One of the most popular -- and embarrassing -- posts that’s ever run on this site has been Hot For Education, a highly arbitrary and much-commented on listing of some of the folks who might qualify as “hot...for education.” And, in honor of this snowy Valentine’s Day (and the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue, just out), I’m giving it another try.
With any luck, this year’s winter edition will be just as controversial -- and fun. Or at least it’ll embarass EdWeek. The rules are simple. To qualify, someone needs to work in education and to be thought to be hot by someone (an admiring co-worker, an anonymous nominator, “everyone,” me). There has to be an easily available picture of you somewhere. Men and women are eligible (last time, the comments about some of the men were downright lascivious.)
Oh, and your pic can’t have been posted last time around. (This leaves out the original 5: Ted Kennedy, Nina Rees, Jon Schnur, Wendy Kopp, & Tim Knowles (pictured), as well as Pedro Noguera. Casey Lartigue is also excluded, for ballot stuffing.)
And now, on to the hotties... [PLUS COMMENTS -- CHECK THEM OUT]Hot For Education, 2007:
Number Ten: Every hot list needs a bad boy, and this is as close as education gets to the scruffy rebel type -- former USDE official Chris Doherty, who once ran the Reading First program (View image). He’s got those piercing eyes, that smoldering intensity, that willingness to do...whatever it takes. The auditors must have been too smitten to notice that there was something awry until it was just too late.
Number Nine: There was a tremendous hue and cry last year to include this conservative thinkmeister, and while vouchers may have fallen out of vogue (except in Utah) Jeanne Allen of CER sure hasn’t (View image).
Number 8: One of the most obvious contenders, this blonde educator took the nation by storm with her extremely innovative and non-traditional teaching techniques (View image). She’s too hot for education, maybe. Pamela Rogers.
Number 7: Speaking of obvious choices, there’s no one hotter than this new member of the Senate HELP Committee. He’s new, he’s energetic, and I’m told he’s even got some ideas about education that he’d like to tell you about. It’s a tough to say no even before you check out those abs. (View image) HELP committee hearings may be the hottest ticket in town this winter because of, yes, Barack Obama. Now, smoke-free.
Number Six: Obama’s he’s not the only hottie on the HELP Committee, however. Chris Dodd, 2nd in command to Kennedy, has more than one way to get you to cosponsor his national standards legislation. His secret weapon? Education LA MaryEllen McGuire (View image (far left)). I’d hustle over to Leg Counsel and pick up draft language for her any day.
Number Five: He’s smart, he’s Canadian, and he wrote a fascinating (and long) overview that touched on NCLB, liberal squeamishness about structured education, and social factors surrounding urban schools. It’s NYT Magazine editor Paul Tough (View image)).
Number Four: Over in the NEA Congressional Affairs office resides this all-American hottie, who alone from the education ranks made The Hill’s 50 Hotties 2006 (View image). Staci Maiers is her name. No wonder the NEA gets everyone to sign their letters?
Number Three: Not to be left out, the AFT has its own lobby-hottie -- Matt Morrison (View image). His good looks and suave demeanor have kept Members and staff in line through countless mixed signals and charter votes, I’m sure.
Number Two: Who needs education-minded mayors like Daley, Bloomberg, or Fenty when you’ve got this muy rico city leader with only one thing on his mind (View image)? Antonio Villaraigosa is in the house, ladies (and gentlemen). If mayoral control over LAUSD was determined based on looks alone, Villaraigosa would already be running every school in town.
Number One: Here trying to avoid getting French kissed (again) by her Commander In Chief is none other than the EdSec (View image). Those curves, those pantsuits, those sexy librarian glasses. And she was a Girl Scout or something like that. She’s the yummy mummy of NCLB, Margaret Spellings.
Comments, suggestions, and additions are all welcome -- and will be kept anonymous if requested. Thisweekineducation at gmail.com.