Subject: Secty of Education
From: "Christopher Edley" <[email-masked]>
To: "Valerie Jarrett" <[email-masked]>, [email-masked], "John Podesta" <[email-masked]>, [email-masked]
Date: Mon, 15 Dec 2008 12:09:47 -0800

I have no real idea about where things are on Secretary of Education, but:

1.  Given the ideology wars on K-12, consider appointing a higher education
leader as Secretary who has a huge interest in K-12 but has not been part of
the recent wars. One great idea: Mark Yudof, president of the University of
California System. He's something of a visionary. Brilliant manager. Great
political skills.  Was one of the founders of the entire field of "law &
education" 35 years ago, and remains co-author on the leading casebook. Was,
for example, counsel for the civil rights plaintiffs in the school finance
cases in Texas, including San Antonio v. Rodriguez.  Before California, ran
the university systems in Minnesota and then Texas. Was UT Austin Law School
dean.  Registered independent. Worked very well with TX Republicans.
Successfully took on Gov Jesse Ventura.  Enjoying a fabulous honeymoon now
in California.  We'd miss him terribly.

2.  Linda Darling-Hammond has been viciously mischaracterized as anti-reform
or in the pocket of the unions.  It is outrageous, and I hope the lies won't
keep you from giving her a major post.  She has done a fabulous job in the
transition, and she's a bridge builder in the Obama mold, not a
rock-thrower. And she is consistently on the side of the kids with the
greatest needs. And the nation's leading expert on how to improve teaching,
which (appropriately) is the core of Obama's strategy.

3.  Arne Duncan -- I have a general prejudice against governors and
superintendents as Secretary, because they instinctively think: "The Federal
role is to let great people like me do our thing, and write bigger checks".
This has always led to an emaciated federal role in ensuring excellence and
equity, because quite plainly most state and local officials can't or won't
press for the changes the nation needs for competiveness and fairness.  *BUT,
*I think Duncan would be great, in no small part because he's close to
Barack and that would be a valuable signal. He's also visionary and
charismatic.  Duncan can be supported with national policy figures, like
Linda Darling-Hammond, and people who know the DC policy/political process
well, like Scott Palmer (also on the policy team).  And he will have Melody
and Heather in the White House to reinforce the importance of a muscular
federal role.

4.  Please beware of "reformers" who have been indifferent or even hostile
to the racial equity agenda, or who have been gratuitously confrontational
with vital partners like teachers, civil rights, or business groups.

The appointments have been utterly fabulous. Please keep it up!

(personal email)
Christopher Edley, Jr.
Professor and Dean
UC Berkeley Law School