A funny petition emerged today.  
 

I couldn’t resist: what would Secretary of Education LeBron James be like?

1. School Choice 
 
Debate here
 
LeBron leaves teams when they are not capable of competing for the title.
 
LeBron has, more than any player in sports history, embraced the right to “choose his own team.”   
  
He left Cleveland for Miami (taking his talents to South Beach). 
 
He left Miami when Dwayne Wade knees and Chris Bosh’s heart got old.  
 
He just left Cleveland again for the LA Lakers.
 
See here.  LeBron has put the “free” in free agency.  
 
Verdict: EdSec James would favor school choice.  
 
2. High Expectations
 
Debate here.   
Check this out from 2014:
For about the next 30 minutes, James told every player from fellow All-Stars Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love to the guys just hoping to make the team what was expected during the upcoming season.
 
Several Cavaliers players were impressed by James’ preparation.
 
Guard Dion Waiters said:”I was looking like, ‘Wow.’ That’s crazy that he broke down every individual thing he wants guys to do. He wrote down every player from the guy in training camp who may be here or may not be here. …It was unbelievable. It was great.”
 
Verdict: Yes to high expectations.  
3. Innovation
 
Debate here.  
 
One would think innovation is like apple pie.  But in K-12, there’s a solid case “against.”  
 
In the NBA, many NBA players just keep doing what they’ve always done — they don’t change much.  
 
LeBron, though, like Magic and Bird before him, is an innovator.  
 
Just this year he re-invented himself with the “Deep Three.”   
 
Verdict: Yes to innovation.  
 
4. Evidence versus Gut
 
Debate here.     
 
You’d think evidence would win.  
 
But LeBron says: 
 
Warren Buffet told me once ‘always follow your gut’.  When you have that gut feeling, you have to go with, don’t go back on it.
 
Verdict: Gut over evidence.  
 
5. Why American Schools Don’t Match Up Globally
 
Debate here.    
 
LeBron says: 
 
Success isn’t owned, it’s leased.  And the rent is due every day.
 
Hard work beats talent when talent fails to work hard.
 
Verdict: I imagine EdSec James giving some version of this speech.  
 
– Guestblogger Mike Goldstein
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