President Barack Obama, center, listens as Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam, right, speaks in the East Room of the White House in Washington on Friday during a No Child Left Behind event. Education Secretary Arne Duncan is at left.NASHVILLE – Gov. Bill Haslam says he was happy to join President Barack Obama in a White House ceremony Friday as the president unveiled plans to let states opt out of some of the toughest provisions of the federal No Child Left Behind law.
“Some of you might be saying, ‘We heard you in Washington introducing the president. Last time we checked, y’all were in different parties and didn’t quite see the world the same way. What’s up with that?'” Haslam told attendees at a state economic development conference later in the day.
“To be straightforward with you, there’s nothing we’re doing in Tennessee right now as important as improving education,” he said.
Earlier Friday, Republican Haslam introduced Obama, a Democrat, in the White House East Room for the announcement. The landmark No Child Left Behind law was passed when George W. Bush was president.
“As a Republican governor, I might not always agree with this administration on some policy issues or maybe even the role of federal government,” Haslam said when introducing Obama. “But when there are things we can work on together, then we should. And this is one of those issues we simply can work together on.”