Secretary of Education Arne Duncan was interviewed by Jon Stewart last night. One portion aired on television, but it was extended and the majority of it was posted only on the Web. I’ve posted all three parts below. I thought Stewart did a great job of constantly pushing Duncan, and that Duncan constantly demonstrated a text book example of cognitive dissonance — saying one thing but having done another in action. I’ve also embedded a few tweets I sent during the interview with Duncan quotes that struck me.
Duncan on daily show: “we have to stop teaching to the test – I agree”
— Larry Ferlazzo (@Larryferlazzo) February 17, 2012
Duncan on daily show: “we’re trying to empower teachers, local superintendents “
— Larry Ferlazzo (@Larryferlazzo) February 17, 2012
Weird interview. I liked the words he was saying, but haven’t seen much policy to indicate that there is much reality to it. Dissonance was the best one word description of my experience watching this last night. The extended version only amplified that effect.
Ron,
Weird indeed!
Larry
My God the financial toll! Did you hear the dollar amounts he was putting out there to implement this stuff?
Not needed!
It’s called going back to basics with discipline!
This is just a government power grab to get our local schools under the thumb and dictate of the Federal government that ALWAYS knows what it is doing?
The government that only accepts money as a force for change?!!!
This is not to mention the HUGE injection of and money draining brotherhood of the Union! Unions do not belong, at least in my child’s school.
Just pay them well!
For a person with the name “whatever” you certainly are empassioned. I both agree and disagree with you. I’ll start with were we agree. We have a tendency in this country to throw money at a problem and think that is going to fix it. I don’t know if that is a symptom of a larger problem or the problem itself but either way we have been chasing good money after bad in the public school system for some time. I agree that discipline is lacking in some of the “these kids today” but I feel like you are putting the blame in the wrong spot. Parents must begin to empohasize education over extra curricular, over social concerns. But I disagree with you about unions. You contradict yourself by saying pay the teachers well but get rid of the unions. If you think teachers get paid crap now, take away the unions and see where they rank on the nation’s pay scale.
What I meant was, teachers should be paid more, because they are worth more than they are paid. Anyone paid well does not need the crutch of a union.
It is the community that needs to take charge.
Unions add costs that do not help education or teachers…only themselves.
They act like they care, but over time, it gets worse, while the costs increase and the childrens’ education suffers.
I am sure there are contradictions to this, but there are not many.
Parents do need to be more involved, but I see a trend by government to take over that responsibility. That would be worse than slacking parents, and freedom would die if we allow it.
Our culture is to blame in too many ways, and it is a disease that has been eating at us for a long time now.
I found this, which his may be a bit out of place, but it does show a reason for the symptoms of decay.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=vlkPkJInUmU
Thanks for your reply!
P.S. Arnie Dincan is a dangerous monster
Arne Duncan…excuse my typing…