Paul Thomas here reviews many of the public statements of Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and finds a common theme: the cause of low test scores is low expectations.
If only society, the schools, and parents had higher expectations, no child would be left behind, no child would ever get low test scores, children with disabilities would excel.
Embedded in this claim is the strange belief that poverty, hunger, homelessness, racism, and other social maladies have no effect on students’ ability to learn in school.
Thomas refers to a list of popular but misguided beliefs that Duncan loves to repeat because they support his narrative of blaming teachers, parents, and schools:
In a recent blog post, Jack Schneider identified 10 popular reform claims offered by the current slate of education reformers, including Bill Gates, Michelle Rhee, and Duncan himself:
Claim 1: American teachers need more incentive to work hard….
Claim 2: Schools need disruptive innovation. The status quo is unacceptable….
Claim 3: The public schools are in crisis….
Claim 4: It should be easier to fire bad teachers. Tenure is a problem…
Claim 5: Schools need to teach more technology….
Claim 6: Teachers should be paid for results….
Claim 7: We need more charter schools…
Claim 8: We’re falling behind the rest of the world….
Claim 9: Teacher preparation is a sham….
Claim 10: Teachers only work nine months a year….
What do these claims have in common? First, each can be found repeatedly in comments made by Duncan, media reports, and the day-to-day assumptions held by the public. Second, each claim is misleading at best, and false at worst.
Obama’s USDOE and Secretary Duncan, however, use these widely accepted though false claims as partisan political distraction, rather than relying on evidence-based cases to target politically volatile and unpopular issues related to poverty, racism, inequity, and the short-comings of the free market. That’s not just a shame, it’s deplorable.
Thomas says that the U.S. Department of Education has a “twisted culture inside the USDOE—a culture that maintains a message of high expectations for students, teachers, and schools and thus diverts attention away from the more powerful influence of poverty and inequity in both society and schools.
Yet it seems increasingly evident that the only place where low expectations are the main sources of failure is inside the USDOE itself—specifically with the appointment of Duncan.” Duncan is not the only Secretary of Education who never taught, but he is the only Secretary with the arrogance to chastise teachers for their failures and low expectations, as if he knew how to do their job better than they do. Thomas writes that the USDOE is “a collection of appointees under Obama that lacks the experience, expertise and political will to lead the needed reforms facing U.S. public schools. Once the brief flurry of outrage passes, we must admit that the Obama education agenda will remain one of the greatest failures of the hope and change that Obama once promised.” So long as the USDOE continues to ignore the root cause of poor performance, none of their “reforms” will make any difference.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Arne Duncan is a failure and there is no hope of improvement.
He is performing quite well for the Gates USDOE under Obama’s reign.
……” the Obama education agenda will remain one of the greatest failures of the hope and change that Obama once promised.”
So sad and so very true.
Sadly, I agree. I remember how hopeful everyone was thinking that finally someone was going to put our students first. I guess $$ matters more.
“how hopeful everyone was”
Not me. I research the candidates and vote for those whose values and ideas reflect most closely to mine. D or Rs hardly ever fit that bill.
Expecting much from politics is naive. Better to focus on the things one can personally effect and try to adapt to whatever disasters emerge from the chaotic politacal process.
“none of their “reforms” will make any difference.’
I respectfully disagree: the “reforms” these people are making will undoubtedly make a huge difference. Just not a positive one.
I voted for Obama (the first time) because he promised to put science (facts and proper analysis) back into policy making. Ignoring science (indeed ignoring reality) is a pet peeve of mine, having been educated as a scientist myself.
I must say that i have been “mildly” disappointed by Obama’s performance on putting science back into policy (I’d give him an “F-“) not only into education policy, where there seems to be no science at all (just voodoo..and doodoo) but into other areas as well. Obama’s “Drill baby drill” and “all the above” energy strategy for “addressing” climate change may be the most unscientific of ANY of his policies (and that’s a big hurdle to jump)
I didn’t vote for Obama the second time around because actions speak louder than (empty) words. Nor will I ever again vote for any Democrat (or anyone, for that matter) who has not first demonstrated (by laws written, votes cast, community organizing done, etc) a real commitment to science.
