"I find it staggering that the very critics -- the very critics -- and organizations that fought so hard for civil rights could leave minority children behind," said Paige, the first black education secretary, in a speech at the American Enterprise Institute.
"Why?" said Paige, who grew up in segregated Mississippi. "Is it because their opposition is about power, about politics, about pride? It's clearly not in the best interest of the children."
Paige identified the critics as some "unions, teachers, civil libertarians, liberal politicians, and education advocates."
The law requires a highly-qualified teacher in all core classes, expanded standardized testing, and public reporting of school scores for every demographic group of students. Schools that get federal poverty money but don't make adequate yearly progress face mounting sanctions.
Reg Weaver, president of the National Education Association, a union of 2.7 million teachers and other education officials, called Paige's remarks a "sad commentary." Weaver said unions, members of Congress, and superintendents have raised legitimate criticisms about what they consider the law's lack of flexibility and money.
Under the law, funding for elementary and secondary education programs is expected to reach about $24.5 billion this year, a record. Critics say that's at least $7 billion short of what Congress authorized, affecting everything from teacher pay to class size.
"The worst thing that can happen to young people . . . is to be deceived by people who speak about closing the achievement gap . . . [when they] do not match rhetoric with resources," Weaver said.
