Travel: Why Duncan and Obama Are Going to Wright Middle School

President Obama and Secretary Duncan are ostensibly going to Wright Middle School to talk about strengthening America's education system.  You know:  Stimulus this, Race to the Top that.  But insiders tell me that there's a much more specific purpose to the visit.  And it's not a Plaza Burger with extra Plaza Sauce. 

The state legislature is on the verge of deciding whether to give Milwaukee public schools mayoral control, a favorite Obama/Duncan reform strategy.  And Milwaukee mayor Tom Barrett might be running to replace Gov. Jim Doyle.  So it's a policy/politics two-fer for the Obama team.

Whether Barrett got them to come or they decided to come in and wave their big sticks is unclear.  So too is the eventual outcome.  Obama and Duncan went to Stockholm, too, remember.  But this is yet another example of the Obama administration's willingness to weigh in heavily on state and local issues and wag their fingers at local leaders. 

Comments

[Carl]

Anyone hearing any buzz that Duncan/Obama will announce final Race to the Top criteria/application at this event?