Dive Summary:

• Education Secretary Arne Duncan's comments a week ago about teachers already receiving pink slips due to the then-looming sequestration were questioned by Republicans and reporters.
• Duncan said Monday that the comments were inaccurate, but that he was trying to emphasize the extreme impact the $85 billion across-the-board spending cuts would have on U.S. schools.
• Speaking at the same event as Duncan, superintendents from schools relying on federal funds (i.e. those serving Native American students and military children) said the sequester is already causing them to close schools and pass on buying new books or replacing retiring staff.

From the article:

Education Secretary Arne Duncan said on Monday he had made inaccurate comments about teachers losing their jobs due to mandatory budget cuts and that he had been trying to point out the dire effects spending reductions would have on schools. ...