Here’s a prime example of the Democrat-Media Complex at work. The Washington Post published an op/ed and only told readers half the story about its writer. They provide his credentials to make you think he’s a disinterested expert when he’s really a deeply involved donor and operative for the Democrat party.

The op/ed is by Robert C. Pianta, the Dean of the Curry School of Education at the University of Virginia. The subject: Confirmation hearings for Betsy DeVos. The headline: U-Va. education dean: Betsy DeVos’s Senate hearing performance was ‘disqualifying.’

Pianta begins sounding oh so sincere. He wanted so much for Betsy DeVos to succeed but she just disappointed him too badly in her confirmation hearing.

I am disappointed to have to say that Betsy DeVos should not be the next Secretary of Education.

As an academic, dean of a school of education, and educator who has advocated for good charter schools, who can see the value of empowering parents through school choice and the promise of vouchers to enable that empowerment, and who believes our education system is still deeply in need of reform, I had initially approached the nomination of Mrs. DeVos with an open mind.

But I was deeply dismayed by her performance in her confirmation hearing. It was, in a word, disqualifying.

He sounds so non-partisan. He reeeeaallly wanted to support her. but look at his reasons for “disqualifying” DeVos.

On two critically important areas of responsibility for the Secretary of Education — protecting the rights of all students, particularly the most vulnerable students, and on accountability — time after time Mrs. DeVos failed her test. She reflexively offered to devolve all decision-making to the states, even in the face of experience that shows this would lead to poor student outcomes and potentially more youth at risk and left behind.

Letting states make decisions about education when they should be dictated from Washington D.C.? That’s a fabulously Constitutional idea. The only sort of person who would oppose that would be a big government progressive—which is what Pianta is.

Pianta served as an education advisor for President Obama’s transition team.

Robert Pianta, dean of the University of Virginia’s Curry School of Education and an adviser to President-elect Barack Obama’s transition team, is available to comment on Obama’s nomination today of Chicago schools executive Arne Duncan as Secretary of Education.

Not only that, Pianta wrote a major education report for none other than the Center for American Progress, the far left think tank founded by John Podesta.

Pianta is big Democrat player but the Washington Post doesn’t feel it’s necessary to let you know that. They would have you think that he’s just an expert on education offering up an unbiased opinion while he’s really just another hack for the far left who wants the federal government to run education in this country.