Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Duncan's "ton of bricks" quote

Did Supreme Leader Sec. of Education Arne Duncan really threaten to "come down like a ton of bricks and withhold the second round of funds from anyone who defies Obama's wishes" as reported in the Cleveland Plain Dealer and Huffington?

The ton of bricks quote is all over the media. But no one seems to carry the exact quote beyond the words "ton of bricks." It would be nice to know what exactly we have to do before the bricks fall on us.

Charter school lobbyist Gary Naeyaert, tweets Duncan's threat from the floor of the national charter school conferences like this:
"We will come down like a ton of bricks on states that treat charter schools unfairly."
Chicago's WGN quotes Duncan this way:
Secretary Arne Duncan has threatened to "come down like a ton of bricks" on anyone who defies the administration's plans to bring relief to states who face layoffs because of budget cuts.
ASCD Smart Brief says the bricks are just for governors (whew!) :
Secretary Arne Duncan, who threatened to "come down like a ton of bricks" on governors who attempt to divert education stimulus funds.


4 comments:

  1. I can't see what leverage Arne "Slam Dunk" Duncan has over states besides funding, which could crush some districts like a ton of bricks. Poor states that need the funding will sink further into trouble. When you think about this comment, the whole thing kind of sounds like NCLB doesn't it?

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  2. Is Duncan the Sec. of Charter Schools or the Sec. of Education? What about states that treat public schools unfairly? Do they get a "ton of bricks" as well?

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  3. bully: n a blustering, quarrelsome, overbearing person who habitually badgers and intimidates smaller or weaker people.

    Sound like anyone you know?

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  4. "So if states and districts are doing a great job, we're going to highlight those innovative practices and shine a spotlight on them, but where we see a state or district operating in bad faith and doing something counter to the president's intent, we're going to come down like a ton of bricks," Arne Duncan March 25, 2009

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Agree? Disagree? Let me hear from you.