Verne Duncan

Infobox_Politician
name = Verne Duncan


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birth_date = April 6, 1934
birth_place = McMinnville, Oregon U.S.
residence = Milwaukie, Oregon
death_date =
death_place =
office = Oregon State Senator (12^th District)
term_start = 1997
term_end = 2003
predecessor = Bill Kenemer
successor = Kurt Schrader
constituency =
office2 = Oregon Superintendent of Public Instruction
term_start2 = 1975
term_end2 = 1989
predecessor2 = Jesse Fassold
successor2 = John Erickson
constituency2 =
office3 = Idaho State Representative
term_start3 = 1962
term_end3 = 1965
predecessor3 =
successor3 =
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party = Republican
religion = Presbyterian
occupation = Educator, Politician
majority =
relations =
spouse = Donna Nichols Duncan
civil partner =
children =
website =
footnotes =

Verne Duncan (born April 6 1934) is an American politician from the state of Oregon. As an educator and moderate Republican, he has become outspoken in protest of policies of his own party he views as extreme.cite news | last = Parker | first = Andy | title = Politics was a draw early in their lives | work = The Oregonian | pages = B1 | publisher = Portland, Oregon: Oregonian Publishing | date = November 1, 2004]

A former classroom teacher, principal, district superintendent and professor, Duncan has served in the legislatures of two states, Idaho and Oregon, held the office of Oregon Superintendent of Public Instruction, and served as a college dean.

Early life

Born and raised in McMinnville, Duncan is a member of a pioneer Oregon family. His grandfather, S.S. Duncan had been a teacher and one time superintendent of schools for Yamhill County. His uncle was Leland Duncan, long-time district attorney of Harney County, Oregon.

As a schoolboy, Duncan had occasion to visit the state Department of Education on a class trip. When he needed a workspace on which to take down some notes, then-superintendent Rex Putnam rose from his desk and offered it to the young Duncan. Neither knew the boy would grow up to occupy that desk for fifteen years as superintendent himself.

After completing a public school education including graduation from McMinnville High School, Duncan served in the United States Army, remaining active in the reserves, ultimately attaining the rank of Colonel. Duncan graduated Idaho State College, earning a B.A. in 1960, and began a long career in education. He would ultimately earn several graduate degrees, including a M.Ed. in Education Administration from University of Idaho, a Ph.D. in Public School Administration from University of Oregon and an M.B.A. in Labor Management from University of Portland.

Career in education and politics

While still engaging in graduate studies in Idaho, he was elected to the state legislature, serving from 1962 to 1965. After his long tenure as Oregon's superintendent of public instruction, Duncan returned to teaching in 1990, serving as dean of the University of Portland’s School of Education until 1996 when he took emeritus professor status. He was appointed the following year by Governor Kitzhaber to fill a vacancy in the Oregon State Senate, and was elected to serve a full four-year term in 1998.

As a politician, Duncan took positions which placed him in the progressive or moderate wing of the Oregon Republican Party, as were many of his immediate predecessors and contemporaries, including the likes of Tom McCall, Clay Myers, Bob Packwood and Mark Hatfield. He supported the creation of Metro, voted for Governor Kitzhaber's transportation package, and was on record as pro-choice and in favor of nondiscrimination laws for gays, prompting the "Willamette Week" to characterize him as "a moderate's moderate," in their 1998 editorial endorsement.cite web | title = WW's Political Picks: Endorsements for the May 1998 Election | work = Willamette Week (Online) | publisher = Portland, Oregon: City of Roses Newspaper Company | date = May 6, 1998 | url = http://www.willametteweek.com/html/legislative050698.html | format = HTML | accessdate = 2006-12-20 ]

In a 2000 interview with "The Oregonian", Duncan admitted to having voted personally for both Republican and Democratic presidential candidates, refusing to give particulars, but indicating that he was an enthusiastic supporter of George H. W. Bush but not his son. He also told the reporter that the Republicans must become more inclusive and less extreme. "Sometimes it doesn't hurt to lose," he said. "It keeps you humble."cite news | last = Parker | first = Andy | title = Politics was a draw early in their lives | work = The Oregonian | pages = B1 | publisher = Portland, Oregon: Oregonian Publishing | date = November 1, 2004]

References

Citations

General sources

*"Verne Duncan." "Carroll's State Directory." Carroll Publishing, 2006. Reproduced "Biography Resource Center." Farmington Hills, Mich.: Thomson Gale. 2006. [http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/BioRC] (Subscription required). Retrieved on 2006-12-20.
*cite web | last = Bell | first = George | title = OSCF Board of Directors… Who’s Who? | work = Oregon State Capitol Foundation Newsletter | publisher = Salem, Oregon: Oregon State Capitol Foundation | date = November 9, 2001 | url = http://www.leg.state.or.us/capinfo/foundation/foundation_newsltr_1.pdf | format = PDF | accessdate = 2006-12-20
*cite web | title = Superintendents - Past and Present | work = Department of Education (Official website) | publisher = Salem, Oregon: Oregon Department of Education | date = 2006 | url = http://www.ode.state.or.us/superintendent/tenures.aspx | format = HTML | accessdate = 2006-12-20
*cite press release|title=Governor appoints Verne Duncan to Senate District 12 seat|publisher=Salem, Oregon: Office of the Governor of Oregon|date =February 14, 1997|url = http://arcweb.sos.state.or.us/governors/Kitzhaber/web_pages/governor/press/p970214.htm|accessdate=2006-12-20