Education: Better Grades for Bill Bennett

In his freshman year in office -- at least the way his critics saw it -- Secretary of Education William Bennett misbehaved like a classroom bully. He brashly backhanded many university students as beach bums who loafed on Government loans, blasted what he called the "failed path" of bilingual education, charged that rising college tuitions and cafeteria-style curriculums were a rip-off and assailed fat in congressional education budgets. Except for hearty support from President Reagan, whom Bennett strove mightily to please, most reaction from lawmakers and educators ranged from bemusement to cold rage. California Democrat Augustus Hawkins, chairman of the House Committee on Education and Labor, summed up the early opinion: "I would give him failing grades."

As Bennett winds up his second year in the job, some of his erstwhile critics have begun to revise his grades upward. Says Anthony Podesta, president of the Washington-based liberal lobby People for the American Way: "He used to be more a seeker of headlines than educational excellence. Now he is increasingly more responsible." Bennett may be ineffectual in getting legislation passed; indeed, both Congress and academe fault him for abandoning the traditional role of ombudsman on Capitol Hill for educational programs and funding. However most observers agree that he has been a resounding success at stirring up national discussion on basic educational issues.

In so doing, the contentious Secretary has not only defined his own conception of his role but changed the nature of the job he occupies. "No longer will people be satisfied with a spokesman for the education lobby as Secretary," says Terry Hartle, an education expert at the American Enterprise Institute. "They will look for someone who can candidly open up the issues for debate." The Secretary agrees. He relishes the "bully pulpit" he has made of his office. "No one," he adds proudly, "has advanced more ideas, more state of the art, more assessment of public education per dollar. It's been ideas, ideas, ideas."

The record bears him out. Within the past year Bennett has:

-- Created a "Schools Without Drugs" program that, he claims, "hundreds of schools are putting into practice." He also called on college presidents to show a "little courage" by kicking drugs off campus.

-- Released studies titled First Lessons and What Works, advocating back-to- basics principles for elementary schools. Says Bennett: "The Chicago school board has adopted a homework policy based on What Works."

-- Recommended dramatic expansion of experimental income-contingency loans that allow students to repay debts at rates linked to their income.

-- Challenged college presidents to exercise more "moral authority," e.g., by insisting that athletes take real courses and graduate legitimately, with coaches' jobs otherwise at stake.

-- Called for more attention to values in the curriculum, with a place for religion in course content. "We have absolutely won the debate on religion," he exults, noting that when he first asserted that textbooks were neglecting religion, "people said, Omygosh -- Ayatullah!" Now, says Bennett, both liberals and conservatives agree with him.