Duncan Etch-a-Sketches on publishing teacher names in Times

Talk about your Etch-a-Sketch politicians -- Arne Duncan was the first in line to applaud the L.A. Times for its publishing of teachers names alongside students test scores, a new low in public debasement of the teaching profession. "What's there to hide?" asked a glib Duncan back in August of 2010.

But now it's 2012 and the winds of change are blowing in the other direction (I hope). Not to mention that his boss is up for reelection in a few months and millions of teachers vote. For whatever reason, Duncan now says he's against the New York Times doing it.

 "Do you need to publish every single teacher's rating in the paper? I don't think you do," he said. "There's not much of an upside there, and there's a tremendous downside for teachers. We're at a time where morale is at a record low. ... We need to be sort of strengthening teachers, and elevating and supporting them."

When asked about his obvious flip-flop by Edweek reporter, Stephen Sawchuck, Duncan wriggles around a bit and then, instead of just saying he was wrong, tries to reconcile both positions.

"What I was reacting to in L.A. was this mind-boggling situation where teachers were denied access to this data. The only way they could get it was through the newspaper," he claims.