Catholic Education, in Need of Salvation (by a married priesthood?)

Why is it that some people think that all the ills of the church may be addressed by a married priesthood? Whether its the decline in vocations or sex scandals or disappearing parishioners it seems that all of these problems would just vanish if the Church would just stop being so obstinate and allow priests to marry. This article in the NY Times Op Ed section seems to take the view that the the ills that beset parochial education in this country might best be addressed in this way either by policy change or by default as the numbers of priests continues to decline. But what is truly mind boggling is that a professor in a Catholic university is so incredibly ignorant of the role of the Permanent Deaconate in the Church. We are not lying in wait to take over the roles of priests as their number declines and that of deacons increases nor are we a defacto married priesthood waiting to be foisted on an unsuspecting congregation. The implication that we are is one born of ignorance that one might expect from the average reporter but I would expect more someone who is a professional Catholic educator. Or perhaps now I am the one being naive.