Back To School Optimism? Maybe.

Even in this officially optimistic "back to school" time of year, educators, parents, policymakers, and even bloggers have to deal with the threat of pessimism (or its cousins cynicism and doubt). Today's NYT has an opinion piece about pessimism that perhaps goes too far in blaming President Bush for its ascent -- we can't blame him for everything -- and yet seems worth noting (The Rise of Pessimism).