10 Things You Didn't Know About Arne Duncan

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In charge of education, 2011. Sociology major. Familiar with Marshall McLuhan's prescient probes on education, I presume?
http://www.mcluhanmedia.com/m_mcl_inter_pb_02.html

Michael of TX 11:49PM July 18, 2011

I too wonder what qualifies Arne to be Sec'y of Edcuation besides being friends with Obama. It seems like he is friends with all the huge money corporations who want to meddle in education. Teachers are the solution, not the problem. Lack of funding, lack of teacher training nation wide and a dearth of school building are the major problems. It isn't rocket science, but it does take a concentrated effort by our entire nation and funding from federal, state and local sources to rebuild the educational infrastructure that California schools enjoyed during the 1960's.

Patricia Terrell of CA 10:02PM October 07, 2010

He's a great cabinet member because he's "tweaking" NCLB and upsetting the teacher's unions by calling out bad teachers? Wow. The teachers' unions, two of the largest in the country, both endorsed Obama during his candidacy. And he thanks their endorsements by hiring someone to systematically dismantle the public school system? Duncan left Chicago's public schools in shambles and is now working towards doing that nationally. Destroying any and all job security teachers had, firing scores of underpaid/overworked teachers, increasing testing for all students, closing neighborhood schools, and opening more charter schools that serve only a privileged few. Obama and Duncan are doing more damage to public schools in four years than George W. did in eight.

BW of FL 10:29PM June 27, 2010

Born in 1964, Should have Graduated High School in 1982..Graduated from Harvard in 1987..Played Basketball in Austrailia from 1987-1991..Not sure but there seem to be a lot of years unaccounted for. What are his qualifications again?

Kevin of TX 6:00PM June 27, 2010

AFTER READING TEN THINGS I DID NOT KNOW ABOUT HIM, I AM STILL PUZZELED, WHAT QUALIFIED HIM FOR THE JOB AS EDUCATION SECRETARY. OH, YES HE IS A FREIND OF OBAMA'S. NO WONDER THE SYSTEM IS TOTALLY BROKEN.

JORGE of TX 9:40PM June 22, 2010

teachers weighing in - ("par"), your spelling is scary.

akin of AZ 12:47PM April 23, 2010

It isn't surprising that Duncan is Secretary of Education. In Idaho we even voted in a non-educated Scale company owner as State Superintendent. To bad he get credit for 'calling out' poor teachers. Isn't that the job for local principals? That is the problem with government--it creates a solution to a problem, then makes the problem. Less and less college student are becoming teachers. Most of them think 'what's the use?' We are the longest living Democratic nation in the history of the world. There is a reason for that--A SOUND EDUCATION SYSTEM. Here is a scenario for you Mr. Secretary: Give me student that have normal home lifes that don't need special services (not on IEPs or 504s), and I will accept my pay based on student's test scores. Until that happens, I have several students that would love to work on your car, maintain your airplane, and date your daughter. Spending time at your mothers' 'pet project' is admirerable, but I wouldn't consider that as walking a mile in a teacher's shoes. If you really want to understand the problems facing education today, come to Idaho and talk to a teacher. Not a member of the teacher's union--but a regular teacher who can't afford to join the union. Oh, by the way, our Republican legislature isn't going to raise taxes. Instead, they are giving Idaho teachers a 5% pay cut to balance the budget. I guess only teachers get a tax increase. Check, I think Idaho pay is the 3rd lowest in the country.

tydan of ID 2:54PM April 13, 2010

This man is my age. I am a professional educator with 15 years in middle and high school classrooms as well as the usual "second" jobs of college professor, college tutor, adult education teacher, etc. I have done lots of committee work, worked with the State Dept. of Ed., served on boards, worked with individual students that are high-risk, founded and advised student groups, etc. That is trench work. This man has none of that experience. He definitely reflects the administration, though; well educated, privileged background, lots of work in alternative settings and in indirect delivery of education. So he is a theorist without any real practice. Theorists don't solve problems; they just create solutions for what they perceive to be the problems, and then we clean up the mess.

NHWoman of NH 7:40PM April 10, 2010

The greatest President and Education Secretary this great nation will ever have will be the ones who give AMERICAN CITIZENS FREE EDUCATION FROM KINDERGARTEN TO POST SECONDARY.
If we can give billions to developing countries, we should give billions to the education of our citizens. CHARITY BEGINS AT HOME!
No student loans...just straight FREE EDUCATION.
Educate our citizens and you eliminate, bias, discrimination, poverty and crime.
If we can borrowed money from China, Saudi Arabia and everyone else to wage a war to "keep America safe", borrow more money to educate our citizens and America will be safe and in a position to keep the world safe.

Dee Kayel of WA 2:39PM April 07, 2010

I THINK THIS IS TYPE OF PERSON WE NEED IN THE FUTURE { FOR NEXT PRESIDET OF THE UNITED STATES} HE IS BASKET BALL PLAYER AND IS SECRETARY OF EDUCATION THIS IS ALL THAT WE NEED.

ANGEL V of CA 8:23PM March 30, 2010