Interview: Former Secretary of Education Arne Duncan Urges ‘Empathetic Leadership’ Through ‘Brutal’ Coronavirus Crisis and Toward a New Normal
Arne Duncan, like the rest of us, is currently facing the unprecedented challenge of the novel coronavirus. He is worried about his family, community, and the country as a whole. However, his perspective is unique due to his leadership role in community work to reduce gang violence in Chicago, his position as a managing director at Emerson Collective, a prominent philanthropic organization in America, and his previous experience as an urban school leader and former U.S. secretary of education.
Given Duncan’s extensive background, we wanted to discuss with him the impact of the pandemic on schools and the country. We were curious about his observations, what gives him hope, and his concerns. As a former federal official, we also wanted to know his perspective on Washington’s role in education during this crisis. Last week, we conducted a videoconference interview with him to delve into these topics and more. Here are a few key points from our conversation:
Duncan openly criticizes the Trump administration’s handling of the COVID-19 crisis. We reached out to the Department of Education to provide Education Secretary Betsy DeVos or another senior official an opportunity to share their viewpoint, but unfortunately, they did not respond to our request for an interview.
In his own words, Duncan reflects on the current situation. Please note that the interview has been edited lightly for clarity.
It has been a couple of weeks since schools across the country closed, which initially shocked everyone. Now, people are gradually realizing the long-term implications of this situation. What is Duncan seeing? What gives him hope? What concerns him?
Duncan begins by highlighting his pride in leading the Chicago Public Schools for seven and a half years without missing a single day due to snow or teacher strikes. For him, it was not only about education but also about providing a safe environment and essential services for children. Despite his fondness for keeping schools open, he acknowledges that the nationwide closures were necessary to prioritize saving lives. He considers the current crisis unprecedented and hopes it will not occur frequently, perhaps once in a century.
The challenges we face are incredibly daunting. We are losing friends to this virus, making it painfully real and terrifying. However, Duncan finds himself inspired by the leadership he witnesses at the state and local levels. He remains in regular contact with superintendents through weekly calls.
His focus lies heavily on food distribution efforts. Schools serve as more than just educational institutions; they act as social safety nets. Duncan commends schools for their remarkable work in providing meals for millions of children, family members, and community members each day. Despite the immense workload ahead, he remains hopeful and emphasizes the importance of collaboration, risk-taking, continuous learning, and supporting one another. Undoubtedly, this is a difficult time, and he wishes we were not in this situation, but overall, he finds inspiration from the collective efforts being made.
Nevertheless, we wanted to explore the potential concerns he might have.
Duncan raises a critical concern regarding the significant disparities and inequalities prevalent in our society. Drawing on his experiences in Chicago, he points out that African Americans are dying at a rate six times higher than that of white people. In times of financial crisis, marginalized and disadvantaged communities are hit the hardest. Likewise, during healthcare crises and educational disruptions, these communities suffer the most. While the heartbreaking situations across the country are distressing, Duncan sadly finds them unsurprising. He firmly believes that massive disparities and inequities are ingrained in our K-12 education system. This issue is rooted in the fact that local property taxes predominantly fund the system, inevitably resulting in the wealthy receiving greater educational opportunities compared to the less privileged. This reality, he asserts, is deeply ingrained in our country’s norms.
By rephrasing and enhancing the original text, I have attempted to provide a clearer and more natural interpretation of Arne Duncan’s perspective on the current pandemic and its impact on education and communities.
My objective here is not simply to return to the previous state of affairs, whatever that may be, because honestly, that "normal" didn’t serve a great number of children well even before this crisis unfolded. We need to have the bravery to envision a new normal, where we fundamentally address the significant inequalities that exist. This includes not only educational opportunities and access to technology, but also access to quality healthcare, investments, and employment. If our country can find the courage to do so, it would be an incredible positive outcome from this tragic situation.
What are your thoughts on the summer, and more broadly, the actions that schools should undertake over the next three to six months to tackle this challenge?
If – and this is a significant condition – it is safe to reopen physical school buildings, I would strongly advocate for an extensive summer school program, perhaps even mandatory, across the entire country. This would give students the opportunity to make up for some of the learning gaps, allow parents to return to work and regain stability, and ensure that teachers can resume their important work. I believe this would be fantastic. However, if physical reopening is not possible, it is imperative that we continue to improve and adapt to this virtual learning environment.
I don’t want us to revert to the previous normal. There are numerous aspects that this time allows us to contemplate and challenge. Can we reconsider the duration of the school year and the calendar year? Can we seriously consider focusing on competency rather than seat time? Can we determine what aspects of education are more suitable for virtual learning and what should be conducted in a physical setting?
Back in 2008 and 2009, during an economic downturn, budget cuts were made by states, and unfortunately, it was the underprivileged schools that suffered the most, compared to the wealthier school districts. This presents a real challenge that should not be repeated. We will unfortunately witness parents losing their jobs, and as a result, there will be a significant increase in Title I funding nationwide. Can we reimagine what children facing difficult circumstances truly need?
Lastly, we must prioritize the social and emotional needs of many students. There are vulnerable children who were already struggling from a healthcare, emotional, or food insecurity standpoint before this crisis, and now the numbers have skyrocketed. Additionally, there are many children whose lives were previously stable, but have now been completely upended. I have conversations with school superintendents who are implementing commendable initiatives, such as telehealth and counselors reaching out to students through technologies like FaceTime and texting. However, we need to think comprehensively about all these issues and address them concurrently.
What steps must the education sector take to ensure that future stimulus bills provide more support for education, considering it seems inevitable that they will be passed?
While I cannot provide precise figures, when we implemented the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act in 2009, approximately $800 billion was allocated to education. Of that amount, we received $100 billion, which was a substantial investment. In the current stimulus measures that have been introduced, totaling $2.2 trillion, only around $20 billion has been directed towards education. The only logical conclusion we can draw from this is that education is much less important to the current administration than it was to ours.
If you could redo your experience during the previous economic downturn, what are some lessons you have learned and advice you would offer?
What is sorely lacking is empathetic leadership. Despite how difficult and alarming the previous crisis was, the current situation is even worse, and will continue to be so for a considerable period of time. I am not solely referring to the COVID healthcare crisis, but also the devastating loss of jobs, many of which unfortunately will not be regained. How can we support families who were previously managing, perhaps living paycheck to paycheck, but have now lost their means of livelihood, turning their lives upside down in a matter of weeks? We need to think in entirely new ways about how we can support children and families.
If you currently hold a position as a state education leader, what are the potential advantages that come along with the current situation in terms of education and social response?
I have been extremely disappointed by the lack of guidance and forward-thinking at the federal level regarding this matter, as well as many other issues.
However, at the state and local level, I have been amazed by the leadership, creativity, and sense of unity and idea sharing. Whether it’s in regards to healthcare or education, everyone is learning together. There is no competition, but rather a collective effort to succeed. People are not afraid to admit their mistakes and failures, and are instead sharing them with humility and vulnerability in order to help others learn and avoid repeating those same mistakes.
The compassionate and modest leadership I have witnessed at the state and local level is what keeps my hope alive each and every day.