Evaluating Mitch Daniels' Education Agenda
Potential GOP presidential candidate Mitch Daniels gave a graceful--though, in my view, somewhat misguided--speech on education policy this afternoon at the American Enterprise Institute, the free-market think tank based in Washington.
You don't often hear Republicans use the words "social justice" or praise the Obama administration's domestic policy agenda, but Daniels did both those things today. He supported Race to the Top's focus on national curriculum standards and accountability for teachers, saying, "I salute the President and Secretary Duncan. ... They've had the courage...to irritate their allies." (A veiled reference to teachers' unions.)
Daniels does not appear to be campaigning for the Tea Party's support when it comes to education. Indeed, the Indiana governor was at AEI to promote his accomplishment of signing four sweeping, top-down education reform bills into law over the past several months. "Many of us in Indiana are very uplifted this week," Daniels said, because the reforms "will make a significant difference in the economic prospects of our state if we can