U.S. education secretary visits Newport News school

Posted to: Education Newport News News
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By Lauren Roth
The Virginian-Pilot
© November 20, 2009

NEWPORT NEWS

U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan planned to tour An Achievable Dream Academy today. With U.S. Rep. Bobby Scott, he planned to observe students and teachers in classrooms.

After the tour, Duncan and Scott were to discuss ways to improve the No Child Left Behind law with students at the school’s middle and high schools. They also were to talk about dropout prevention with teachers, students and parents.

Duncan is a major supporter of charter schools. Virginia has only three. While Achievable Dream is not a charter, it has some similarities.

The Newport News school is operated as a nonprofit partnership between the city, school system and the business community. Students attend school for eight hours a day year-round, for 210 days a year, 30 days more than most Virginia schools.

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A socialist

Submitted by Chris33 on Fri, 11/20/2009 at 8:10 pm.

A socialist is what a Republican calls someone who is smarter than they are.

How is this socialist, I was at the meeting.

Submitted by D123940 on Fri, 11/20/2009 at 5:53 pm.

Are you stupid, what is socialist about trying to give gets a better education. I was at that meeting; they talked about how they could give kids a better education. The Secretary of Education didn’t even talk, he only listened. There were Republican and Democratic teachers, mayors, super intents and others there. Something is wrong with you people. Just like when the President tried to speak to the kids on the first day of school, you people said that was socialist. If that was socialist, why wasn’t it when Reagan did it or Bush did it? Grow up, we have a black President and he isn’t going anywhere, so get use to it. Also, you people keep talking about he running the budget up, but why weren’t you protesting and saying that when Bush spent a trillion dollars every year he was in office plus more. If he wasn’t the most socialist President in the history of mankind than I don’t know what is. You sir are ignorant.