Last nite on NPR, Arne Duncan (Sec. of Ed), said he....

[Smarmie Doofus]

...intended to enroll his two kids in public schools in.....I believe he was answering a direct question... the District of Columbia.

Not McClean, not Bethesda, nor Chevy Chase, not Slver Springs. In Washington DC *public* school.

I nearly drove up on the sidewalk.

Arne talks real fast. (This does not surpise.) Did I hear what I thought I heard? Did anyone else catch it?

[rwheeler31]

1. I like the guy.

[LWolf]

10. I despise "the guy" with the intensity of a thousand suns,

and will do so until he aggressively works to get rid of NCLB and high stakes testing, charter schools, and merit pay.

Which isn't going to happen.

[proud2BlibKansan]

12. Don't forget the military academies!!

This guy isn't as bad as Rod Paige but that's the only positive thing I can say about him. And as bad as Rod Paige was that ain't sayin much.

[LWolf]

15. "not much" is right.

"Not as bad as Rod Paige" leaves a mountain of bad still to be endured.

:(

[endersdragon34]

18. Whats the problem with charter schools

I do get part of the problem but to say get rid of all charter schools (which the federal government doesn't even have the power to do, and you could expect a lot of backlash if they even tried). I myself have Asperger's Syndrome, so I know how ****ed up (pardon my French) public schools can be and (from experience working with other "disabled" kids) frequently are. For many parents this leaves a few options, keep in the horrible endless cycle that is public schools (I can offer a few examples there if you wish, check out http://autismonthego.com/ for starters if you wish), pay huge dollars for special education (can go all the way up to $30,000 or more in some areas) assuming its avaible, or go to one of a few charter schools in America that are starting to pop up (I think theres like 10 outside of CA in all the United States) where he can get a decent education and not have to sell the house to get it. Is that not the ideal solution and shouldn't schools like those be encouraged?

Beyond that as someone who was incredibly gifted in the areas of mathmatics (and advanced in the areas of English) I have seen how schools also fail gifted kids. There seems to much of a movement in America that 'everyones special' (which to quote Dash, "thats's just another way of saying no one is") that encouraging true giftedness is something that we don't really want to put too many resources in. Because of my giftedness school shortly became a place for boredom. I was ready for geometry instruction by... lets just say the end of 4th grade (probably a bit behind but lets go with it), do you think I got it? No of course not instead I got to learn long division which I knew how to do since 2nd grade...

If school is a place of learning, I think seperate schools that encourage giftedness and accept differences are also neccessary, and something normal public schools don't and frequently can't do. If schools are a place of boredom and torture, by all means go along with the current system.

[Smarmie Doofus]

2. Tell me more. Seems like a lightweight. nt

[proud2BlibKansan]

16. He turned the high schools in Chicago into military academies

Did away with tenure and gave principals hiring and firing power.

[Smarmie Doofus]

17. Is there a factory somewhere turning these guys out?

Sounds exactly like Rhee in Washington and Klein in NY.

[Tangerine LaBamba]

3. Good luck

The DC public schools are in horrid shape, just awful.

I feel bad for his kids if he's doing this for political reasons.

I mean, they're really, really bad. But, hell, he's the Secretary of Education. What else can he do? He must be living in the District.

[Smarmie Doofus]

5. I expected him to go the posh suburban route....

....so he could say "But my kids DO use the public schools."( He himself was educated exclusively in private schools, if memory serves.)

Re. DC: A mess, for sure; just like all urban disricts that I know of. Perhaps there's a couple showcase schools for folks with connections and pull. There are usually at least a couple.

Or maybe he's for real. Now THAT would be a shock.

[Tangerine LaBamba]

7. I tried to think of some,

charter schools, for instance.

There aren't any.

It's so bad, it's unspeakable.

Maybe he is for real. But what a price for his kids to pay.

I smell "tutors".

[Smarmie Doofus]

11. This will be interesting to watch.

If the presence of the children of the US Sec. of Ed has *no* impact on the school they attend and on the district, I'll have to reassess certain assumptions I've made.

My expectation is that the school and/or the system will improve. We shall see.

[proud2BlibKansan]

13. There are a bunch of charter schools in DC

Jenna Bush taught in one.

[Catshrink]

4. I heard it and that's what he said.

He plans to enroll his kids in DC public schools.

[Smarmie Doofus]

8. Thanks. I'm not crazy then.

Or I AM crazy but my hearing is in order.

[roody]

6. Good for him.

[LWolf]

9. Good.

I'm glad he's got one thing right.

He doesn't regain his lost credibility with me until he works to get rid of NCLB, high stakes testing, merit pay, and charter schools.

[fortyfeetunder]

14. Question for the DC folks --

Since I was once familiar with the DC public school system...and now seeing in the thread the schools are now in lousy shape - even those west of Rock Creek Park? I already heard about Wilson HS having its challenges...how about the others?