Who's being considered for Education? Anyone know?

[Critters2]

Imo, it should be someone who attended pubic schools at least through undergrad. Really. If I were choosing, that would be requirement.

[Unsane]

1. It better be either (a) Michael Moore, (b) Dennis Kucinich, or (c) Samantha Power

or I'm gonna be PISSED :mad:

[TheWraith]

2. Rumor is Kathleen Sebelius.

Of course that's just rumor, as are all the cabinet reports as yet.

[MoonRiver]

23. She would be an excellent choice!

:thumbsup:

[Boz]

3. My source has Colin Powell in Education, but had Richardson at State, so now I dont know.

They are in pretty tight and have always been a straight, dead bang on source before, but now with this curve ball, Im not sure.

[ColbertWatcher]

5. I've heard Colon for Ed too, but, seriously. WTF!?

He's not qualified to be Secretary of Education.

[ecstatic]

35. I don't know his background. But he spoke

eloquently for 7 minutes, with no notes, during his endorsement on Meet the Press. He seems like a really smart guy who takes education seriously; but again, I don't know his background.

[Essene]

32. that would be very... interesting

he'd probably do very well in that role.

folks seems to think the Sec of Ed sets national ed policy and oughta be some progressive ideologue.

it needs to be somebody who brings gravitas to the notion of public education, and who can help reshape NCLB and the Dept of Ed to the practical needs of school systems out there.

[Monk06]

4. Bill Ayers ?

:hide:

[sandyd921]

10. He's far more qualified to be Secretary of Ed

than Colin Powell. He's a professor of education. Never happen in a billion years, but I'd welcome his selection.

[ecstatic]

34. That would be soooo funny. Especially if McCain or Palin

was asked to serve under him.

[ColbertWatcher]

6. I hope it is someone who is against vouchers and ...

... any of the GOP's privatization scams.

That would be disastrous.

[Critters2]

8. Me, too. But BO hasn't come out strongly against vouchers.

I keep thinking maybe he'll draw on his faith tradition for some decision-making. The UCC has been a strong advocate for public education throughout its history. But BO didn't attend public schools, and his kids don't. So, I wonder if he gets it. We'll see.

[ColbertWatcher]

9. If he is serious about public service that means he's against privatization.

He has to know how bad vouchers are.

He has to know that nothing is more damaging to education than theocracy.

He has to.

[Essene]

28. vouchers are dead. there's no need to worry about that stuff

[sandyd921]

11. And someone against or at least for substantial reform of NCLB

It's about time! Although leadership on this will depend on President Obama and Congress, I suspect that the leadership of DOE will be important as well.

[ColbertWatcher]

16. Ugh, how could I forget NCLB!? Yes, this needs to be dissolved as well. n/t

[Essene]

29. absolutely not... NCLB is actually extremely important

turning back on the accountability movement would be the single most disastrous thing USA could do right now.

sure, we need to broaden discussion about assessment and testing... but holding schools and school systems accountable for results is not something we can afford to "undo" in the name of a bunch of whiny union complaints.

high expectations and high accountability is the future.

we just need to push the dialog into more nuance.

[DeltaLitProf]

36. NCLB is a boondoggle made to enrich Bush's rich cronies

Keep REALISTIC accountability but not faked test scores and punishments that harm education itself.

Have you seen this Project Censored report by the way?

http://www.projectcensored.org/top-stories/articles/12-bush-profiteers-collect-billions-from-no-child-left-behind/

[JoFerret]

37. More nuance? In the NCLB?

That's funny.
Maybe we should push for the same nuance there is at Sidwell Friends.

[Bravo Zulu]

7. Possible candidates for secretary of education:

Joel Klein, chancellor of the public school system in New York City, and former assistant attorney general in charge of the antitrust division of the Department of Justice during the Clinton administration


Linda Darling-Hammond, professor of education at Stanford University and founder of the School Redesign Network


Gov. Kathleen Sebelius of Kansas, has served as governor since 2003 and served as state insurance commissioner for eight years


Jim Hunt, former governor of North Carolina


Arne Duncan, chief executive officer of the Chicago Public Schools


Inez Tenenbaum, Democratic candidate for Senate in South Carolina in 2004 and former head of the South Carolina Department of Education


(Position currently held by Margaret Spellings)

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27343359/

[JoFerret]

15. Of these Darling-Hammond is the stand-out.

Giving us the best chance to move schools into the 21st century.

[BklynChick]

17. I agree, please no Joel Klein

[Essene]

19. wouldnt want to see him... but he'd be better than her

[JoFerret]

22. Please enumerate your reasons

with details re educational policy, view of the nature of learning, motivation for learning, the future of education, the needs of the 21st century and administrivia.

Darling-Hammond is an extraordinary progressive thinker and educator. Klein has run a system. Those are different skill sets I know. I hope Obama goes big picture and sets eyes to the future of education for all.

