Looking back, the author sees that she misjudged how one becomes an educational expert. She thought it had something to do with thoughtful experience, deep thinking, reflective practice, and the study of theory and research. And maybe there was a time when that was true. But today it seems that the less one has studied education, the less one has practiced, the farther from the classroom one's office is located, the more valued one becomes. Take, for example, President Bush's appointment of Margaret Spellings as U.S. secretary of education. The expert he looks to for leadership--and the expert whose judgment educators are supposed to trust and follow--has never taught or worked in a public school, nor does she have experience in running a large, complex organization. On the other hand, she does have a bachelor's degree in political science. The author guesses that makes sense these days, given that education is as much about politics as about children. The idea that educators need not be troubled with acquiring extensive knowledge of child development, a solid background in learning theory, or philosophical clarity seems deeply ingrained in our collective expectations of education. The U.S. Department of Education's emphasis on qualifications is further demonstrated by the recent revelation that a surprising number of high-level ED managers got their degrees at degrees-R-us.com. Many of these overachievers chose the "premium package"--two degrees with honors, for a total cost of $1,515.