President Obama speaks before the Urban League today knowing that a coalition of civil rights groups and leaders have problems with his educational agenda, primarily because it does not cow tie to teacher's unions and it incorporates ideas many conservatives have been pushing for, such as re-evaluating teacher performance based on student performance as well as a greater emphasis on the creation of high-quality charter schools. I'm still hoping he goes a step further and puts vouchers in his educational toolbox as well, but the reform he is already forcing in South Carolina and many other states is encouraging.
In this political climate, it's not surprising that many conservatives don't give him credit for doing precisely what they said he wouldn't do -- standing up to and defying his base when it is warranted. But I will.
