Vallas deputy to head schools June 26, 2001 BY FRAN SPIELMAN CITY HALL REPORTER Arne Duncan, a Harvard-educated basketball star who studied under Paul Vallası wing, was chosen by Mayor Daley today to replace his mentor as Chicago Schools CEO. Duncan, 36, accepted the pressure-cooker job after Daleyıs top choice, Library Commissioner Mary Dempsey, turned it down, concerned it could consume her. That created the opportunity of a lifetime for Duncan, the dark-horse-candidate-turned-frontrunner spotlighted by the Chicago Sun-Times two weeks ago. Duncan is the former Harvard basketball star who joined the Chicago Board of Education in 1998 as head of the showcase magnet programs and now serves as Vallası deputy chief of staff. More important for Daley, he is the oldest son of a family that has dedicated its life to educating kids. For 40 years, his mother has operated the Childrenıs Center, an after-school tutoring program that has helped hundreds of children in the North Kenwood/Oakland neighgborhood. Duncanıs father is a psychology professor at the University of Chicago. His wife, two sisters and a brother-in-law are all teachers. Arne Duncan built the Ariel Education Initiative with longtime friend John Rogers. Iıve been impressed with his passion, his commitment and his entire familyıs commitment about education. . . . In one way or another, Arneıs whole life has been about bettering the lives of children,ıı the mayor said. Duncan, who met his wife while playing professional basketball in Australia, thanked the mayor for the chance to, as he put it, build on 40 years of my motherıs work.ıı To those who believe heıs in over his head, Duncan said, People can think what they want. This is an extraordinary opportunityan extraordinary challenge. If you look at my track recordif you look at what Iıve done throughout my life, I thrive on that challenge. I thrive on that competitiveness . . . And itıs not going to be me by myself. Weıre going to build the strongest team youıve ever seen at the Chicago Public Schools.ıı Vallas praised the choice. Certainly the selection of Arne reflects the fact that the mayor wants to build on what has been done, as opposed to dismantling whatıs been done,ıı Vallas said. -- This is the CPS Science Teacher List. To unsubscribe, send a message to <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> For more information: <http://home.sprintmail.com/~mikelach/subscribe.html>. To search the archives: <http://www.mail-archive.com/science%40lists.csi.cps.k12.il.us/>
