Roll call for the emerging Presidential cabinet of the United States of America: National security team…check. Green energy & environmental team…check. Economic team…check. The United States of America now has the star quarterback in President-elect Obama, VP-elect Joseph Biden as the back-up quarterback, pro bowl quality offensive and defensive teams, yet only today will we meet the person who will be nominated for the hugely strategic position integrally related to our national security and global economic survival…the Secretary of Education.
Why has the President-elect waited so long to announce a position so critical to our nation’s survival as a first world super power? There was a rumor promulgated by CNN yesterday that President-elect Obama would go to a school in Chicago today to perhaps announce his nominee. The Secretary of Education’s position will be enormously critical for the reform needed to recreate a 21st Century public school system where all K-12 students:
• read at grade level
• speak a language other than English
• perform numeracy skills equal to the top countries in math
• eat nutritional breakfast and lunch meals that enhance learning
• apply skills and knowledge learned in classrooms and community to real world situations
• learn in buildings that are safe and aesthetic
No Child Left Behind has not been reauthorized after its initial five- year authorization while the country awaits new leadership in the Department of Education and on 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW.
On Monday, President-elect Obama chose Dr. Stephen Chu as his Energy Secretary. Dr. Chu is the current Chairman of the physics department at Stanford University. Could one of his Stanford colleagues be picked for the Secretary of Education? Stanford education professor Linda Darling-Hammond has been Obama’s chief education advisor for many months now.
Another local favorite is Congressman Mike Honda. Many of my school board colleagues and I disputed the Merc’s Scott Herhold’s assertion that Congressman Honda was “overreaching” when he threw his name out as a possible member of Obama’s team. Pearl Cheng from Cupertino Union, Balbir Dhillon, Richard Hobbs, Ron Lind, Randy Okamura and Richard Tanaka from San Jose/Evergreen Community College District, Eddie Garcia from Eastside Union, David Mineta, Jefferson Union, Jerry Nishihara, Oak Grove School District and me, Santa Clara County Office of Education, strongly agree that Congressman Honda’s extensive experience as a teacher, vice-principal, principal, school board member, assemblymember and congressmember uniquely qualifies him for the nomination as Secretary of Education.
President-elect it is now your turn to announce one of your most important team members. Here’s hoping you chose wisely.
“perform numeracy skills” Numeracy skills? The word cannot be found in my Miriam Webster. Please provide a bureaucrat word and phrase book for us common folk.
So my only question for you Joe is this: When those of you, who worship Barrack Hussain Obama, are disappointed by he or his administration, what will happen then? Denial, blame Bush, blame Neocons, blame the war(s), blame the French, what, what will be the excuse then???? I expect ALL of the above…..ALL except take the blame HIMSELF.
These are certainly commendable education goals:
• read at grade level
• speak a language other than English
• perform numeracy skills equal to the top countries in math
The remainder are feel-good goals suitable for any kind of institution. But the big problem is how are these three goals to be reached? It seems to me that whenever the discussion gets down to nuts-and-bolts, there is a frightened scramble for any doorway of discourse that promises another topic. How will these three goals be accomplished?
#1: Per Wikipedia: “In the United States, numeracy is also known as Quantitative Literacy.” That’s probably why you were confused, right?
Seriously: Wiki also defines Numeracy as “the ability to reason with numbers and other mathematical concepts.”
You learn something new everyday!
Now, your assignment is to use “numeracy” in conversation today. It can be sort of a verbal secret handshake for SJI folks.
C’mon Joe—Mike Honda? Be serious. Let’s list his actual accomplishments in education, not just a list of educrats who support him because he’s part of the local Democratic machine. And you forgot to mention the main reason he’s in Congress, a sure-thing vote for Zoe Lofgren for any of her doubtful strategies—like starting school at 10AM so kids will be awake in class after spending all night playing video games. George Green
….Pearl Cheng from Cupertino Union, Balbir Dhillon, Richard Hobbs, Ron Lind, Randy Okamura and Richard Tanaka from San Jose/Evergreen Community College District, Eddie Garcia from Eastside Union, David Mineta, Jefferson Union, Jerry Nishihara, Oak Grove School District and me, Santa Clara County Office of Education, strongly agree that…”
Here is why being on a school board doesn’t necessarily make you qualified. If a school board member is going to opine on the quality of instruction, he/she should at least grammar check your work. This is improper use of “me,” it should have been “I.”
