Lifelong Educator, Miguel Cardona, Confirmed As Education Secretary
The U.S. Department of Education will have a new leader. Late Monday, in a 64 to 33 vote, the U.S. Senate confirmed Miguel Cardona to be the next Secretary of Education.
Before being nominated by President Biden, Cardona served as Connecticut's education commissioner for the past year and a half, arguing forcefully that schools should reopen during the COVID-19 crisis in order to keep equity gaps from growing ever wider. Before that, he spent his entire career working for the public school system that helped raise him — as a fourth grade teacher, principal and assistant superintendent in the old factory town of Meriden, Conn.
Cardona assumes the Education Department's top job as the debate around how to safely reopen schools has grown increasingly bitter, with many parents clamoring for children to be able to return to classrooms and with many teachers resisting a return before all educators have been vaccinated. That has forced Biden to walk a political tightrope, reassuring teachers they should be prioritized for the vaccine while new guidance from The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention makes clear that vaccinations should not be a prerequisite for reopening schools.
Republican Senator Roger Marshall of Kansas spent some time today questioning President Biden’s nominee for Secretary of Education, Dr. Miguel Cardonas, and decided to focus on the issue of transgender students playing sports in school. Here’s what Sen. Marshall had to say…
I’m going to take Mr. Marshall at his word, and instead of suggesting that he used his time with the microphone to engage in a cheap publicity stunt designed to roil up the far right fringe of his conservative base, that he truly believes that one of the biggest problems facing students and schools today is that allowing transgender students to play school sports means “there is not a level playing field.”
Given Mr. Marshall’s seeming fascination with matters of student and school equity and unfairness, I’m also going to assume that he shares my concerns about the following issues:
how underfunded urban and rural schools are forced to “compete” against wealthy suburban teams in interscholastic athletics, pitting schools and players who practice on expensive playing fields, pools, tracks, and courts; with certified trainers; new equipment; experienced coaches; and many other advantages–while less well resourced schools struggle with (literally) uneven basketball courts, soccer and football fields with holes, rocks, and dead grass; no trainers; old and damaged helmets, shoulder pads, and leaky basketballs; and CONTINUE READING: On Trans* Students and Level Playing Fields | Eclectablog
5 things we learned from Miguel Cardona’s confirmation hearing
By Amanda Menas
Dr. Miguel Cardona, President Biden’s nominee for Education Secretary and
the first Latino to hold the position, spoke with the U.S. Senate
Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions during a hearing on
Wednesday, Feb. 2. Educators across the country were excited to hear from
the former educator and union member; they know Cardona will ensure
educators’ voices are heard in the Department of Education.
“Miguel Cardona’s experience as an educator was on full display today at
his Senate confirmation hearing. He demonstrated deep knowledge of the
many challenges our students and educators face and the just, equitable
solutions we need,” said NEA President Becky Pringle.
Throughout the hearing, Secretary-designate Cardona walked the Senate
Committee through his priorities for the Department of Education and
students across the country, bringing his classroom experience to bear on
a variety of topics. Specifically, Cardona committed to bridge gaps
exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, and continue the work after all
students and educators are vaccinated and return to school
buildings.
“If we really want to recover, we really need to invest now, or we’re
going to pay later,” said Cardona.
Here are five things educators heard Cardona commit to during his
confirmation hearing:
Cardona will bring students back to classrooms, support mental health
resources
“We will work to reopen schools SAFELY, so that students can return to
classrooms,” said Cardona. Students are resilient in times of crisis,
noted Cardona, but they need to have the necessary support structures in place to
receive the best education possible.
Cardona prioritized increasing mental health resources as central to
school responses to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Educators take on the stressors that students are experiencing,” said
Cardona. He noted specifically that President Biden endorses tripling
funding for Title I, which would increase wraparound supports for students
during and after the pandemic. Cardona also supported full federal funding
for IDEA, which he called a “game changer” for schools and
communities.
Cardona will support all LGBTQ+ Students
“It’s non-negotiable to make sure that our learning environments are
places that are free of discrimination and harassment for all learners,
including our LGBTQ students,” said Cardona. When asked by Sen. Rand Paul
(R-KY) about allowing students to compete in sports regardless of gender
identity, Cardona confirmed that he would uphold the civil rights of all
students.
“I think that it’s critically important that the education systems and
educators respect the rights of all students, including students who are
transgender,” Cardona said. He continued, “[it is the] legal
responsibility of schools to allow students to participate in
extracurricular activities, including transgender students.”
