“Poverty is not destiny,” he said. “The only way to fix poverty is education.”
Touching on a myriad of educational topics, Duncan restated his support for congressional legislation that would provide emergency funding to states and avoid massive teacher layoffs.
Democratic legislators have introduced bills in both Houses that would provide additional funds to the original appropriations of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) that are expected to run out by 2011.
In a letter to majority leaders in the House and Senate, Duncan last week threw his support behind funding bills that will help school districts save 100,000 to 300,000 threatened education jobs.
Each bill—S.3206 “Keep Our Educators Working Act,” H.R. 2847 “The Jobs for Main Street Act,” and H.R. 4812 “Local Jobs for America Act”—calls for $23 billion in emergency money, the letter said. Democratic leaders hope to attach the education funding to a military spending bill scheduled for debate.
“This funding would keep teachers in the classroom while helping to sustain meaningful and necessary reform in public education across the country,” the letter said.
Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), who chairs the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, has said the fund will sustain current employees but also provide for hiring and training new ones.
In opposition, Republican leaders characterized the measures as tantamount to a bail-out for state governments.