[Essene]

31. darling-hammond is an ideologue. The Sec of State's job is not to be lead teacher for america

we need a strong bureaucrat who can make NCLB more nuanced and responsive to the fiscal and other needs of local districts. im a progressive but i could give a crap about making sure the secretary of ed has progressive views. imo a lot of the darling-hammond types have HINDERED real urban ed reform because they are so focused on being right that they stop caring about the realities out there in a system with 1.1 million kids. klein has actually reorganized the largest education system in america... twice.

the fed doesnt set ed policy for the nation.

their job isnt to prance around lecturing everybody on the "right" view of learning, etc. they oughta have a clue about instruction, but it shouldnt be some heavy academic who's absorbed with their own stuff.

[Essene]

18. Darling-Hammond is absolutely the wrong person, sorry

We need somebody less interested in academic and old ideological debates. We need a strong pragmatist who understands NCLB's strengths and knows how to push ahead given the problems out there.

[JoFerret]

24. Pragmatism is good....

Or can be when it comes to systems like schools. However - while Joel Klein has many achievements under his belt he has not sound basis nor a vision for the future. Payments for grades? Give me a break.
We are in a new world here.
Darling Hammond may not be the answer. (Although I sure hope they listen to her and other 21st century educators.) But Klein for sure is not.

[Essene]

26. education policy in the USA is 95% local/state-based

the ed secretary should not be an ideologue or even somebody with some super "vision" since it's not their job to HAVE a super ed vision.

their job is to advise the Pres on vision stuff, but moreso to implement congressional policy and regulation... working with the states.

it's a big bureaucratic and perhaps the least interesting cabinet position in terms of being able to really impact stuff. the person needs to be PRECISELY somebody like klein, who can find efficiencies, stay on task and be entirely a pragmatist.

most importantly, it has to be somebody who is not ideologically going against the grain or just spewing pro-union posturing (like LDH)

id rather have a BUSINESSPERSON who will see NCLB through and follow Obama's lead... than some ideologue who has openly opposed charters, merit pay and a ton of vital stuff in urban education reform. urban ed reform must not be held back by old school lefty ideologues. seriously.

[gizmo1979]

12. I was hoping for gov.Doyle of WI.NT

[SallyMander]

13. Inopportune typo... teehee

:hi:


I don't know though, that'll be an interesting one to watch!

[JoFerret]

14. I heard possibilites include Klein and

Darling-Hammond.
Klein (NYC) would be horrible imo although he does have policy approaches in line with Obama's idea for public education. They include notions about learning that would be unacceptable at Chicago Latin or Sidwell Friends and anathema at the school he chose for his own children (Dalton).
Linda Darling-Hammond would be an inspired and wonderfully progressive choice although I know nothing of her ability to lead/ administer a bureaucracy.

[Essene]

27. klein is a master organizational reform guy... and that's what's needed

not sure what you mean by his notions being unacceptable to this and that, since NYC is arguably the most tolerant of an entire spectrum of choices and philosophies of any city out there.

we need somebody for obama who isnt an ideologue... pushing one view of the "right way" to teach, but understanding our system is locally controlled and that the fed needs to effectively support that.

he came in and dramatically overhauled the largest ed system in the nation... and while it's not perfect, that's a task very few could have done.

[Liberal Progressive]

20. Someone too impure for you that you'll spend all your waking hours complaining about on DU.

nt

[JoFerret]

25. Ain't THAT the truth N/t

[saltpoint]

21. Many great choices out there. But Obama stated that he would like to

include at least one Republican in his Cabinet, and this would be a terrific opening for Jim Jeffords.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Jeffords

[PBS Poll-435]

30. I can think of a few that need an education. Also.

nt.

[ecstatic]

33. Bill Maher? Oprah Winfrey?

I don't think they are tied to the Clintons. :shrug:






:sarcasm:

[saltpoint]

38. Jim Jeffords would be a good choice.

http://archive.salon.com/politics/red/2001/05/22/blue/index.html


Jeffords set to switch parties


By Anthony York

May 22, 2001

....

Sen. James Jeffords, a Vermont Republican, has called a press conference for Wednesday morning that could alter the balance of power in Washington. According to the Evans-Novak Political Report, Jeffords will announce he is switching parties, giving Democrats a 51-49 majority in the Senate.

....

"According to sources, Jeffords said that once the tax cut bill passes he will travel to the White House and tell President Bush he will join the Democratic party. Jeffords' aides said Bush's decision not to invite him to a ceremony honoring a Vermont teacher is prompting him to switch parties.

"If Jeffords follows through with his intention, the political landscape changes dramatically. Democrats would become the majority party in the Senate, altering the make-up of committees and derailing Bush's judicial nominations and his goal of restraining federal spending. Also, Republican energy plans would be very difficult to pass through the Senate."

....

Espo explains the reasons for Jeffords' possible change of heart this way: "Jeffords angered many in his party when he refused to support President Bush's original budget this spring with its call for a $1.6 trillion tax cut over 10 years. Instead, he aligned himself with a bipartisan group of moderates that favored a smaller tax cut, a coalition that helped hand Bush an early legislative setback. A short while later, Jeffords was not invited to the White House for a National Teacher of the Year award ceremony honoring a Vermont high school educator."

"My Lord, what a bunch of shortsighted vindictive pricks we have in the White House," writes one poster at SmirkingChimp.com. "Not only do they want to 'punish' Jeffords for taking a principled stand, but they want to punish Vermont dairy farmers as well. Ben & Jerry should name a new ice cream after these cretins."