Duncan apologizes for Katrina comments

By The Post's education correspondent Nick Anderson:

Education Secretary Arne Duncan apologized Tuesday for asserting that Hurricane Katrina was "the best thing that happened to the education system in New Orleans," calling the remark "a dumb thing to say."

Duncan's apology on the MSNBC show "Morning Joe" came nearly four days after his Katrina comment began circulating in the blogosphere and two days after it aired on another cable television channel.

He had told TV One interviewer Roland Martin: "This is a tough thing to say, but let me be really honest. I think the best thing that happened to the education system in New Orleans was Hurricane Katrina. That education system was a disaster, and it took Hurricane Katrina to wake up the community to say that 'we have to do better.'"

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