Obama And Education Reform: Deborah Kenny Responds

Obama And Education Reform: Deborah Kenny Responds

Deborah Kenny, founder and chief executive of Harlem Village Academies, says the essential education takeaway from President Obama's State of the Union address Tuesday is to stay the course with his reform plan. In this interview with MSNBC, she also said it's time to shift the paradigm of thought toward teaching as a profession.

Kenny echoed President Obama's appeal to hold teachers in high regard, suggesting to young people they choose it as their path over a field such as investment banking.

"I was up at Harvard speaking to a group of students, and something really kind of disturbing happened. One of them said to me, 'I really want to be a teacher and all my friends feel sorry for me' ... So we really need to reinvent the profession."

Kenny called for more accountability for teachers, allowing for more freedom and individuality in the classroom.

Tom Brokaw joined the morning show and weighed in on the topic of finances, citing examples of public-private partnerships that have invested in underperforming schools, resulting in success.

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