It actually disgusts me that we have a pool of so many (millions of) knowledgeable, competent professionals actually dedicated to applying their knowledge and expertise (“science”) to improve our society, but every time (without fail), we end up with ‘leaders’ who aren’t just incompetent and don’t just ignore the real (as opposed to Microfaux) experts, but actually seem to revel in their own disregard of the experts.
I’m not sure what the answer is, but I’m pretty sure it’s not “keep voting for more of the same”
Drill baby drill. It’s now public policy for energy and education (drill ’em and kill’em test prep).
That hadn’t occurred to me, but it’s very true that “drill baby drill” sums up education policy too.
I suppose another commonality is that they both produce a lot of gas and oily palms…and toxic effluent.
“and oily palms”
They might be from all the mental masturbation one has to do to justify Completely Crappy & Shitty Standards.
“Yet it seems increasingly evident that the only place where low expectations are the main sources of failure is inside the USDOE itself—specifically with the appointment of Duncan.”
I first read this as, “…specifically with the disappointment of Duncan.”
(I’m probably not the only one.)
The Obama agenda for public education is based on ignorance and arrogance—a recipe for disaster for the United States.
When will there be leaders running for public office that the people can trust? If the two major parties keep offering only the lesser of two evils, there will never be a course correction from this insanity without a bloody revolution.
Of course, there is always the option of launching a third party that represents the core values of the largest regular voting block in the U.S. Forget about the fringe wackos such as the tea party people and their twin wackos, the libertarians.
Smart, competent, caring folks like Jill Stein(Green Party) who campaign on a reality, science based platform and don’t represent corporations (and refuse to take their dollars) simply don’t have a chance.
They are ignored by the mainstream media and actively thwarted by the two major parties.
They get completely locked out of the “debate”, quite literally: Stein and her running mate Cheri Honkala were hand-cuffed to metal chairs in a warehouse for 8 hours simply for trying to gain entrance (legitimately, with tickets no less) to one of the last Presidential debates.
Money rules and until we get the big money out of politics, nothing else will matter.
We will keep getting “corporate representatives” for leaders.
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Jill Stein’s positions on education:
Provide tuition-free education from kindergarten through college, thus eliminating the student debt crisis.
Forgive existing student debt.
Protect our public school systems from privatization
End high-stakes testing and stop punishing students and teachers for failures of the system in which they work.
Stop denying students diplomas based on tests.
Stop using merit pay to punish teachers.
I’m counting the days until Barack Obama leaves office. We will then have 16 years of the worst leadership of our country. Can our country survive until January of 2017? It seems like a long time to me. I’m not a George Bush fan either, but Obama has to be one of the worst presidents of all times. I never voted for him either time. Actually, my husband and I left the Democratic party when he was nominated for president. We both could tell he was not a smart man. I also question if he truly loves the U.S. His actions tell me that he hates the U.S. and its people. I don’t agree with the Republicans either…..Both parties have done a lot of damage to our country.
Our country is in bad shape. Education is the last thing on their agenda to ruin. Healthcare and everything else has been ruined. This is the last item to check off. I’m afraid Obama has enough time left in his presidency to completely ruin public education as we know it. I hope I’m wrong…but, I never thought I would see things this much out of control. We are in a Twilight Zone. I tape that show on my DVR, because I feel we are operating in the Twilight Zone. My kids love that old show that my husband and I watched as kids. Thank you for all of your comments….Diane’s blog helps me to cope with a profession gone bad. We must all stick together and support one another. Diane’s blog helps us to achieve that goal.
“. . . to cope with a profession gone bad.”
NO!, the profession hasn’t “gone bad”. The implementers of INVALID, ILLOGICAL, INSANE and UNETHICAL educational malpractices such as those proposed by the Dunkster and his ilk is what has gone bad, not the profession of teaching and learning.
If the profession has “gone bad,” it’s by design. I totally agree with your post.
“Duncan is not the only Secretary of Education who never taught, but he is the only Secretary with the arrogance to chastise teachers for their failures and low expectations, as if he knew how to do their job better than they do.”
