Gary Rubinstein–math teacher, blogger, author, ex-TFA turned TFA critic–has been writing a series of letters to reformers, asking friendly but pointed questions. The first letters went to reformers he knows, the second to reformers he does not know. This letter to Arne Duncan is in the second group.
It is one of Gary’s best. He has done extensive research into Arne’s life as a Harvard College basketball star. He has studied the team’s record as well as that of other teams. He knows about the team coach. He knows that Arne was a great player but the team had a losing record.
Gary writes:
“To illustrate the issues with the accountability metrics that have been the trademark of your tenure, I’ve applied them to something you know intimately, your senior year Harvard basketball team, the 1986-1987 Harvard Cagers. Were the 1986-1987 Cagers a ‘failing’ team? Was Coach Peter Roby an ‘ineffective’ coach? Were you and Keith Webster ‘ineffective’ co-captains? It all depends on which metrics you use.”
“Your last place finish 9 and 17 record is just one way to judge your efforts. Some would use it as the sole metric and declare this a ‘losing’ season. But if you just look at points scored, you didn’t do so badly with 2152, which was pretty close to the 1972 Harvard record of 2221 points at that time. So if we look at just offense, the team was not failing. But you also gave up 2169 points, which is not so good defensively, though only 17 points less than how many points you scored. The ‘average’ game that season, you lost 82.8 to 83.4. Doesn’t sound so bad when measured that way.
“But what if Roby was judged on your performance of just one day? Well, it depended, then, on what day. The ‘86-‘87 Cagers were streaky. You started off 0 and 3, all away games. Then the next ten games you went 7 and 3 bringing your record to 7 and 6. The last two wins were against Penn and Princeton on January 9th and January 10th 1987, who finished respectively 1st and 2nd in the Ivy League that year.”
Gary even includes video footage of the historic match between Harvard and Penn.
He adds:
“How would you react if the President appointed a Secretary of Physical Education who had never played sports or coached sports? And what if this person declared that our lackluster performance in the World Cup soccer tournament is evidence that our physical education system in this country is horribly broken? And what if he made the argument that he has identified the problem as the weakness of one of our most popular games, your beloved basketball?…..
“Secretary Duncan, time is running out for you. It’s like that game against Penn on January 9th, 1987. There are only a few minutes left and you are down big. Teachers are fleeing the profession and there is soon, I believe, to be a teacher shortage as new candidates will avoid the profession for the same reason that the older teachers are leaving. Standardized testing is out of control. How much money is this country paying Pearson each year? How much time, energy, and resources are being spent on testing? Your legacy is not looking good from my view. But it is not too late. Please can you rise to the occasion as you did that time you scored 14 points in three minutes to force overtime with Penn? Please captain Duncan, would you muster up the will to lead a final charge and again turn an almost hopeless situation into one of the great comeback finishes of all time.”
To follow up on the metaphor…
I think Capt. Duncan would blow a slam dunk if he was the lone player on the far end of the court!
Oh lordy, I must have cheered against Duncan back then! Go Big Red!
This is spot on, but I don’t think Arne cares.
My sentiment exactly!
I don’t think Arne believes his words spoken to the public… he believes his private words spoken for his mission… profit (perhaps that comes from contacts made while in office which will foster his “out of office” time)… and perhaps contacts that will pay off in the future of his own family. Is this not why people get into “public” office these days???? Ughhh.
I’m sorry, but I;m not taking Duncan seriously as long as he keeps promoting “100%!” graduation rates in schools that lose 50% of the entering class.
My local high school could do this. If we just “lost” the bottom 20% sometime between middle school and senior year we’d have “100%” too. “Where did they go?” would be the question one would hope someone would ask.
I mean, come on. That’s innumeracy or deception-one or the other. He still does it, after almost 7 years. Is everyone afraid to tell him how dumb this is, or what?
This is a great analogy and it would hit home but for one thing.
People who do as he has done just cannot make the connection between what happens to them and what happens to others.
I see this as rampant in today’s society -Narcissistic behavior. Which I judge as immaturity. Remember, a newborn starts out with viewing the whole world revolving around him and his needs. As he matures, his world view expands to include recognition that there are others out there and that all have needs and wants.
So many people today seem to be stuck in a time warp of cluelessness of others who share this planet.
Arne is “lowdown at the showdown.” In other words he is the kind of
fighter that will hit you from the back as he will never take an adversary
head on with humility or honesty.
‘Arne was a great player but the team had a losing record.’
Perhaps that is because Duncan is not a team player.
He completely disregards the people he is supposedly “playing” with (teachers) and actually treats them like dirt.
It’s difficult to have a winning team without a team.
Let us not forget that SWD have to meet the same standards & ‘suck up’ their disabilities, per GRIT, and the coaches, the professors & the university would be held responsible of their performance. If this makes sense to Arne, he has learned absolutely nothing in life.
Love it.
But Duncan is the prototype. IN legislature across the nation, education is a business run by businessmen who know NOTHING ABOUT HOW THE HUMAN BRAIN WORKS…AND THIS SI the plan.
The oligarchs do not want an intelligent informed public.
Thye want a servile workforce on minimum wages, no benefits who can be fired at will….and they managed to convince a dumb electorate that those ‘bad teachers’ need to be sent packing….and boy did that do wonders for the state budget whited been starved; funds for education were the first thing trimmed.
http://citywatchla.com/8box-left/6666-lausd-and-utla-complicity-kills-collective-bargaining-and-civil-rights-for-la-s-teachers
And, BTW, the people ( i.e. principals and superintendents) who sent them out the door, were not teachers either… for the most part, the administrators who savaged tens of thousands of veteran teachers were merely that– administrative-degree-holders– who cared not a whit for the children who sat in the classrooms with the real professionals.
http://endteacherabuse.org/
Yes, there are wonderful principals, my niece is one in LA, and I have many friends who struggle to make their schools work, and I have seen the best at work in NYC, but they are not able to stand up to the pressure to keep the revolving door turning so teachers never read year 4 and vested interests.
SUPERLATIVE letter. Would that Arne Duncan would take it to heart.
And NO, Arne, you can’t opt out of this evaluation and remain on the team:
From the Pike’s Peak Gazette:
“[one Colorado high school ] sophomore said she considered opting out but didn’t want to jeopardize participating in spring sports.
The students said they sign a contract when they participate in sports at Palmer, which holds them to certain conditions, including agreeing to take all standardized tests.
Ashby said the school views athletics as a privilege, therefore student athletes may not opt out of testing.”
Read more at http://gazette.com/pikes-peak-region-student-reviews-are-mixed-as-controversial-state-testing-begins/article/154734
nice!
Great letter, but too kind. Arne’s team not only had a losing record, but the League in which he played was pretty weak. Based on the ‘metric’ of NCAA championships, Arne is a loser. Time for ‘accountability’.
“VAM Accountability”
The water board was fired
For Arne’s losing year
When playing ball at Harvard
Responsible, it’s clear
ooops
“VAM Accountability” (take 2)
The water boy was fired
For Arne’s losing year
When playing ball at Harvard
Responsible, it’s clear
Go Quakers!