What if…..? What if there was a kingdom in which the ordinary was perceived as extraordinary and mediocrity was the standard of excellence? In what ways might this society mold the mindset of its subjects? How might a creative and innovative newcomer respond to the intellectually numbing environment? Would she have the courage to defy conformity and make visible her thinking? Imagine if this fairytale were real. This article's fanciful story is based upon an ancient tale to make the contemporary point that well-documented, classroom-based analyses that illustrate and support a comprehensive view of teaching and learning have been abandoned for narrowly conceived, socially and "politically correct" notions about standards, accountability, and "research-based" instruction.