Obama’s Pick: Taps Duncan for Education, and Basketball

“Since this school was revamped and reopened in 2003, the number of students meeting state standards has more than tripled.”
Likely because passing grades were dumbed down to 20%.

I checked out this guys resume, seems pretty impressive to me.

I would definitely say public education is a civil rights issue, at least at all the local public schools, they are almost 95% Black, and no else goes to them. All the White, Hispanic and Asian kids go to other schools, if not home schooled.
All those same schools are bordeline to be shutdown, and all have a reputation for turning out the next generation of thugs and rappers. Many parents I know in the area look at public schools as neglect on the parents part, if they are allowing them any where near those places as they are high crime and high drug areas. The only thing that should be going anywhere near these schools is Police in armored Hummers.
It will be interesting to see if Arne Duncan can turn schools like these around.

When Obama adds Sarah Lou (Louise) Barracuda Palin as point guard, we will know he is up to something with the basketball team thing. Thing is, she will need a cabinet title and to be kept in one of those undisclosed locations.
Actually, we need more nation-wide standards for education, like the same basic course requirements no matter where you live, to graduate from high school. All this insistence on local control of everything is not in the best interests of the children. (You can guess my parents moved around a lot.)

Sunlen, aren’t you going to put up another couple of posts trying to tie Blagojevic to Obama today? Dutiful flogging of right wing talking points is a DAILY EFFORT.

People around America really need to join together and “STOP” being so darn negative about our future presient and his cabinet. Everyone knows, except the narrow minded,that President Elect Obama is making one of the best cabinets hstory has EVER had. Just get over the fact that this country “WILL” be run by an African American male who “UNEQUIVICALLY AND WITHOUT DISPUTE, REALLY KNOWS HIS STUFF” It’s high time you narrow minded folk out there move from cynicism. I am not being judgemental,… just delivering the facts. Straighten the heck up and stop being so negative – get over it and lets work together for the betterment of this country!Do you want to be robbed twice America, by not listening and working together for the betterment of us all? Obama is the man who will lead us back to prosperity. Have a little faith and hope!

“Obama said that for years education problems in Washington have been talked to death – without action”
What is he talking about. Hello No Child Left Behind??
He was standing in a school that was closed and fixed because of NCLB. At seem fair to acknowledge that there has been action.
Sunlen leaves out the most interesting part of the three question press conference:
“Q Thank you, Mr. President-elect.
First of all, given the situation here in Illinois, do you favor or oppose a special election to fill your vacancy? And secondly you told us, at your first press conference, after the election, that you were going to take a very hands-off approach to filling that spot.
Over the weekend, the Tribune reported that Rahm Emanuel, your incoming chief of staff, had presented a list of potential names that –
PRESIDENT-ELECT OBAMA: John, John, let me just cut you off, because I don’t want you to waste your question.
As I indicated yesterday, we’ve done a full review of this. The facts are going to be released next week. It would be inappropriate for me to comment because for example, the story that you just talked about, in your own paper; I haven’t confirmed that it was accurate.”
At this point Obama supposedly has the full report and should know everything that happened. Right?
How can he not know if the venerable Office of the President-Elect presented a list of names? He has to at this point. He cant answer “I dont know” anymore.

Duncan graduated magna cum laude from Harvard IN SOCIOLOGY…………
NEVER ANY EDUCATION IN OR AROUND OR A DEGREE IN EDUCATION!

HPBoston
One of the guys who invented the heart surgery didn’t get his MD (and it was honorary by the way) untildecades after the fact….

This appears to be the hiring of an unqualified buddy. I’m sure Obama’s basketball chums boost his self image, but some people actually care about public education in this country. I guess we can’t expect more from someone who attended all private schools (as he has also chosen for his daughters).

