A New Day for our Nation — and Our Schools

[Editor's note: This "What Matters Most" column appeared in the New York Times on Sunday, Jan. 18.]

There is no doubt that we, as a nation, are facing huge challenges as we begin this New Year. Still, I cannot help feeling a tremendous sense of optimism about our collective ability to confront the challenges we face, rethink how we solve problems and truly usher in a new, brighter era in American life. Sometimes difficult times bring out our best selves and our best ideas — a willingness to listen to our adversaries and try new approaches, if only because doing nothing is not an option.

Take the selection of Chicago Public Schools chief Arne Duncan as President–elect Obama’s Secretary of Education. For some time now in the world of public education there have been two distinct “camps.” One must declare membership in one of those two camps and then, to remain a member in good standing, reject every idea that comes out of the other camp. I have often found this divide between the so-called “reformers” and the so-called “defenders of the status quo” exhausting, and counterproductive. We believe Arne Duncan does too.

He has been praised for his focus on collaboration and called a “bridge builder” who has made recruitment and development of high quality teachers and principals a high priority. We hope that the team he selects to work with him includes individuals who share those same qualities, and who, too, are committed to working with all stakeholders to strengthen and improve public education.

To me, the most hopeful sign of what might come under a Secretary Duncan is that he signed on to the mission statements of the two different “camps” in the education debate — the Broader, Bolder approach — supported by this union — and that of the Education Equality Project — supported by New York City Schools Chancellor Joel Klein and Washington D.C. Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee, among others.

What that says to me is that he understands that school improvement is not a simple sound bite; that rigorous accountability and high teacher quality are important; and that we cannot ignore the challenges in our students’ lives that can hamper learning and social development.

I know that we’re not going to agree on everything, and we probably shouldn’t, but in rejecting the false dichotomy between these two approaches Duncan and Obama show us they are ready to move beyond the polarizing rhetoric that has characterized the education debate for so long. They are ready to sit down with all who care about our schools, listen to our ideas and pick the smartest, most effective for implementation. And then, together, we must roll up our sleeves and get to work.

But because of the tremendous economic challenges we face, our first job as educators and parents is to ensure that our schools are not sacrificed at the budgetary altar during a time of big state and local deficits. We can all agree on this: The public schools are our nation’s most vital piece of infrastructure — as important as any bridge, road, electrical grid or subway line to making our economy and our nation work and thrive. Schools must not be sacrificed during tough times. After all, the kids who attend those schools won’t get a second chance.

In a few days, we will inaugurate our first African-American president, a man who has refocused the nation on the power of hope and infused it with a spirit of bipartisanship and collaboration. It is truly a ‘teachable moment’ for the whole country, and it can be a particularly effective and poignant living history lesson for the students in our nation’s public schools. Let’s mark our calendars — teachers, principals, kids and parents. On January 20th, our nation marks an important milestone, the education debate grows up, and we get to work.

Tagged: Arne Duncan, inauguration, Obama, teachable moments, What Matters Most

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