Being a Conservative Republican, I haven't agreed with much that Barrack Obama has done, but his choice of Arne Duncan as Secretary of Education is a great move. Arne Duncan is not only an Illinois politician, he's a Chicago politician. In this day and age that should certainly count for something. He has presided over the Chicago education miracle over the past 7 years which in many ways was the continuation of the Paul Vallas miracle in the years before Duncan took over and like much of the Bush administration Duncan has plenty of experience with no bid government contracts.
Arne Duncan has a very impressive resume. After graduating college with a degree in sociology in 1987, Duncan went to Australia to play basketball professionally. Returning to Chicago in 1992 he went to work as director of a childhood friend's educational program on the South Side of Chicago. In 1998 he became Chicago School Chief Paul Vallas' Deputy Chief of Staff. In 2001 he became head of the Chicago Public Schools. I don't think you'll find many people with that kind of depth of experience interested in a cabinet job.
In Chicago Duncan made a name for himself by closing down poorly performing schools for a year to turn them around by replacing the faculty and many of the students. In the case of Orr High School he did this twice. As most poor schools are African-American, Arne Duncan has personally fired over 2,000 African-American teachers this way. This is a very impressive quality-the ability to see that the poor performing schools are in African-American neighborhoods and the foresight to take the moves necessary to improve them. This strategy hasn't always worked, but in neighborhoods that have simultaneously undergone gentrification, the results are quite impressive.
Duncan is part of a new breed of school administrator whose minds have not been poisoned by working in the classroom. Instead they believe that the needs of children can best be met by the free market. In his time in Chicago, Duncan has frequently reached out to business leaders to do for the schools what they have already done for corporate America. The cornerstone of the Chicago Education Miracle is Renaissance 2010-A program designed to replace public schools with charters. The program seems poised to reach its pinnacle next year with the opening of The Transportation Academy of Chicago which will have the mission statement of training the city's future bus drivers.
I believe that the Charter School System is our best hope for the future of education and charter schools couldn't have a better friend than Arne Duncan. Through charter schools parents who are concerned with their child's education and have a little political pull can get a public education at a newer school without the dangerous element that often can be found in the public schools. If anybody can export the Chicago Education Miracle to the rest of the country its Arne Duncan.
9:12 Awesome job getting the POW thing in. I was worried they’d skip it. It’d be nice if he mentions it in his speech, but I know he’s reluctant to do that. Wow, Thompson is almost Charlton Heston like with that booming oration and then the place goes totally dark–Poof McCain appears. Very regal!
9:14 Crowd seemed louder for Palin, but this isn’t bad. At this late an hour I expect a lot of the delegates would be in bed if they were home.
9:16 Odd–I think they just showed one of the McCain homes on the big screen behind him. Hmm, how did the McCain Votes Against Vets sign get in there.
9:17 I think the crowd just applauded the 9/11 attacks.
9:19 John is talking to Cindy. I really like that McCain thanked the candidates he defeated in the primary and I wish by the same token, Cindy would have thanked Carol McCain
9:24 It has to be tough to read the teleprompter with protesters and the delegates chanting USA. I do like the blue screen behind McCain.
9:26 Where are the Palin kids and the baby daddy? McCain’s kids are too old to be cute. We need the cuteness appeal though it was awesome that the McCain’s let Bridget get online tonight.
9:27 I really hope McCain meant he wants to show Palin around Washington and not that he wants to introduce her to General Washington. Sometimes it is hard to tell.
9:29 Another black person in the crowd.
9:31 Awesome–he got the surge in.
9:34 That’s why the base can’t stand McCain. He just praised somebody with an autistic son. Didn’t Michael Savage just establish that autism was just bad parenting.
9:36 Interesting–He argues that the Republicans screwed up so now we need to fix it by electing more Republicans. You never admit to screwing up. I guess that’s why he’s a maverick.
9:37 Nice attack on the Supreme Court liberals. Whichever ones are left.
9:39 The McCain health care plan is a winner. I don’t even know how somebody could spend the $5,000 you get on medical in a year.
9:40 A man with a beard, appeared to be Hispanic.
9:42 After watching it for the last 30 minutes I have to say seeing McCain against a blue screen with nothing on it is majestic.
9:43 “Equal access to public education has been gained” I hope Reverend Meeks in Chicago heard that.
9:45 Sarah likes the drilling!
9:48 Now thar we’re leaving Iraq, Russia and Iran we’re coming for you!!
9:48 Yet another black person. She was napping though. Never mind, same woman I saw before.
9:49 Bea Arthur spotted in crowd with McCain sign
9:50 Ah, McCain’s memories of WWII, but he still hasn’t mentioned…Oh never mind. He just did.
9:53 He really shouldn’t smile
9:54 Potential minority…Actually looks like an Italian woman on the closeup. Cute though.
9:55 Here’s the big POW part–good idea saving it for the big finish.
9:56 Wow they’re cold. They laughed at him getting shot down and captured by the Vietnamese.
9:57 It’d be nice if some of the people imprisoned with McCain were here for a reunion. It’d be a nice touch.
9:59 He was a POW with Bob Crane? Wasn’t that Colonel Hogan?
10:01 Asian of some type
10:02 Big sign that says “The Mavrick”. As a James Garner fan I think its spelled maverick. Somebody should have corrected him by now
10:04 Happy black person in crowd. Definitely a night of inclusion
]]>9:33 Wow, I didn’t reallize McCain made that “he’d rather lose an election than a war” statement a year ago.
9:34 Hmm, she said “there’s a time to campaign and a time to put our country first”. I suppose if I was a reporter my followup would be “are you campaigning now or putting your country first?”