Lila A. Love….that’s right, I’m tired also of the negative remarks. President elect Obama is getting a bunch of intelligent people together and saying he wants them to question him, not yes him….he’s making a pretty good start….the man isn’t even president yet and people are criticizing? Let’s work together for a better country. As for the sour grapes remarks, McCain lost, let’s get over it and band together…this country is a huge mess and President Obama is being left with a huge mess, this is NOT HIS fault!
And a trained monkey would be better than what we have now…look what they did to this country…for shame on this current administration. Let’s make sure this never happens again!

Pressed by the Chicago Tribune’s John McCormick over the question of how his seat should now be filled, Obama said: “I’m going to let the state legislature make a determination.”
Sen. Richard J. Durbin and other Democrats initially came out in favor of a special election after Blagojevich was arrested, but others in the party, including Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, are now pushing for an appointment by the Democratic lieutenant governor expected to become the state’s chief executive after Blagojevich resigns or is removed from office.
Obama flashed some irritation at the line of questioning, cutting off McCormick before he could finish his initial query.

Tina,
Arne Duncan has been Chief Executive for the nation’s third-largest school system since 2001.
Sounds like pretty good qualifications to me.

So the actual state representatives have to decide if they can afford a special election…
Posted by: MM | Dec 16, 2008 2:33:49 PM
Well good to see you at least can afford your koolaid!

“Obama said it. The media believe it. And that settles it.”
koolaid camp is always open!

“Arne’s credentials……. (Looks like his resume is as slim as Princess Caroline’s)”
Yeah 16 years in the education field including the last 7 running one of the largest school districts in the country.
They can’t all be commissioners of Arabian Horse Associations as you might prefer.

“Arne’s credentials……. (Looks like his resume is as slim as Princess Caroline’s)”
Yeah 16 years in the education field including the last 7 running one of the largest school districts in the country. Posted by: Ryan C | Dec 16, 2008 2:44:57 PM
ONE OF THE WORST SCHOOL DISTRICT IN THE COUNTRY!!

obama investigates himself, finds himself cleared of any wrongdoing,
but doesnt want to answer any questions from the press.

“ONE OF THE WORST SCHOOL DISTRICT IN THE COUNTRY!!”
“Mr. Duncan is known as one of a handful of innovative, reform-minded big city schools chiefs. How that will translate to the national level remains to be seen. Conservatives should be heartened that Mr. Duncan recognizes the need for local leadership and innovation. And that he supports amending federal policy to grant states greater flexibility and autonomy. Yet given his support for sharp federal spending increases, it is unclear how well the Secretary translates local lessons to the federal level.
What is clear is that Mr. Duncan’s past work has earned applause from school reformers. He supports charter schools, public school choice, and merit pay for teachers and school leaders. Duncan also supports holding schools accountable for results and maintaining transparency about school performance through public reporting.
In his words, Duncan’s mission has been to make Chicago “the premier urban school system in America.” And his leadership appears to be making a difference, with Chicago students making gains on a number of outcome measures.”
The above courtesy of the Heritage foundation

MM:
Also they need to get used to the fact that the President elect speaks in clear sentences that people can understand and he makes sense….After eight years of a president who cannot speak properly and makes no sense, well…you know these evil doers, “this is hard work”, etc. It’s hard for these people to get used to a real president.

I know you obama haters really want the real education president to stay in office.
hehehe-george w bush
all right children today we will lean the words to
“Shoe fly, shoe”
how is everyone doing with that little tongue twister,
lame duck,duck.

