In what has to be among the silliest education related stories you will hear this year, the Washington Post is reporting that Education Secretary Arne Duncan tried to intercept the actor Matt Damon as he traveled to the Save Our Schools march in Washington last July. The march targeted administration education policies.
Shouldn’t the guy be in his office studying his beloved data instead of pretending to be part of a plot from the Bourne Identity?
Asked about the efforts to reach Damon, Education Department spokesman Justin Hamilton said in an email, “We often reach out to people who care deeply about education reform. To dramatically improve the way our children learn and to prepare them for success in college and career, we need as many passionate voices engaged in this effort as possible.”
Damon flew to the teachers march on the day of the event from Vancouver, where he has been filming a movie called “Elysium.” He came at the request of his mother, Nancy Carlsson-Paige, a child development expert and professor at Lesley University in Cambridge, Mass., who was involved with the rally.
Damon refused to meet with administration officials before the march.
His criticism of Obama administration policy has clearly been on the White House’s radar.
Fred Klonsky 