"Does Education Need a Katrina?"

by teacherken
Sun Sep 26, 2010 at 05:18:25 AM PDT

Ponder that title for a moment. It is not mine. It was originally the title of the 12th panel, the last added, for NBC's Education Nation summit, which begins at midday today with a Teacher Town Hall - for those signed up, there is 30 minutes of live chat followed by the actual Town Hall at Noon.

Consider that title.

What images come to your mind?

And lest you think this is simply an awkward and foolish phrasing by one person, consider these words as well:

"I’ve spent a lot of time in New Orleans and this is a tough thing to say but I’m going to be really honest. The best thing that happened to the education system in New Orleans was Hurricane Katrina."

Let me repeat that last sentence so you see its parallel with the session title: The best thing that happened to the education system in New Orleans was Hurricane Katrina. Those words, evoked from a question by Roland Martin on ABC News, were spoken by U. S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan.

"Does Education Need a Katrina?"

You decide if those words could ever be appropriate.