Get that pencil out of your ear!

Who is Elizabeth Weil, and why didn't I write this story, "When should a kid start kindergarten?," which appeared in today's New York Times Magazine? It's a nuanced look at the effects of starting kindergarten late (being oldest kid in class) vs. early (being the youngest), education reform which is turning kindergarten into the new first grade and the gap created by socioeconomic status even at this early age...and how that gap could be about to get a lot worse.

Here's the cutline:

States want children to be a year older when they enter school. This could lead to better test scores — and more inequality.

Read it and weep.