitch/the-reformers-define-the-purpose-of-education-as-preparation-for/) [Diane Ravitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-ravitch/) > [“While I have never been a member of any union, I was a friend of Albert Shanker, president of the American Federation of Teachers,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-ravitch/while-i-have-never-been-a-member-of-any-union-i-was-a-friend-of/) [Diane Ravitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-ravitch/) > [In DC, policymakers think that if we can only have high enough standards, tough enough tests, and hold people accountable, we can close the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-ravitch/in-dc-policymakers-think-that-if-we-can-only-have-high-enough/) [Diane Ravitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-ravitch/) > [“The corporate reform movement has co-opted progressive themes and language in the service of radical purposes. 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 Congress quotes > [Well, my wife, Cathy Gillespie, worked for Joe Barton, who was running for Congress in 1984.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-gillespie/well-my-wife-cathy-gillespie-worked-for-joe-barton-who-was-running/) [Ed Gillespie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-gillespie/) > [We will make sure our troops have all that is necessary to complete their missions. 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It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-pitts/the-constitution-is-very-clear-on-the-on-the-declaration-of-war-or/) Joe Pitts > [Can you understand why the Congress, most states and most cities refuse to pass legislation requiring the registration and licensing of any and all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/can-you-understand-why-the-congress-most-states-and-most-cities/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [“ Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/united-states-congress/congress-shall-make-no-law-respecting-an-establishment-of-religion-or/) United States Congress > [As the longest serving Independent in the history of the United States Congress, as somebody who came into office by defeating an incumbent Democratic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/as-the-longest-serving-independent-in-the-history-of-the-united/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [As the first Member of Congress from western Washington to serve on the House Agriculture Committee in over 50 years, I am proud to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-larsen/as-the-first-member-of-congress-from-western-washington-to-serve-on/) [Rick Larsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-larsen/) > [About one-half of the members of Congress are seekers for office at the nomination of the President. 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