This Baltimore Sun editorial excoriating Maryland for its lassitude on the Race to the Top hits the bull's eye. It's pitch perfect.
This only makes Secretary Duncan's inexplicable silence during his recent visit to a Baltimore charter school all the more curious and regrettable. Once again, had he spoken up about the charter law (not to mention tenure, merit pay, and other items), state policy-makers would've jumped into action and this editorial would've been unnecessary.
I'm happy that the Sun editorial board stepped up just as I was happy when Newt Gingrich talked about the state's awful charter law during the visit. Both are noteworthy contributions to the debate. But neither can match the power of a well-crafted message from a U.S. Secretary of Education with $4.35 billion in competitive grants to hand out--the type of message Duncan delivered in several other states.
There is still time for Secretary Duncan to jolt Maryland into action. Here's hoping he and his team find an appropriate way to reinsert themselves into this discussion. It's no exaggeration to say that this could be the difference between Maryland's making critical changes to several policies and--in the Sun's words--"limping along at a snail's pace" while maintaining a "blase attitude."