I was primarily referring to network. But: 1. private schools often don't require certificates. 2. At least the testing requirement for obtaining a certifica

I was primarily referring to network. But: 1. private schools often don't require certificates. 2. At least the testing requirement for obtaining a certificate IS meritocratic and isn't prohibitively expensive. We could standardize the test, or each school could develop a test as part of its interview process. In either case, giving a test and judging potential applicants in terms of that test isn't unmeritocratic. It's actually exactly the opposite. 3. I would be very surprised if someone knew everything necessary to teach in a school -- administrative details such as laws and regulations, pedagogic literacy, and subject matter expertise -- without any formal education. I'm not saying it's impossible, but I think that picking up some minimal programming/design skills is sometimes less difficult and always far more interesting than a lot of what educators need to know. When's the last time you heard about someone who self-taught themselves guidelines for mandatory reporting or how to handle IEPs? The appropriateness of teachers needing to know all of these things is an entirely separate discussion -- they exist, and teachers today need to know them. It's part of the job, so it's meritocratic to exclude applicants who don't know these things.