Visiting a high school in suburban Washington last week, President Bush offered an introduction he鈥檚 used many times for his outgoing secretary of education, Rod Paige. Mr. Bush stressed that, four years ago, he decided to pick someone on the 鈥渇ront lines鈥� of education鈥攁 district superintendent鈥攆or the top federal job in the field.
That contrasts with his choice of Margaret Spellings, whose experience has been behind the scenes, to succeed Secretary Paige. Ms. Spellings, now the president鈥檚 chief domestic-policy aide, appears headed for easy confirmation in the Senate, possibly as soon as this week, when President Bush begins his second term.
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She has won strong votes of confidence from both sides of the political aisle, as well as from national education groups. And yet, at least some educators outside the Washington political and policy orbit have misgivings about the background she鈥檒l bring to the job.
鈥淲hy would the president select a person who is not a teacher, or a superintendent, or a principal, or someone trained in the education field?鈥� Diane Schroeder, a reading specialist and language arts teacher in Greenfield, Wis., said last week.
鈥淸T]o understand the workings of schools, especially teachers, parents, and the needs of children, the secretary of education should have had experience as an educator,鈥� said Cheryl F. Blue, an assistant superintendent in Plattsmouth, Neb. 鈥淪itting in an office does not give the individual the perspective of 鈥� the challenges facing schools today.鈥�
Ms. Spellings would not be the first education secretary without a professional experience in schools or academe. Take Richard W. Riley, a popular education secretary who served for eight years under President Clinton. He had made a name for himself as an 鈥渆ducation governor鈥� in South Carolina, but had not been an educator.
And by no means is there a consensus even among working educators that Ms. Spellings may not be 鈥渉ighly qualified,鈥� to use the label the No Child Left Behind Act expects the nation鈥檚 teachers to merit.
鈥淚 have heard that Ms. Spellings is a sharp woman who listens well and has the ability to make informed decisions,鈥� said Carol Kelly, an adjunct education professor at the University of Denver in Colorado and a former school principal. 鈥淚t appears she is quite well versed in today鈥檚 educational issues. I don鈥檛 believe that lack of an advanced degree or experience as an educator should disqualify her from serving as U.S. secretary of education.鈥�
A Department of 91制片厂视频 spokeswoman declined an 91制片厂视频 Week request to interview Ms. Spellings, saying the president鈥檚 nominees would not grant interviews before confirmation.
Veteran Bush Aide
Ms. Spellings, 47, was named in November to replace Secretary Paige, who tendered his resignation shortly after the 2004 election.
She was considered a principal architect of Mr. Bush鈥檚 education agenda during his first term, especially the No Child Left Behind Act, his flagship initiative. Ms. Spellings has been the president鈥檚 top domestic-policy adviser since he entered the White House, but their work together goes back much further.
When he was the governor of Texas, Ms. Spellings was his chief education aide, and she worked on his election campaigns, including his 2000 presidential bid. Before that, she was the chief lobbyist for the Texas Association of School Boards. She also worked on education matters as an aide in the Texas legislature.
Ms. Spellings earned a bachelor鈥檚 degree in political science from the University of Houston. She would be the first U.S. education secretary without an advanced degree.
The nominee is known to have a close working relationship with the president, and she is expected to have his ear in a way that observers say Secretary Paige never has. That access could be an important plus to her serving in the Cabinet.
Yet, as with several other of President Bush鈥檚 second-term Cabinet nominees, moving a White House aide to become an agency head has its downsides. Some analysts have noted that the president won鈥檛 benefit from the fresh perspective that might be offered by a new face with new ideas.
When explaining his choice of Ms. Spellings in November, Mr. Bush emphasized his personal experience working with her.
鈥淚鈥檝e known Margaret Spellings for more than a decade,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 have relied on her intellect and judgment throughout my career in public service.鈥� (鈥淧resident Picks a Trusted Aide for Secretary,鈥� Nov. 24, 2004.)
He highlighted her work with him at the White House and the governor鈥檚 mansion, as well as her other experience in Texas.
Ms. Spellings won unanimous approval on Jan. 6 from the Senate Health, 91制片厂视频, Labor, and Pensions Committee, with enthusiastic backing from key Democrats.
