David T. Kearns was a towering figure in American business—CEO of Xerox during its best days, for one—who cared mightily about education reform (he coauthored a seminal work in this realm with Denis Doyle back in 1988) and was persuaded by George H.W. Bush and Lamar Alexander to join their Education Department team as deputy secretary. Not only did he do a smashing job in that challenging role (before being semi-sidelined by a particularly awful cancer that he battled for almost two decades), but he also served as inspiration to many in and out of government. After learning of his death last week, Gadfly invited some of his many fans to share their recollections of this wonderful man.
Leslye A. Arsht
Former Counselor to the Secretary of Education, when Kearns was Deputy
Secretary
It was impossible, when I heard that David Kearns had passed, not to have a sad, then bittersweet moment.
David, who might have coined the “believe in better” attitude, defied death for a very long time…and he lived his life—post-cancer diagnosis—with the grace, dignity, energy, and enthusiasm that he modeled before it.… (Read the rest here.)
John Danielson
Former colleague, U.S. Department of Education, 1991-1993
It was a remarkable time in the history of the United States Department of Education when David Kearns stepped forward to offer his considerable leadership on behalf of America’s children. Halcyon days, indeed, when all were present for the routine 9:00AM staff meetings during his time. … For me, I think now of the marvelous tribute Churchill paid to FDR. He said that “knowing FDR was like experiencing your first taste of exquisite champagne.” The vividness of David Kearns and his singular vintage will live on for a very long time. (Read the rest here.)
Barbara R.
Davidson
Former colleague, U.S.
Department of Education, 1991-1993
Probably the most indelible image David Kearns made on me was when, in my first week on the job as White House liaison, I was presented with the dilemma of bringing onboard a young staffer who had blown the whistle on unethical behavior at another federal agency and, having lost his job as a result, was looking to join the team at ED. Despite the good impressions he made on many of the senior staff he interviewed with, no one had yet bit the bullet on offering this young man a job—so I went to David and presented the situation: Could we take a leap of faith and bring him on board, hoping he’d make himself useful? David looked at me and said, “I think he did the right thing and deserves a break.”… (Read the rest here.)
Denis P. Doyle
Coauthor (with Kearns) of
Winning the Brain Race and co-founder of Schoolnet
…One of my most enduring memories of David is emblematic of all that he was: the courtesy he extended to everyone he met, from doormen and cab drivers to captains of industry and heads of state. He was a true small “d” democrat, as good a listener as a talker, a problem solver not an ideologue and, it goes without saying, a devoted husband and father as well as a fine friend.
Several years ago, I was asked to introduce him before a large audience gathered to honor his accomplishments and could think of no more apt comment than Hemingway’s famous observation: courage is grace under pressure. So it was with David.
Oh David, we hardly knew ye… (Read the rest here.)