I’m afraid it is the “anti-Oba-manaics” (such as some posting here) who seem to have joined a cult! More than a month after the election, they are still decrying all sorts of imaginary accusations against Obama, as if by continually repeating their lies and fantasies they can somehow reverse the electoral process after the fact. They frankly act as if the comet is going to swing by, scoop them up and take them to a “conservative” utopia where they will get to keep all that is “theirs” and where they will not be bothered by having to interact with persons “not like them”.
The divisiveness that has been engendered in this country by this election is very dangerous. This divisiveness is being exacerbated by these “anti-Oba-maniacs” who are tightly shutting their eyes to the truth that the current administration is a failed administration and that the election of Barack Obama is the fete accompli Will of the American People expressed in an election that was not compromised or subverted – while at the same time loudly decrying their own fantasies which they treat as Truth Once Received. They are thus both blind and deaf to any reality but that of their own deluded imaginations.
Obama is trying to pick the make choices for governing America FOR the American People – not for some pet corporate or multinational entities as has at times been the case. Unfortunately, there are a large number of “Compleat Idiots” out there who actually BELIEVE all this nonsense being spouted by the “anti-Oba-maniacs”, and I fear that in time one or more of them may yet go the way of Timothy McVeigh or James Earl Ray. Right-wing domestic terrorism and/or assassination is sadly a very real threat to the security of our nation at this time – perhaps FAR more so than even foreign or global terrorism – and we must do all that we can to thwart such efforts and the delusional thinking that fuels it.
I pray that God may yet protect us from these deluded and destructive souls in our very midst.

Elected a secretary of education from a state with a poor public school record which the president elect own’s children do not attend.

“obama investigates himself, finds himself cleared of any wrongdoing,
but doesnt want to answer any questions from the press.”
Don’t you love when people try to act all informed and insightful don’t even bother reading the news? The US Attorney’s office requested that they not discuss it until December 22. It’s an on-going investigation.

There is no such thing as red states and blue states, there are only blue states.

“Ok, wasn’t the big story in Chicago in September about how over a thousand students were staying out of school to protest the conditions at their schools and the lack of materials and proper educator”
Yes poor students were protesting the funding disparity of inner city schools vs the affluent suburbs.
Could you tell me what control Duncan had over that?

““I just wanted to dispel one rumor before I take questions,” the President elect joked, “I did not select Arne because he’s one of the best basketball players I know. Although I will say that I think we are putting together the best basketball-playing cabinet in American history.”
Honestly, I like him more and more everyday.

“You DO only read parts, don’t you? Skip the big words, do you? There were words below that Changed part, about Corps.”
ROFLMAO.
What nothing about the rise of the North American Union?
Ahhh tin foiler right wingers…..always so afraid of things that aren’t there.

I am sure the new president will make an eye-opening progress on education. I was impressed with his adress about education sec. pick. I think the new president must have a plan. THE FUTURE OF THE U.S. IS GOING TO BE BRITE.

Useless american wankers criticizing something to try to appear big. Grow up and do something worthwhile tiredofthispresident2.

Why do we have a cabinet position for education? Also, Chicago Public Schools are not exactly on the cutting edge of progress. Want to increase productivity in public schools? Get rid of entrenched unions and bring back discipline.

ANOTHER CHICAGO CRONIE MOVING TO WASHINGTON. WHY NOT MOVE THE ENTIRE BUNCH OF CORRUPT POLITICIANS FROM CHICAGO TO WASHINGTON. THE ENTIRE SYSTEM STINKS. OBAMA PROMISED CHANGE. LIKE CHANGE YOUR DIRTY UNWARE FOR ANOTHER DIRTY PAIR. MAKES A LOT OF SENSE.

“Finally, Obama is in the process of assembling a team that his lack of experience and anything resembling to leadership fits in well with. A BASKETBALL TEAM! LMAO!”
More than 70% of the country, which included a significant portion of your party, approves of his appointments so far. That’s incredible. He is galvanizing a country that he inherited in pieces, and he’s not even in office yet. And he’s doing it through the noise of this whole Blago mess. Quit it with the nonsense and give the guy a chance, at least. My God, your votes in 2000 and 2004 destroyed this place. Maybe it’s time to keep quiet for a little while and let somebody else have a turn?

“So why is the person in charge of the debacle that is Chicago public schools now in charge of the country’s public schools.”
Probably because of his impressive Australian basketball experience — and because, like Obama and Ayers, Duncan — a Daley machine pick — was long a non-profit “education” hustler in Chicago.
Besides, he’s a rich kid with a BA in Sociology: