Sec Duncan Takes On NCAA

ABC News’ Mary Bruce Reports: As basketball teams across the country prepare for March Madness, Education Secretary Arne Duncan is putting forth a proposal to ban men’s teams from the tournament and all post-season play if they fail to graduate 40 percent of their players.

“Frankly, that's a low bar, and not many teams would be ineligible," Duncan told reporters yesterday. "Over time, we should set a higher bar. But it's a minimum, a bright line, which every program should meet to vie for postseason honors."

If the NCAA had already adopted Duncan’s idea, a dozen of the teams in this year’s tournament would have been barred from competition – including Kentucky, Louisville and Tennessee.

With a 73 percent graduation rate among players, President Obama’s top pick, the Kansas Jayhawks, would still be allowed to play, according to a recent study by the Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport.

The study also reveals a significant disparity between the graduation rates of black and white players: 45 teams graduated 70 percent or more of their white players, but only 20 teams graduated at least 70 percent of their black players.

Duncan, who played professional basketball in Australia from 1987 to 1991, first suggested the idea back in January. While he can’t force the suggested changes on teams, he said he will encourage schools to enact reforms.