Looks like foliar thrips? (judging by the damage and black poop all over the leaves.) They can be quite damaging. I'm not sure what will work for them and help keep the plant still edible. You can try neem oil and coating all of the leaves. You'll have to wash it off before harvest though. Systemic pesticides might help, but you won't be able to eat the leaves safely. In the short term you can try submerging the plant in water or neem oil/ water, but again, this might either kill it or render it less edible. You might be better off tossing and restarting fresh if growing for edible plants. Personally, I am amazed people buy seeds and cultivate this plant. When I see those seed packets in the garden centers, I always wonder if such varieties are different in some way than the thousands I see growing wild in our area. Are they hybridized to taste better? Do they bolt at a slower rate? Are they less likely to self propagate/ take over a garden? Just wondering what makes it worth buying such seeds vs, harvesting some wild dandelion seeds from outside and growing those. Just curiosity.

CPBs are a mystery to me, one year there are none and the next they go hog wild. Some years I have ladybugs out earlier than others relative to the CPB but don't see much correlation to the severity of the CPB problems from year to year. too bad I can't turn the chickens loose in the spuds, they'd do more damage than the CPBs. Dr. Whitney Cranshaw from CSU once explained to me an insect that they have problems with on tomato along the Front Range of CO. The appearance of the insects had everything to do with south winds at a certain time of the spring or early summer, no winds, no problem that year. Sorry, can't remember the insect. As far as educating people about any growing method I TRY to shut up unless asked and watch for responses both verbal and non before proceeding. You can lead a horse to water you know. Ever try to force a horse to drink? Why try knowing what the result may be. The modern organic movement is still very new with relatively little empiric testing to serve as it's foundation but there is an enormous amount of anecdotal evidence. That is not to say it has no merit, it most certainly does and deserves study. Until organic has a broader, more solid foundation I cannot preach to anyone as to it's superiority over conventional practices. However, if I find something that works or find that someone has I'm happy to try it myself or share the information. My fruit orcharding is in the slow process of converting, hopefully to completely organic, It will take time as there can be severe disease and insect pressures and I make mistakes. And then there is the weather.

i wish my wife would show an interest in the garden period. i have so much fun all things plant related especially roses. i don`t buy her flowers; i just planted her a whole rose garden instead;) there is nothing like sitting back on a warm summer afternoon with a glass of terrific local wine, watching the birds and smelling the roses wafting in the breeze- somehow, she doesn`t get it... however, when company comes over, she will stop at nothing making sure the backyard is spotless and will even go as far as scrubbing the patio and making sure there are no traces of fallen petals , etc. if she ever saw the light it would thrill me to no end.

I'm pretty sure I've seen thrips in dandelions before- try that.