Obama: Duncan 'Doesn't Blink' on Tough Decisions
In choosing Arne Duncan as his nominee for U.S. secretary of education, President-elect Barack Obama signaled today that his administration intends to take what both men see as a pragmatic, nonideological approach to improving the nation’s schools.
During a press conference announcing the Chicago school system’s chief executive as his choice, the president-elect praised Mr. Duncan’s willingness to support controversial policies, such as shutting down low-performing neighborhood schools and expanding charter schools.
“For years, we have talked our education problems to death in Washington, but failed to act, stuck in the same tired debates that have stymied our progress and left schools and parents to fend for themselves,” Mr. Obama said at Dodge Renaissance Academy in Chicago. “Democrat versus Republican; vouchers versus the status quo; more money versus more reform—all along failing to acknowledge that both sides have good...
This article is available to subscribers only.
To keep reading this article and more, subscribe now or purchase this article.
Subscribe to Education Week and Save
Get a full year and save up to 45%!
Viewed
Emailed
Recommended
Commented
- Superintendent
- Pinellas County Schools, Pinellas County, FL
- Principals
- Prince George's County Public Schools, MD
- K-8 Principal
- EdVantages/Performance Academies, Detroit, MI
- 2 Positions -Associate Superintendent and Chief Academic Officer, and Director of Human of Resources
- Washington County Public Schools, Hagerstown, MD
- Elementary School Teacher
- Success Academy Charter Schools, New York, NY