9:35 Its none of our business, but were her children named after sled dogs or something. Trig, Tack, Bristol? What’s wrong with American names like Ronald or Nate?
9:38 Wow! She pledged to be an advocate for special needs kids. I wonder if all home schools are going to have to be handicapped accessible now?
9:42 Why don’t people think that being mayor of a town of 5,000 isn’t good experience for being President of the United States?
9:48 Ted Stephens and Palin did a great job on cleaning up Alaska and deserve credit for that.
9:50 Defeating the bridge to nowhere is such an accomplishment. When she ran for governor she ran in support of it so it couldn’t have been easy for her to change.
9:57 Wow! Obama advocated Miranda Rights for Terrorists? Why isn’t that in the MSM?
10:01 McCain was smart enough to hire the people who attacked him in the 2000 primary
10:05 I wonder why she waited so long to mention he was a POW. That’s the A material.
10:06 I love when they pan the crowd. Cindy loved this speech
10:08 Wow, Bristol is showing more at 5 months than her mom did at 8 months.
10:10 Minority spotted in the crowd, may just have been Italian.
10:10 There’s John McCain. When he shows up its instant charisma
10:12 Definitely was a minority–I think he’s Indian
]]>9:33 Wow, I didn’t reallize McCain made that “he’d rather lose an election than a war” statement a year ago.
9:34 Hmm, she said “there’s a time to campaign and a time to put our country first”. I suppose if I was a reporter my followup would be “are you campaigning now or putting your country first?”
9:35 Its none of our business, but were her children named after sled dogs or something. Trig, Tack, Bristol? What’s wrong with American names like Ronald or Nate?
9:38 Wow! She pledged to be an advocate for special needs kids. I wonder if all home schools are going to have to be handicapped accessible now?
9:42 Why don’t people think that being mayor of a town of 5,000 isn’t good experience for being President of the United States?
9:48 Ted Stephens and Palin did a great job on cleaning up Alaska and deserve credit for that.
9:50 Defeating the bridge to nowhere is such an accomplishment. When she ran for governor she ran in support of it so it couldn’t have been easy for her to change.
9:57 Wow! Obama advocated Miranda Rights for Terrorists? Why isn’t that in the MSM?
10:01 McCain was smart enough to hire the people who attacked him in the 2000 primary
10:05 I wonder why she waited so long to mention he was a POW. That’s the A material.
10:06 I love when they pan the crowd. Cindy loved this speech
10:08 Wow, Bristol is showing more at 5 months than her mom did at 8 months.
10:10 Minority spotted in the crowd, may just have been Italian.
10:10 There’s John McCain. When he shows up its instant charisma
10:12 Definitely was a minority–I think he’s Indian
]]>“You can be a Nobel Laureate and not qualify to teach in most public schools today because they don’t have all the proper credits in educational theory or methodology,” McCain told his audience who sat so intent on his message that the remained enraptured and silent.
This is an injustice that needs to stop. If those 10 or so education classes are stopping our Nobel Laureates from moving into the classroom, we need to make those classes easier. It is well known that in most universities a huge number of students begin as education majors before the rigorous class work eventually weeds out those who can’t hack it who settle in those majors that lead to careers that pay a living wage like medicine, business, or the sciences. Surely, teaching credentials shouldn’t be this hard to come by.
We all want the best teachers for our kids and for that reason we must make it easier to go into teaching. If Nobel Laureates can’t hack a year of taking education classes what hope do the rest of us have? Let’s start making this certification easier so we can get more Nobel Laureates and other learned people in front of our kids.
]]>With such a troubling history it almost seems like there should be some kind of authority that could discipline and remove bad priests. Unfortunately, if you’re looking for discipline or a hierarchical structure the Catholic Church is the wrong place.
Members of the Catholic League also found it troubling that in his public life Obama has done nothing to tackle issues of Canon Law such as the ordination of women or married priests. Obama likewise has a lackluster record on doing anything to prevent the church sexual abuse scandal of recent years. Nor has Obama distanced himself from controversial church practices of the past such as indulgences, the inquisition, and perceived anti-semitism.
With Obama clearly unwilling to take on issues such as these which are important to Catholics there can be no doubt he will be stung hard by their votes in the Fall. I have never been a big fan of Papists myself, but I find myself totally agreeing with them in this case.
]]>So the big question remains what happenned? Senator Clinton’s collapse from the primary where she so thoroughly demolished undeclared led myself and many others to believe she was untouchable in Michigan.
]]>2. The Lakers rely on a running game - The running game is a fickle style which is usually not successful in the playoffs. The Spurs have a better half court game. ESPN acknowledged this in picking the Spurs to beat the Lakers 4 games to 2 http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/playoffs2008/columns/story?page=ScoutingSpursLakers
2. All fouls should count - At the end of Game 4, Brett Barry of the Spurs was bumped by the Lakers Derrek Fisher and no foul was called. After the game the NBA apologized for the non-foul. The Spurs lost the game 93-91, but if the foul had been called Barry is an 82% free throw shooter. He would have made the shots and the Spurs would have won. This game must be awarded to the Spurs.
3. Spur fans will not support the Lakers - Los Angeles is a team with fans all over the country. These fans love basketball and will watch the finals no matter who is in it. The Spurs are from a smaller city in Texas, if the Spurs are eliminated their fans will not watch the finals.
In the interest of fairness, the Spurs must be crowned Western Champs. I hope David Stern will act before things get ugly. Anyway, that’s my sport rant. Now I can get back to discussing politics.
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