At her confirmation hearing earlier that day, she said: 鈥淔rom parent to policymaker, I have seen education from many angles, and often been in the other person鈥檚 shoes.鈥�
Ms. Spellings also stressed that she would pay close attention to the concerns of educators and other stakeholders in education.
But Charles A. Bloomfield, the principal of Lehigh Valley Christian High School in Allentown, Pa., has expressed dismay about Ms. Spellings鈥� credentials.
鈥淚 have to wonder why the education community isn鈥檛 protesting loudly that the new secretary is a person with just a bachelor鈥檚 degree, and that in political science, not education,鈥� he wrote in a letter to 91制片厂视频 Week, published in the Jan. 5 issue. 鈥淭oo bad. One would think that the position would require advanced and related academic credentials.鈥�
Two former education secretaries interviewed last week suggested that such degrees and experience are not necessarily a recipe for success.
Shirley M. Hufstedler, who served as the first education secretary, from 1979 to 1981 under President Carter, emphasized the primary importance of political and management skills.
鈥淧art of that includes how much time she has spent to become really savvy on what goes on [Capitol] Hill, or inside the [Washington] Beltway,鈥� said Ms. Hufstedler, 79, a former federal appellate judge who is now a lawyer in private practice in Los Angeles. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 a big help. 鈥� She鈥檚 not going to be teaching.鈥�
Sen. Lamar Alexander of Tennessee, a Republican who was education secretary from 1991 to 1993 under President George H.W. Bush, recalled his experience early on as secretary.
鈥淥ne of the things I found in my first Cabinet meeting in 1991 was that the education secretary sits at the end of the Cabinet table, and is the last to be evacuated in case of an emergency,鈥� he said. The senator suggested that Ms. Spellings鈥� long-standing association with Mr. Bush is a major asset that will ensure education 鈥渟tays on the front burner with the president.鈥�
鈥淚 think Margaret will be an excellent education secretary,鈥� said Sen. Alexander, 64. 鈥淪he knows and understands [the president鈥檚] education policies better than almost anyone. Two, she has had experience on the ground in Texas with the school boards鈥� association and with Governor Bush.鈥�
Secretary Paige, despite having been a longtime education administrator, has sometimes ruffled feathers in the education world, such as when he referred to the National 91制片厂视频 Association, the nation鈥檚 largest teachers鈥� union, as a 鈥渢errorist organization鈥� because of its efforts to resist the No Child Left Behind law. He later apologized for the remark.
Unknown Quantity
Amy Stuart Wells, an education professor at Teachers College, Columbia University, said that Ms. Spellings 鈥渟eems like an improvement over Paige, because she鈥檚 more conciliatory.鈥� Ms. Wells said she has been impressed, for instance, with the secretary-designate鈥檚 language about educators as professionals.
鈥淏ased on what she has said, she just has more respect for the complexity of public education,鈥� Ms. Wells said. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 think she鈥檒l be calling the teachers鈥� association a terrorist group.鈥�
Ms. Spellings鈥� experience with the Texas school boards鈥� group was encouraging to Ms. Wells, who noted that such work requires understanding and responding to a diverse constituency.
鈥淵ou have to think about the issues from different perspectives,鈥� she said.
To some educators, Ms. Spellings remains something of a mystery.
鈥淢argaret Spellings is an unknown to many in North Dakota,鈥� said Justin J. Wageman, an education professor at North Dakota State University in Fargo. 鈥淔rom what I read and hear, however, she seems to have a solid reputation as an individual who will reach out to diverse groups, while still maintaining the current administration鈥檚 stance on the issues.鈥�
Julie Blaha, a middle school teacher in Champlin, Minn., said she and her colleagues really haven鈥檛 given much thought to the person poised to be the next leader of the federal Department of 91制片厂视频.
鈥淚 haven鈥檛 heard one colleague comment on [her confirmation]. Not one,鈥� said Ms. Blaha. 鈥淲hen it comes right down to it, as long as George W. Bush is president, I think most teachers expect things to continue down the path blazed鈥� by Secretary Paige.
Ms. Blaha, who was a delegate to the Democratic National Convention last year, added: 鈥淚 hope Ms. Spellings will take the time to seek out and listen to those of us on the front lines of education, not just those Beltway insiders.鈥�
