Secretary of Education Still Unpicked

As the US school system fails, reformers and teachers' unions are looking forward to whom Obama will name as Secretary of Education. Reformers like that Obama mentioned that a teacher's salary should correlate with students' achievement. However, Obama has also said salary should not just be based on test scores, which the teachers' unions support. He has artfully appeased both sides throughout his campaign, but now the real decisions must be made. Who will Obama pick as Secretary of Education?

There is the safe choice of picking a governor, the more eye-brow raising choice of picking someone who enjoys causing tension, and there is the likely choice of picking someone with whom Obama is friends.

There are many contenders for the yet-to-be-filled position in Obama's cabinet, but each come with their ups and downs. At the crux of the failing education system is the No Child Left Behind Act and making sure schools achieve certain test scores. For college students, even Teach for America, which matches graduates with a struggling school for two years, has been criticized.

Below is a list of possible choices:

1. Arne Duncan - Chief of Chicago Schools
Good: plays basketball with Obama, toured Chicago schools with Obama, fellow Harvard alumnus, signed bills for reformers and unions, friend of the teachers' unions; helps failing Chicago schools; pay teachers for performance

Controversy: not much really; appeases both sides and is bound to upset one of them

2. Joel Klein - Chancellor of New York City's Department of Education
Good: oversees nation's largest public school system, wants more teaching/ performance accountability

Controversy: known to cause tension

3. Linda Darling-Hammond - Stanford University Professor
Good: on Obama transition team - head of education

Controversy: Reformists don't like her because she criticized the No Child Left Behind act and Teach for America

4. Kathleen Sebelius - Governor of Kansas
Good: campaigned for Obama

Controversy: remove herself from being considered for the cabinet because of Kansas' budget crisis

For more read the Huffington Post article.