Arrogance? Yes, Diane…there is plenty in the reform movement. Kind of reminds me of some group…can’t put a finger on it, though…
“Thomas writes that the USDOE is ‘a collection of appointees under Obama that lacks the experience, expertise and political will to lead the needed reforms facing U.S. public schools.’ ”
Lack of experience in education “saviors?” Yes, I’m getting closer. This is very much akin to the leadership platform of a three-lettered “teaching” corps of whom I’ve heard about. I wonder who they are…hmmm…
(Sorry–I decided to use context instead of close reading.) =-0
LG: pardon the nit-picking, but unless I’ve misread my KOMMONERS KORE FOR DUMMIES, that’s ‘closet reading’ not ‘close reading.’ Again, I advise you to carry extra flashlight batteries with you when you go into the closet so in case someone shuts the door you can still read.
Arne’s problem is he’s been doing ‘closet reading’ ever since he’s been Secretary of Education but his batteries have long since gone out. Hence he’s missed little things like policies not working and bad intentions gone worse and foot in mouth disease…
But look on the ‘bright’ side: with the revolving door between the DOE and the Gates Foundation, he will always have a big paycheck to call his own.
Is Arne ready for life after $tudent $ucce$$? You betcha…
😎
Haha! I’ve been known to sing in the closet. Perhaps I should try closet reading, too. Maybe that will make me the Super Teacher I am expected to be! 😉
Are you sure it’s not closed reading???
Señor Swacker: darn!
Maybe I was skimming and skipping to the next bubble-in answer too quickly.
Could it be that all this time CCSS promotes “closed-mind reading”? Or even worse: “closed-minded reading”?
That famous Mexican superhero, El Chapulín Colorado, would be so disappointed that “mis antenitas de vinil no detectaban la presencia del enemigo” [my little vinyl antennae didn’t detect the presence of the enemy]—
Back to my closet. With no flashlight.
I am really ticked off with CCSS now. Looks like its funders and pushers “se aprovechan de mi nobleza” [take advantage of my nobility].
😳
Here are some additional implied reform claims:
a. Class size doesn’t matter
b. Fear, threats, and intimidation are effective administrative strategies
c. No excuses applies to everyone except those at the top
d. The promise of more money can change behavior
e. Children develop at the same rate
f. Quality teachers do not need planning time
g Teamwork is under-rated
h. Communication between teachers across curriculum and across grade levels is therefore unnecessary
i. All change is good and therefore should never be questioned
j. Top down leadership works
k. Effective teachers are generic and can effectively teach children of all ages and disabilities and effectively teach all subject areas (based on tests on limited subject areas that are post-equated or “adjusted’).
l. Teachers with the most experience are the least effective.
m. A person with a resume’ with minimal teaching experience and no formal educational pedagogy is the most qualified to provide lead state and national educational institutions.
n. Lying, cheating, doctoring, adjusting, spinning results is justified because most parents, children, educators are dumb and would never be hired by TFA.
Really, if only the masses understood that providing quality education requires providers to work harder, work harder, more hard work and understand that only a few very people are smart enough to dictate and evaluate who is working hard enough.
I think that another claim would be “If a teacher expects a salary that is enough to lead a middle class life, they are selfish and not in it ‘for the kids’.”
The most depressing part of Arne Duncan’s tenure is how little push-back he gets in DC.
No one even questions this nonsense. It’s just all accepted as gospel by both Parties.
The only “low expectations” out there are the low expectations we have of our elected officials, who all too often are lower than dirt.
While I’m no fan of the Obama administrations education policy (as well as other policy’s) there seems to be something missing here, namely the importance of parental involvement as a key factor in children’s educational success. Many studies have shown that it is far more important than the amount of money thrown at a school.
Many children of immigrants, especially Jews and Asians, have managed to achieve academic success despite the relative poverty of their newly arrived immigrant parents. And the reason this is so points clearly to importance of education in these families.
Clearly today we seem to see less parental involvement and indeed many of the concerns expressed here may be part of the reason, but it can not be assumed that fixing those problems alone will increase parental involvement and that is what needs to be the ultimate goal.