A refresher course in how Arne Duncan failed in Chicago

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Apr 4, 2011 3 Comments ›› leoniehaimson

by Dora Taylor

For Arne Duncan’s record, I would recommend going through Catalyst’s In-Depth report of his Renaissance 2010, the plan that he rolled out as CEO of the Chicago Public School system. He heralded his plan as a success and his appointment to Secretary of Education was based on this so-called “success”.

He then took that model of Renaissance 2010 and projected it onto school districts around the country, re-titling it “Race to the Top”. The results of this expensive effort has been mixed, at best.

Another interesting and informative article on Arne Duncan’s Renaissance 2010 plan describing how and why it developed in Chicago was published in Rethinking Schools. The full version can be found at Common Dreams.org.

Both are recommended reads.


Comments

  1. Robert D. Skeels says:
    April 4, 2011 at 7:39 pm

    It’s important to note when reading the Rethinking Schools piece is that Duncan did everything he could to eliminate the Local School Councils (LSC), which were one of the only places parents and community had a voice in the operation of schools. This demonstrates that despite all Duncan’s rhetoric about empowering parent, that he, just like Ben Austin in California, isn’t interested in empowering parents at all. In fact, all of these privatization policies leave parents and communities with less, rather than more control over schools.

    Reply
  2. Susan Ohanian says:
    April 4, 2011 at 8:11 pm

    Nobody covered Duncan-in depth and in pictures-the way Substance did. And they did it-and continue to do it- offering the context of the larger issues that reach far beyond Chicago.

    Reply
  3. traceydouglas says:
    April 4, 2011 at 11:25 pm

    Where, exactly, is Duncan on the food chain? Why would anyone with half a brain think it’s a good idea to impose failing strategies on an entire nation of school children? Color me completely baffled. Color Duncan pathologically clueless.

    Reply

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