Montgomery County Schools Superintendent Joshua P. Starr.

The Washington Post reported yesterday that Obama’s Education Secretary Arne Duncan tried to pressure NY Mayor Bill De Blasio on his new school chancellor appointment.

Joshua Starr was on De Blasio’s short list.

Did Duncan overstep his duties in interfering in the De Blasio deliberation?

Of course.

Did Duncan have a good reason? Yes. Starr is everything Duncan is not. Duncan was simply echoing the views of his friends like right-winger Checker Finn.

Valerie Strauss posts award-winning school Principal Carol Burris, who has documented the problems with New York state’s new teacher evaluation system and talks about Starr and his history.

There are those who will ignore all of the elephants in the room—poverty, segregation, overcrowding, prejudice, inequitable learning opportunities, and watered-down curricula for some students. They will follow the reform playbook and shout “no excuses” at every turn.

Yet…