Obama's New Teacher

American Spectator ^ | 10/15/10 | RiShawn Biddle

[rhema]

President Barack Obama and his Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan, have spent the past two years beating back the National Education Association, the American Federation of Teachers, and their allies to reform the nation's woeful public schools. By November 3, Obama and Duncan may find themselves with a different obstacle in the form of Republican Minnesota Congressman John Kline. With Republicans poised to win back control of the House of Representatives, the former Marine Colonel and think tank executive will be reshaping federal education policy as chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee.

A former Marine helicopter pilot who once commanded air operations during the occupation of Somalia, Kline is most fond of talking about his time carrying the nuclear "football" for President Reagan and flying the presidential helicopter, Marine One. Kline can also thank Obama for his current spot as Ranking Republican on the Education and Labor Committee; it was Obama's appointment of Kline's former House colleague, John McHugh, as Secretary of the Army last year that prompted the musical chairs that led to Kline ascending to the position.

But unlike current education committee chairman -- and Obama favorite -- George Miller, Kline won't be carrying anything on his behalf. Kline has long opposed Race to the Top, the $4.3 billion competitive grant initiative that is the centerpiece of Obama's reform efforts. From his perspective, "it was irresponsible" for congressional Democrats to give Secretary of Education Duncan $5 billion "with no strings attached." Kline also doesn't like that the administration required adoption of Common Core, a set of academic standards in English, math, and science, to win Race to the Top funds; he calls it a step toward creating a national curriculum. Kline isn't likely to go for Obama's request to increase Race to the Top funding by

[Elle Bee]

How about just shutting down the DOE

.

[Tax-chick]

President Barack Obama and his Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan, have spent the past two years beating back the National Education Association, the American Federation of Teachers, and their allies to reform the nation's woeful public schools.

Is this a parody article?

[rhema]

By November 3, Obama and Duncan may find themselves with a different obstacle in the form of Republican Minnesota Congressman John Kline. With Republicans poised to win back control of the House of Representatives, the former Marine Colonel and think tank executive will be reshaping federal education policy as chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee.

[struggle]

Oh, I thought this was about the Condi Rice visit to the White House. Doubt she can teach him something, though.

[libs_kma]

"Doubt she can teach him something, though."

You can't teach anything to people who already know everything. /s