Secretary Duncan calls for honesty in public education research.

July 3, 8:53 PMDC Ward 5 Community ExaminerRobert Vinson Brannum

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U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan has called for "honest answers" from education researchers about public education reform.  That's a good bully pulpit cry from an administration pushing for dramatic reform of the nation's public education system. Secretary Duncan also commented before a recent meeting of education researchers that "school reforms should be monitored and judged by results that can be backed up by research proving their effectiveness."  The Secretary also stated "Education reform is not about sweeping mandates or grand gestures...."

However, this plea for honest answers in public education reform is not just a one way street.  Officials of the Department of Education, as well as other senior White House officials must also be honest, open, transparent, and forthright in policies and outreach to the public, especially residents of the District of Columbia.  If Secretary Duncan and President Obama ask to hear from the public, then they must be willing and prepared to respond to the public.

Secretary Duncan should have also demand state and local education leaders and elected officials to be honest in their public engagement.  Merely because the public may be supporting the concept of public education reform does mean it supports certain specific proposals and how they are implemented.  Secretary Duncan should also be wary of state education leaders and elected officials, particularly in the District of Columbia who are eager to do political mischief in the name of public education reform.  

District of Columbia Mayor Adrian M. Fenty and DC Public Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee have been masterfully playing the media, cable talk show hosts, the Obama Administration, and members of Congress, such as Senator Joseph Lieberman as honest brokers for local public education reform.  With the unwavering support of newspaper editorials from The Washington Post, Mayor Fenty and Chancellor Rhee have been able to portray themselves as the only two people in the District who truly care about providing high quality public education for young people of the District.  However, no two people or institution have done more to sully the legacy of District of Columbia public education and to harm District public education reform than Mayor Fenty, Chancellor Rhee, and the editorial board of The Washington Post.

District residents understand reforming local public education will be difficult and not everyone will agree.  But it is dishonest, if not deceitful to assert those who disagree with Mayor Fenty, Chancellor Rhee, and The Washington Post editorial board do not support high quality public education for District youth.  The refusal of officials of the Fenty administration and members of Congress, such as Senator Lieberman to engage the District public at the local community level, while listening to national political and educational organizations to reform District public education demonstrates arrogance and a failure of leadership.

Refusing to provide information to the Council of the District of Columbia and to the public, firing seasoned and competent teachers and principals in order to bring in younger sycophants, and closing public schools in order to sell them to local developers are not cornerstones of leadership upon which Mayor Fenty and Chancellor Rhee should be congratulated. And volunteerism is not the ultimate solution to reforming DC public schools.

Before our leaders can demand honesty from others, they must first be honest with themselves and with the public.  Being handsome and displaying youthful exuberance will only get you but so far.  Also, saying one thing and doing something different will be tolerated by the public but for so long.

President Obama and Secretary Duncan should be praised for bringing a national focus to reforming America's public schools. By their positions President Obama and Secretary Duncan can play a positive and significant role in reforming District of Columbia public education.  However, Mayor Adrian M. Fenty, Chancellor Michelle Rhee, and the editorial board of The Washington Post are not the only voices or the most reasoned.

E-mail contact: rbrannum@robertbrannum.com