For more on the Congressional Black Caucus see the blog CREW of 42
While everyone was focused on the health care summit Arne Duncan faced tough questions at the House Budget Committee. From Rosa DeLauro to Betty McCollum . . . from Gwen Moore to Lloyd Doggett . . . the Democrats gave Education Secretary Arne Duncan a rough ride.
For more on the Congressional Black Caucus see the blog CREW of 42
Duncan faced opposition from members as he sought to explain many of the decisions in the Obama Administration’s 2001 budget. With many school districts facing huge budget cuts many members were concerned Duncan’s budget decisions could make things worse.
Of all the Bush cabinet officials, Duncan is one of the most difficult to get off of talking points. [Example: Q: What are you going to do about the achievement gap? Duncan: "I hope our entire budget reflects a close in the achievement gap..."] Please. The Republicans on the Budget Committee were predictably disgruntled but it was the Democrats who were making news with their questions yesterday.
Cutting programs out of the budget, such as Teach for America, was not a big hit with Committee Dems and when Duncan mistakenly called it "an earmark..." that didn’t go over too well either. McCollum, Doggett and DeLauro spoke out loud to Duncan as he sat at the witness table, telling him the program was not an earmark.
Connecticut Rep. Rosa DeLauro: "If you have programs that work why do you want to put them in jeopardy? That I don’t understand." Also from DeLauro: "I want to know what core values helped you to establish this budget? The states have had a tremendous challenge in funding. Title 1 is a very basic funding... how does every child have a chance to have an equal education when you have flat funded for title one?"
GWEN MOORE: EDUCATION AND CIVIL RIGHTS. Gwen Moore evoked Lyndon Johnson as she complained to Duncan that Title 1 was flat funded. The concern came up several times during the hearing. "Money goes to states not necessary money goes to the local school system. That was the problem during the civil rights era that Lyndon Johnson fixed. Education was seen as a civil rights issue back then ..." Moore, who is a Democrat from Wisconsin, said.
Bobby Scott, who is also on the House Budget Committee, has worked to put attention on the achievement gap see here and the vast disparity in education between white and black in America. When Duncan was asked by Gwen Moore what the Department of Education was doing to close the achievement gap, Duncan gave a standard talking point response heard several times. "I think that everything we do and every policy we have undertaken at the Department helps with the achievement gap..."
For more on the Congressional Black Caucus see the blog CREW of 42