Secretary Duncan has served in his position since President Obama took office in 2009. Prior to serving, he was the chief executive officer of the Chicago Public Schools, a position he held from 2001 through 2008, making him the longest-serving big city education superintendent in the country. Sec. Duncan has said that, "Education is the civil rights issue of our generation" and it's "the only sure path out of poverty and the only way to achieve a more equal and just society."