When 'Dumbing Down' is Not 'Dumbing Down'

(Topeka, Kansas) Kansas Senate Vice President John Vratil told the Kansas Board of Education that students should be exempted from meeting proficiency requirements in math and reading because it's unrealistic. Almost in the same breath, Vratil insisted he's not trying to 'dumb down' the education system.

Apparently, someone much smarter needs to explain this. In my opinion, Vratil contradicted himself in successive statements. To me, eliminating requirements in education is the definition of dumbing down.