The election of 2012 was a tough one for some who consider themselves "reformers" of education. Michael Petrilli, of the Hoover and Fordham Institutes wrote yesterday, in an op-ed that appeared in the Charlotte Observer, that "Teachers unions remain the Goliath to the school reformers' David."

This framing is, in itself, remarkable. That a "movement" generously financed from the deep pockets of our nation's billionaires would have the chutzpah to claim for itself the mantle of underdog should be laughable. Mr. Petrilli bemoans the defeat of such insurgents as Tom Luna in Idaho, whoseALEC-inspired efforts to expand online learning were defeated, and Tony Bennett, the pro-voucher "chief for change" from Indiana. (Bennett spent four times as much as his "Goliath" opponent, by the way.) But what lessons does Mr. Petrilli actually draw from their setbacks?

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