Duncan impresses during Senate hearing

At his Senate confirmation hearing Jan. 13, Education Secretary-designate Arne Duncan said that in an era of global economics, rapid technological change, and extreme economic disparity, education is the most pressing issue facing America. "Preparing young people for success in life is not just a moral obligation of society. It's an economic imperative. As President-elect Obama has said many times, the nations that out-teach us today will out-compete us tomorrow," Duncan said. "Education is also the civil-rights issue of our generation -- the only sure path out of poverty and the only way to achieve a more equal and just society."