instruction manuals instead of literature: Arne Duncan on Colbert Report 9/17/13

[No Elephants]

Arne Duncan did his best to avoid answering Colbert's question on whether new education standards agreed to by all states include emphasisizing ability to read instruction manuals and memos over ability to read literature. (At least, I assume that creepy, disingenous chuckle was Duncan's best effort to avoid answering the question without making it obvious that he was ducking the question. Did not seem very bright to me!)

Fortunately, Colbert persisted until he got a straight answer (yes). It only took asking Duncan 3 times. Given how creepy and resentful Lurch seemed, I give Colbert a lot of credit for persisting.

BTW, before Colbert asked the question, Duncan had described the new standards as having elevated standards. Favoring memos and manuals over literature is elevating standards?


Where is George Orwell now that we really need him?


I would give you a link to the interview, but, when I went to where the video of the program should have been, all I got were ads and a notice that "this content" is not available in my region.

If the video of the program is available online or On Demand in your araa, my On Demand shows Colbert introducing Duncan at 16 out of 22 minutes, with the question to which I refer coming up at about 19 minutes out of 22. Of course, On Demand eliminates most, but not all, of the commercials in the actual broadcast. (Eight plus minutes of commercials out of 30? Nice.)

Anyhoo....Arne also allowed the the best ideas for education do not come from him (shocker--all this one trick phony seems to know is ruinging public education) but from teachers. Hmmm. Remind me why he gets the big bucks and the prestige and power then, why the teachers get the criticism and marching orders on how to "race to the top?")

Still, it was nice to hear something from the U.S. Secretary of Charter Schools that did not blame all problems in public schools on teachers (implied: and their unions).

After all, we are told on a daily basis that we cannot blame anything happening in the country on the most powerful person in the world. How could we possibly blame teachers for all the problems in public schools?

[Enthusiast]

1. I watched the interview.

And I "got" it.

What has happened to the nation when we get our most cutting journalism from comedians? That is exactly what has happened. I don't have to tell you what I think of someone that would place Duncan in a position of trust. Arne is the Democratic equivalent of "good job Brownie".

Read an instruction manual recently? When we buy a product that requires assembly it is accompanied by an instruction manual. Unfortunately these instruction manuals are written in the country where the product is manufactured. Real men throw the instruction manuals away anyway. You knew that. But these instruction manuals provide comic relief.

[No Elephants]

2. Not being a real man, I do not discard instruction manuals.

Yes, I have read them.

Not sure, but I think DU may have first gotten "All your base are belong to us" from an instruction manual. ;-)