Seriously?

So in my district, we use benchmarks to help our students understand different measurements. For example, the benchmark for a decimeter is a crayon. The students use these benchmarks to help them estimate various measurements on the TAKS test.The district holds teacher trainings where they explain these benchmarks and give out posters for the teachers to hang in their classrooms so that the students can relate a picture with each of the measurements.

This year, I was doing my administrative rounds to check on how the classrooms were coming along and saw this up on the wall in one of my math teacher's rooms:

So many disturbing thoughts came to mind as I immediately took this picture from the wall. (Not to mention many stifled giggles)

The benchmark for 1 millimeter is supposed to be the edge of a dime. This, however, is a picture of an Italian coin. Both coins may have an edge that measures 1 mm, but in what world is this picture appropriate for elementary age students?

The teacher came over to me while shrugging his shoulders and said, "I didn't think that was appropriate, but it was given to us at the training."

I quickly made up a new poster with a picture of a dime. The original picture? Well, I kept that for my "Wall of Shame" which I keep inside one of my cabinet doors in my office so that I can have an easy laugh on stressful days.