10 Things You Didn't Know About Arne Duncan

Re: education

Duncan as secretary of education is a joke. When one look at what he did to Chicago, closing schools and pretending newly open school are better, Obama must think he is still on a basketball court. Importantly, when one looks at the education and experience Duncan brings, it is an insult to every teacher who is force to continue to go back to school to stay current on best 'practices'. Shame on Obama for choosing one who is destroying public education which serves the needs of all. Obama promised change, however, what we see is the same old thing. Who gave him the most money, gets the best white house jobs? Sounds like a big "Detroit".

My pick for Secretary of Education

Marva Collins, or one of her disciples, should be Secretary of Education

School - glsen

this is flat out wrong to impose this sexual perversion as a norm. it is not normal. it is a perversion, Children come to school to learn how to add and subtract and how to spell and understand language so that in general we could all be on the same page when looking at the outline of things....history, which should be what it is and not messed with for some folks agendas, and science.....no one should be teaching children social graces and what to think....teach em how to think, which seems to be lacking. I am angered by the audacity that a small percentage of perverts in this world want to impose on those who are vulnerable and take advantage of this to create a society of people who don't and can't think for themselves. this is why they are putting these all so obvious behavorial problem kiddos in the mainstream to disrupt, it is a dumbing down and a social engineering. this is not new its been in the works for some 50 years, now see how come our government can't make good decisions. You think about that.

Staff selections

I am deeply concerned about Duncan's selection of Kevin Jennings to be Assistant Deputy Secretary, knowing that he is homosexual activist and founder of GLENS, which is Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network, whose mission (as I understand it) is to foster education and acceptance about homosexual behaviors beginning in kindergarten. Is this really the ABC learning we want our children to have? I certainly do not!!

Arne Duncan

Arne Duncan may or may not be qualified to be the next secretary of education. It seems to me that his educational credentials are lacking. He has no phd, master's, or even any degree in education, only a bachelor's degree in sociology. He has never actually been a teacher. I know that in some big city political machines like Chicago, people often get jobs because of nepotism (like the mayor) or unfair family connections rather than by qualifications. I think that there should be a higher standard in Washington, though. Maybe Obama chose Duncan because the guy can play basketball, but the prez really should have made a better choice.

Special Needs Children

Forgive me for some of my typos when I wrote my first reply. I was so passionate when I wrote this I didn't proofread it before sending! I always get passionate when people write about things they haven't experienced for themselves. Walk your talk - then we can talk! Teachers have no authority to permanently remove repeatedly disruptive students from their classroom. There are parent-advocate groups who fight for disruptive children to stay in that classroom (and/or in that school) and claim they have the same rights to the same education as another child, regardless of his/her disruptive conduct. What about the children that are trying to succeed academically and whose efforts are being thwarted because they don't feel safe and are continually distracted by this one child's behavior (whether continual violent actions or verbal outbursts)? Teachers are not policemen, they are there to teach. What happened to their professional rights? What kind of message are sending? Again, I strongly suggest you go and observe in a typical school in Brooklyn, NY or a school with these type of behavior problems where you live. Stay there for 3 months (without a camera) as an observer. Check out their home life by talking with them, meet the parents, see how parents actually feel about education (where does it fit in their viewpoint), what do they consider discipline. Discreetly interview the teachers and find out why this environment doesn't shift? My friend, you will most likely get a shocking realization.

Childlren with special needs

These children tend to disrupt other students and undermine the academic progress of children who are working hard. They have serious behavior problems. Like any other standard, if the needs of the many students are disrupted by outbursts of any either verbal or possible violence by these behavior problems - why do the other chlldren have to not feel safe or achieve academic goals because this 'child' is constantly interrupting the needs of the other 20 or more students in the class. Why do 'professionals' who have spent years training and preparing have to be subjected to this type of behavior as well as other students who are emotionally healthy. These 'special needs children' need to be taught by teaching professionals who study and specialize in this particular type of child! As a professional teacher in NYC I have this behavior unacceptable and these children should be removed if disruptive. If you go anywhere else public and somebody causes a disturbance, it is usually immediately addressed and that individual removed. Check out the airports these days. I challenge you to come in - not with a camera but as a non-descript visitor to these schools - ex. PS 40 in Queens and see how desks are thrown - children say F...k you out-loud as a normal course of the day! Stay there for 3 months and see why morale is lowered, teachers get burned out and can't wait to an opening happens at a school where students are known to be more socially appropriate. Go into a typical Brooklyn school. Shouldn't schools turn back to where if you misbehave you are out! Other professionals and people in the professional world don't put up with this. Any usual human being in any aspect of the work force would not accept this kind of behavior. Come on! Go live it - get the experience - then we can talk!

Secondly, community centers should be in play (I'll get into that in a moment). As it used to be said - "Sometimes it takes a whole village to raise a child.' What happened to parents having dinner with their children and shutting off the TV - see what their child is doing on the computer. It should be understood (at home) that education is first. Getting to the point of community centers - where teachers and volunteers daily can help parents plan, maybe learn to read (if they don't know how to themselves); teach proper behavior mod that parents can use at home - ex. what language parents should learn to use and not to use - what type of consequences are appropriate - not using put downs, curses, or beating the child. Maybe the community could be set up so if parents need to train, they wouldn't those their income or jobs (a temporary support system). As we know, if the children can learn, parents can be assisted, maybe their would actually be less gangs, less young people involved in gang violence and other sorts of things going to jail. Why don't we talk about that - maybe then you could actually connect with what is going on!

Some additional things about Arne's CPS

Lets add other things that most folks would not know. CPS schools have the shortest instructional day of any large urban metro school district. A tenth grader in Chicago Public Schools will have about one academic year less of instruction compared to a tenth grader in New York City. That says a lot about how much Arne really cares for the students in Chicago. Second, Arne then opens charter school that do not held accountable to the same standards as the regular neighborhood schools in Chicago. Most charter schools cherry pick students with marketing. They do not want deal with students who have IEP's for special services. They either find an excuse not to accept students with IEP's or squeeze them out. If a student has emotional problems, they are easily farmed out to the local neighborhood schools to deal with. The neighborhood schools have to deal with students that charter schools just don't want to deal with. Arne Duncan has never really engaged the classroom professionals in the classroom. Instead of really supporting the teachers, again the ones who work with students everyday, by extending the day and providing time for teams of teachers to plan together, look at student work, and target areas of improvement and evaluate the progress in a meaningful way during the day. There are systematic ways to improve the professional culture in schools in order to create high performing centers of learning. I think it hasn't been tried because the non-teacher policy wonks and business folks have never been part of the experience of transforming regular neighborhood schools into high performing learning centers.