by Kim Taylor
I know what you’re thinking … it’s all intents and purposes. You’re right; it is. But, if you’re one of the students James Courter refers to in his Wall Street Journal piece, you might – like I did a few years back –mistake the two.
Courter blames students’ lack of reading for some of these hilarious gaffes:
Except, the reality is, they’re not so hilarious. And, they made me think immediately of a blog post I wrote a couple months ago about Florida’s FCAT dilemma. But, here’s the thing. I’m well-read and college-educated, but somewhere along the lines of life I heard (or misheard) the phrase “all intents and purposes” (first coined in 1546, by the way) and it stuck. I used it incorrectly until I was finally corrected by a friend—it’s still a joke between us today.
The point is, FCATs aren’t the answer; reading isn’t the answer; and, writing isn’t the answer. They are all the answer. But, thanks for the laugh, Mr. Courter.
Posted by thestrategicfirm 
