EdVANTAGE Blog

During the national campaign, education policy analysts noted an apparent divide within the Democratic Party — between “reformers,” some strong supporters of charter schools, and teacher unions and their allies.

Barack Obama was credited with skillfully managing the tensions throughout the campaign.  It was thought, however, that he would have to choose one side or the other when picking a new U.S. Education Secretary.  But his choice of Chicago superintendent Arne Duncan has won praise from all sides.

In an insightful column last week, the Washington Post’s E.J. Dionne quoted an Obama advisor who dismissed the supposed division as a “false dichotomy,” adding “There are a lot of school superintendents around the country who are not anti-union but know how to drive a hard bargain.”

Dionne sees Duncan as more than just a shrewd, “split the difference” choice.  His column concludes, “Instead of taking sides in the education argument as its stands, they [Obama and Duncan] want to change the debate altogether.  How Duncan fares will be central test of Barack Obama’s philosophy of governing.”