Friday, September 10, 2010

U.S. Education Secretary Visits Berkeley School

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, center, visits Longfellow Magnet Middle School in Berkeley with Principal Pat Saddler, left, and Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Calif. at right. Duncan spoke to an eighth grade algebra class for about a half hour where he pressed students for answers on how schools can be made better. In response to a question from a student, he said he does indeed play basketball with the president of the United States of America. "Yes it's true, and I whoop him," Duncan said.
U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and Rep. Barbara Lee at Longfellow Magnet Middle School in Berkeley.
Lee and Duncan talk to an eighth grade algebra class.
By Doug Oakley
U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and Rep. Barbara Lee D-Calif. visited Longfellow Magnet Middle School in Berkeley on Friday where Duncan spoke to an eighth grade algebra class for about a half hour.
Duncan asked the kids if they thought teachers made a lot of money. No, they said.
"Do you say thanks for their work?" he asked. "No? Well that's something you gotta work on."
Duncan touted a $60 billion bump in Pell grants and $10 billion for teacher jobs as some of the Administration's achievements.
He also said a lot of teachers across the country will retire in the next couple of years, making way for about 1 million new jobs.
"For people who want to serve their country and their community, these new teachers have a chance to shape the country for the next 30 years," Duncan said.
He said the Administration is going to ask for another $1 billion so students get "a well rounded education."
When a student asked Duncan what his hopes are, he said: "I want to make every school a great school. We have a very high dropout rate. I want to give you guys a chance to pursue your dreams."
The kicker came at the end, though, when a student asked him if he really plays basketball with the president of the United States of America.
"It is true, and I whoop him," Duncan said.

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