Arne Duncan says Ray Rice, NFL send 'terrible message'

Education Secretary Arne Duncan has one message for Ray Rice and the NFL. And it’s that they’re both sending a “terrible message” to America’s youth.

“These folks are so interested in making money, they’ve lost a sense of values, they’ve lost a sense of what’s important,” Duncan said in an interview on the “Bloomberg EDU” radio program. “For so many young people looking up to these teams, looking up to these players, what a terrible message it sends.”

Rice has been indefinitely suspended, but only after the video of Rice hitting and dragging his then-fiancee Janay Palmer surfaced.

Duncan says it comes down to the NFL putting money over values.

“They put a priority on having players continuing to make money for their teams or for their leagues,” Duncan said. “That trumped any other value that’s out there.”

What really irks Duncan is today’s kids looking up to troubled players and considering htem role models.

‘‘I feel bad for young kids looking up to these situations,’’ Duncan said. ‘‘Until people start thinking beyond dollar signs, we’re going to see this kind of behavior continue to happen.’’

Via Bloomberg