WASHINGTON, DC – Yesterday, President Barack Obama announced his intention to nominate John B. King Jr. as U.S. Secretary of Education. Alliance for Excellent Education President Bob Wise issued the following statement in support of the nomination:
“I applaud President Obama’s nomination of Dr. John King to serve as Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education.
“In selecting Dr. King, President Obama doubled down on his commitment to the nation’s underserved students, demonstrating that he has no plans of backing away over the next eleven months from the aggressive education reform agenda he began pursuing seven years ago.
“At his heart, Dr. King is a passionate advocate for kids. He knows what it is like to need an advocate, having lost both of his parents at age twelve. He also knows how important an individual teacher can be, having been personally uplifted by the too-often-overlooked educators who dedicate their lives to teaching the nation’s students.
“His dedicated heart comes to this new position encased in a body bearing numerous battle scars. Dr. King’s previous experience as commissioner of education for the state of New York will serve him well in the legislative wrestling ring that has been made of the nation’s capital. He knows the fault lines in the fast-moving education policy environment.
“Dr. King’s appointment comes at a critical time as the U.S. Department of Education develops regulations to implement the recently passed Every Student Succeeds Act. These regulations will set the course for education policy for at least the next decade. By going all out in the final months of the Obama administration, Dr. King will be a major figure in determining the success of this epic period for school districts, states, and the federal government in transforming education.
“I urge the U.S. Senate to act quickly to confirm Dr. King’s nomination.”
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The Alliance for Excellent Education is a Washington, DC–based national policy and advocacy organization dedicated to ensuring that all students, particularly those traditionally underserved, graduate from high school ready for success in college, work, and citizenship. www.all4ed.org.
