Letter from Arne Duncan

Arne Duncan
An Open Letter from Arne Duncan to America’s Teachers
Published Online May 2, 2011
Education Week
Complete URL: http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2011/05/02/30duncan.h30.html?tkn=LNZFXK1%2B29%2B6OKL8FnbkG3BnfU59%2Fs7EAJ6Z&cmp=clp-edweek

In honor of Teacher Appreciation Week, Arne Duncan, wrote a letter to America’s teachers. I will include a few quotes but recommend reading it for yourself.

“I consider teaching an honorable and important profession, and it is my goal to see that you are treated with the dignity we award to other professionals in society.”


“You have told me you believe that the No Child Left Behind Act has prompted some schools—especially low-performing ones—to teach to the test, rather than focus on the educational needs of students. Because of the pressure to boost test scores, NCLB has narrowed the curriculum, and important subjects like history, science, the arts, foreign languages, and physical education have been de-emphasized. And you are frustrated when teachers alone are blamed for educational failures that have roots in broken families, unsafe communities, misguided reforms, and underfunded schools systems. You rightfully believe that responsibility for educational quality should be shared by administrators, community, parents, and even students themselves.”
The intended audience is teachers. This article is relevant because it is from the, Secretary of the US Dept. of Education.