Sorry for the short diary, but President Obama's Education Secretary said something that really bugged me as a parent, as the spouse of a teacher, and as someone who had trouble in school in 2nd Grade.
See below.
"We should be able to look every second grader in the eye and say, 'You’re on track, you’re going to be able to go to a good college, or you’re not.'"
Wrong.
That's what he said at a press conference at a charter school in Brooklyn, according to http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/...
It is an insane statement.
I am not talking about the purpose of his visit, or education money in the stimulus package; and I realize that he may have been speaking very off-the-cuff. But that's why I'm calling on him to recant it.
No, Mr. Duncan, we do NOT want to be telling our 2nd graders "you're not going to be able to go to a good college."
I don't know much about Mr. Duncan, but I don't believe he was ever a teacher. Education is sadly one of those things where every shmoe and his brother is an expert. If you can come up with some business-model, slightly common-sense-sounding idea about education, real policy makers sadly start taking your ideas and running with them. Too many policy makers listen to everyone except teachers. In fact they far too often blame teachers, who are generally smart, generous, and selfless civil servants, for many societal woes that stem from well outside teachers' area of influence.
Okay, but back to the point--please ask Secretary Duncan to clarify that careless remark. Thanks.