Remember, our children can only learn by our examples…..
Why has the President-elect waited so long to announce a position so critical to our nation’s survival as a first world super power?
It’s been only 6 weeks. I’m sure there is a relatively large volume of work being done by the President-elect’s team. While he wasn’t my candidate, he will be my president and I hope he takes the time to be thoughtful and do proper vetting before rushing to annouce these appointments.
Joseph,
In California, I’d change the goal from “speak a language other than English” to “speak English.” Among other things, just think how nice it would be if we didn’t have to hire court translators and print ballots in 39 languages.
I can’t seem to find where in the constitution the federal government has the authority to confiscate 65+ billion taxpayer dollars for something that’s clearly a state responsibility?
Incredibly, Obama didn’t listen to Richard Hobbs…
http://www.reuters.com/article/marketsNews/idUSWAT01069520081216
#2. One thing that I won`t do is stick my
head in the sand and vote for Mr. Obama again.
Even if we were in a State Of Emergency, I`m
not stupid enough to Re-elect a President that
for 4yrs had been a disappointment. That`s why
I`m so proud to be a Democrat. You see that`s
the thing, when you have a clown in office that
has screwed this country over as bad as Bush has, you don`t give him another 4 yrs. How in the Hell anyone with half a mind voted Bush in once, let alone twice, can talk about disappointment is beyond me.
How tragic that there exists even a single educator who believes it possible to teach “all K-12 students” anything, let alone to:
• read at grade level
• speak a language other than English
• perform numeracy skills equal to the top countries in math
Such goals are the stuff of politically-correct propaganda, and as long as those charged with educating our young continue to rely on wishful thinking instead of hard reality to do their jobs, failure and finger-pointing will continue to define our public education system.
Thanks #4 for the education. Interesting that a word has an entire article about it in Wikipedia, but the word does not appear in my dictionary.
I’ll have to use innumeracy in a sentence, since it has been demonstrated on SJI in the past (confirming my math grades in HS) that numebers are not my forte.
I gotta agree with #8.
It seems clear that public education is not scalable. Thus, we need to concentrate on those who show up and want to learn, and leave the rest to flounder…as they do already, despite considerable feel good money pit social experiment programs that produce drop out rates of 40% among blacks and Latinos.
Interesting that my use of the word numeracy provokes the preponderance of the dialogue.
The fact that so much of our state budget goes to fund a K-12 education system that produces too many graduates who read and perform math below grade level is lunacy.
Is Mr. Duncan, nominee for Secretary of Education on the “Dream Team”, the person that can help turn the ship of education around? Mr. Duncan said at Obama’s press conference yesterday at Dodge Renaissance Academy that, “while there are no simple answers, I know from experience that when you focus on basics like reading and math, when you embrace innovative new approaches to learning, and when you create a professional climate that attracts great teachers, you can make a difference for children.”
Well said, Mr. Duncan. Even Linda Darling-Hammond called him a “very thoughtful and collaborative reformer, deeply steeped in urban education.”
Joseph Di Salvo
Mike Honda would have been an excellent choice for the Obama Cabinet and though I have some problems with the preponderance of Congressional nominees, at least the Democrats would have a fighting chance of retaining the seat had he chosen Mike.
I am always amazed by the vehemence of Rep. Lofgren’s critics, although there are no doubt some who still sting over her first Congressional election… Twenty years ago she was described by the Mercury as “ruthless” for her ramrodding of the separation of the jails from the Sheriff’s Office and now we are told that she controls other Congressional votes in the manner of Tammany Hall, supporting only pliant colleagues for re-election. Sure doesn’t look the part…
And welcome to you, Mr. Di Salvo, it is apparent that many of your readers aren’t familiar with you or your record, I hope that your new public role will change that as I believe that you have much to offer at a level where the rubber actually meets the roads, good luck. And for the record I did heartily support Joe’s candidacy…
RGJ/Dallas112263