(NAME-MCE) Obama appoints Bay Area education activist

[Bill Howe]

Obama appoints Bay Area education activist

Nanette Asimov, Chronicle Staff Writer <nasimov at sfchronicle.com>

Saturday, February 7, 2009
 [image: Russlynn
Ali]<http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/object/article?f=/c/a/2009/02/07/BAQV15P1DK.DTL&o=0&type=printable>

President Obama will nominate Bay Area education activist Russlynn Ali to a
key civil rights post.

If confirmed by the Senate, Ali would become assistant secretary for civil
rights at the Department of Education, responsible for ensuring equal access
to education through enforcement of civil rights.

"Russlynn brings passion for, expertise in and dedication to equality and
fairness in education," said Education Secretary Arne Duncan.

Ali is vice president of the Education Trust, a Washington think tank that
seeks to close the achievement gap, and is the outspoken founding director
of the Education Trust-West in Oakland.

Her support of the federal No Child Left Behind education act and
California's high school exit exam have not always found favor among
teachers and grassroots education advocates.

In 2006, after California made mandatory a high school graduation test of
basic skills, Ali explained her support in The Chronicle:

"We are called 'sellouts.' ... I find myself wanting to shout, 'I'm a
Democrat, too. I'm black, I'm a first-generation American, I grew up in a
single-parent home and I grew up poor ...

"I am acutely aware that poor kids and kids of color get less of everything
that research says makes a difference. ... Many believe that, because we
give them less of everything, we shouldn't stretch poor kids or kids of
color, or their teachers, very far.

"But, in the end, I will stand with the black and brown parents who support
the (exam) because they know their kids have to demonstrate higher levels of
knowledge and skills to pursue their dreams."

Ali is a member of the State Bar of California. She has practiced corporate
and civil rights law and served as an adjunct faculty member at the
University of Southern California School of Law. She has also served on
boards of several education organizations, including the California
Governor's Committee on Education Excellence.

She holds a law degree from Northwestern University School of Law.

If confirmed, Ali would replace outgoing assistant secretary Stephanie
Monroe.

E-mail Nanette Asimov at nasimov at sfchronicle.com.

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/02/07/BAQV15P1DK.DTL