Education Week has an article by the always well-informed Alyson Klein that speculates about Romney’s possible choice for Secretary of Education.
The possibilities include:
Jeb Bush, former Florida governor, who shaped the Romney agenda for privatization of the nation’s schools;
Tom Luna, the state superintendent in Idaho who is known for his allegiance to online corporations and his efforts to increase class size;
Joel Klein, the former chancellor of NYC, now selling technology for Rupert Murdoch, another supporter of privatization and opponent of unions, seniority and tenure;
Michelle Rhee, leader of a national campaign to remove all tenure, seniority and collective bargaining fromt teachers;
Chris Cerf, acting commission in New Jersey, who is leading Chris Christie’s push to privatize public schools in that state;
Here is the big surprise:
Arne Duncan, who is seen by Republicans as compatible with Romney’s agenda and, as the article, says, eager to stay on.
There are other names, but it is interesting to realize that at least four of the six listed here are allegedly, nominally Democrats.

oy vey!
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Maybe they should pick Randi Kaye. I see CNN has deleted all of the comments for the Ravitch interview AGAIN.
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Lord help us!!!
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amen
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I vote for: Sandra Stotsky
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Oh and I’d be happy with Michelle Bachmann too
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None of the above! I’m nauseated at the thought of any of them in a leadership position.
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I think I am going to be sick!
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I’m sure Donald Trump is high on Romney’s list of choices.
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More frightening than “Nightmare on Elm Street”.
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Do not believe the Dept of Ed will be in existence beyond the first year of a Romney presidency
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Hope not. Department of Education at the national level is a waste of money.
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Daffy Duck!!
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I can’t help but notice how everyone in that rogues gallery has either no or minimal education experience.
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The idea that Arne could stay on is sadly reasonable.
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Put them all together and their teaching experience is less than ten years, if that. How pathetic is that?
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Teaching experience? I don’t need no stinkin teachin experience!!
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Bobby Jindal?
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Mickey Mouse?
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Did anyone watch last night’s episode of the new HBO show “Newsroom”? It’s supposed to be fiction, but it’s based on real political events. Last night the host gave a spot on definition of the Tea Party and Republican agendas. Of course Obama doesn’t differ much on his education agenda either. We are officially a one party nation. I agree with Loves Science, we won’t need an education secretary once the private sector has taken over. I vote for Bobby Jindal as secretary of Department of Charter Schools, since Mitt passed him over for VP.
We are really screwed. Time to revolt! Anyone with me??? I won’t go down without a fight.
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I’m ready to man (no bias intended) the barricades. I too won’t go without a fight and I shoot back.
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I believe it is important to compare Obama v. Romney on more than a single factor. For example, Obama’s Affordable Care Act will make a huge difference to many of my students and their families. If poverty is the central issue when it comes to education–and I believe it is–then we have to look at what their policies are with respect to addressing that issue. In my mind there is no comparison: Romney would be a disaster.
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I stand corrected. Of course Obama’s Afordable HealthCare Act is a giant leap forward in many ways for many people. I just wish he hadn’t allowed himself to become a part of Deforming our public education system. He missed an opportunity to move public education forward by allowing people with little or no education credentials to guide his agenda. Shame on him for not doing his homework.
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Agreed.
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Obama’s Affordable Health Care Act wants cares for abortion. Middle school teacher if there are less students, there are less teachers. Get another job.
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Bill Evers, who is some type of ed advisor along with Bush and some of the others, would be excellent but you did not even list him. Excerpt maybe for Cerf, whom I do not know about, the others will continue the misdirected path of Pres. Obama.
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Let’s just not let Romney get elected! Then, continue to push for the dismissal of Arne Duncan.
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Someone who will follow in the footsteps of Duncan. And Obama will not get rid of Duncan because he agrees with all of it.
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Romney is for teachers. Obama is for teachers’ unions. Education in this country is going downhill, statistically. Hey, we can’t do any worse than we are now.
I’ve read Romney’s plan and he’s a smart guy. He may not kiss up to the teachers’ unions, but he sees the big problems of education, and they will improve under his presidency.
You teachers will still have jobs, and more teaching jobs will open up with school choice and innovation. School choice will only improve education. And yes, parents do know what’s best for their kids. Hopefully the teachers’ unions will stop being a hindrance to the improvement of education.
My kids have online school and it’s awesome! A much better choice for my kids than the local district school. Teachers are on waiting lists to get a job with our online charter school.
Open your minds, think outside the box, enter the 21st century. I don’t see what the fuss is about. A school is a school whether it’s conventional public, private, charter, or what have you. And those schools will need good teachers.
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You threw in the obligatory, “Education in this country is going downhill, statistically.” Care to share the sources of your statistics?
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Such difficult times, we all want to privatize our public schools. Let’s be honest. Here’s a small suggestion. Start with regulating the size and capacities on new public schools being built. They are being built to host too many students. It is less conducive for nurturing a culture of young people who really value learning. Never mind big governments’ policy and standards making. Start with the child first. Set a stage for children to value their education and to realize the benefits long term. Students are so dehumanized today. We must get back to nature and nurture first.
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I thought Romney wants to do away with the federal education department.
That would be preferable to any of the appointees that Alyson Klein speculates about…beyond scary.
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I’ve seen Tony Bennett of Indiana mentioned as a possibility. A teacher’s pay is based on lots of things they don’t have any control over, including attendance????? How can a teacher control a student’s attendance? We don’t need a Federal Dept of Ed.
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