D.C. teacher firings prompted by bad math

[Anonymous]

Really? Because when something similar happened at my company, morale sank like a rock.

In my experience, any time *anyone* is fired, morale is affected. The difference is, in the private sector, someone takes responsibility for doing something that's not going to be popular, but that will strengthen the organization as a whole.

In DCPS, historically, the tendency has absolutely been to retain anyone who gets a job, for however long they want that job. And it has absolutely come at the expense of the children.

[jsteele]

Anonymous wrote:
To be fair, Jeff, I haven’t seen anyone advance the rationale you made in #*8

That rationale was in the message that I quoted.

Anonymous wrote:I’m genuinely curious over the roots of your obvious antipathy for her – do you remember when it started? Not saying it’s undeserved, but I can’t remember anything in her tenure here that would cause the implacable, seemingly irreversible distaste you have for her.

I can explain exactly from where my antipathy comes. Prior to Rhee's selection, I was publishing a blog focused on the Ward 4 special election to replace Fenty in the Council. A major issue in that election was Fenty's takeover of the schools. All the candidates but one opposed the takeover (guess which one won). I was appalled that the Council voted on the takeover at a time that two wards had no representation. That is the root of my antipathy for Gray and every other Council member from that time except Mendelson (I don't support Kwame for other reasons, and Schwartz got defeated).

After the election, I transformed my blog to focus on local district politics. I wrote a series of articles detailing the influence of the Federal City Council in school policy and attempts to privatize or siphon off funds from the schools. What I learned during my research massively increased my suspicion of Fenty and his plans for the schools. In the midst of this, Fenty selected Rhee.

The first turn off was the method of revealing the selection. Fenty introduced Rhee to the Post and, in exchange for a scoop, they interviewed only Rhee supporters and published a one-sided, laudatory article introducing Rhee even before the Council was aware of the selection. This was combined with a supportive editorial. Fenty broke the law in not consulting the Council.

I then began researching Rhee. I found that her only teaching experience was at a for-profit organization that had taken over schools in Baltimore. The contract for the company was later revoked and it went out of business. So, combine a suspicion that the Federal City Council is pulling Fenty's strings to privatize schools with a Chancellor with a background in for-profit schools and my antipathy was complete. I also researched Rhee's test score claims and found them unsupported (she admits there is no supporting documentation). In fact, the more that I researched, the more that I found that did add up or appeared not to be true.

In hindsight, I think there was an initial move toward large-scale privatization but it was thwarted (e.g the EdBuild contract). Fenty didn't push it, so maybe that was not as much of a priority as I had feared. I suspected, but I don't think I wrote about at the time, that Rhee was a publicity hound. If anything, I underestimated that aspect.

There was a moment, just after her confirmation, when I was willing to let Rhee have the benefit of the doubt. I actually wrote a post supporting her. But, almost immediately her dictatorial style turned me off. Her statement that "collaboration is overrated" is probably the most honest summary of her style that I've ever seen. It is also the primary reason that I don't support her. My opinion is that the schools require collaboration more than any other public institution. They require collaboration between parents, teachers, students, government officials, and the schools chancellor. I don't think Rhee will succeed without collaboration and I suspect that she won't be here long after her marriage because she realizes she can't succeed.

Editing to add: If anyone is interested in the articles I wrote about the school and Rhee, I will be happy to republish them here. I didn't have time or energy to continue my blog, so it's now offline.

[Anonymous]

jsteele wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

There was a moment, just after her confirmation, when I was willing to let Rhee have the benefit of the doubt. I actually wrote a post supporting her. But, almost immediately her dictatorial style turned me off. Her statement that "collaboration is overrated" is probably the most honest summary of her style that I've ever seen. It is also the primary reason that I don't support her. My opinion is that the schools require collaboration more than any other public institution. They require collaboration between parents, teachers, students, government officials, and the schools chancellor. I don't think Rhee will succeed without collaboration and I suspect that she won't be here long after her marriage because she realizes she can't succeed.

Interesting stuff, a lot of which I didn't know. I agree with most of the paragraph above, especially the bolded sentence. However, a lot of people have tried to improve DC schools through collaborative efforts, with little or no effect. I think that before collaboration can be successful, there have to be hard decisions made and changes implemented. I also don't think that DC schools will "change" overnight, or even in a few years. It'll take a decade at least, and won't be accomplished by one Chancellor. I view Rhee as a necessary evil - harsh, unyeilding, and not the person to complete the process, but a person who can make a few very unpopular changes and set the stage for the next Chancellor. She'll have to leave, as she'll poison the well, but hopefully we'll look back at her tenure 10 years from now the be able to say that some of the things she did set the stage for a dramatic improvement. Maybe that's pie in the sky, or naive.

[Anonymous]

Jeff, do you mind saying where your kids are in school? And, were you or a member of your family ever D.C. school teachers?

[jsteele]

Anonymous wrote:Jeff, do you mind saying where your kids are in school? And, were you or a member of your family ever D.C. school teachers?

My two boys attend a DC Public Charter School. My entire extended family is in Illinois. I am the only member of my family who has ever lived in Washington and I have never been employed by the school system.

[jsteele]

Anonymous wrote:I view Rhee as a necessary evil - harsh, unyeilding, and not the person to complete the process, but a person who can make a few very unpopular changes and set the stage for the next Chancellor. She'll have to leave, as she'll poison the well, but hopefully we'll look back at her tenure 10 years from now the be able to say that some of the things she did set the stage for a dramatic improvement. Maybe that's pie in the sky, or naive.

This is the "destroy the village in order to save it" theory. I think it only results in destroyed villages.

[Anonymous]

Having lived in DC since 1990, I feel like things are finally starting to turn around so that and it is a desirable place to live long term - not just as a single person or as couple without kids. It is only in the past few years that I have noticed significant changes to the improvement of city services and facilities such as pools, libraries and parks, etc. - things that my family can actually use.

[Anonymous]

18:55 I've been using pools and parks and libraries in NW DC since 1990. What neighborhood?

Janey made a bigger difference than Rhee by adopting the Massachusetts standards.

[Anonymous]

I view Rhee as a necessary evil - harsh, unyeilding, and not the person to complete the process, but a person who can make a few very unpopular changes and set the stage for the next Chancellor. She'll have to leave, as she'll poison the well, but hopefully we'll look back at her tenure 10 years from now the be able to say that some of the things she did set the stage for a dramatic improvement. Maybe that's pie in the sky, or naive.

What unpopular changes has she made that you think are good for the long-term? I can't think of any, and I'm genuinely curious.

[Anonymous]

All of this is a bit overanalyzed. DCPS is improving and will continue to improve because of the changing demographics of DC schoolchildren. Just as it's transformed housing and businesses, gentrification will revolutionize DCPS, and whoever is in charge will get the credit.

DCPS sucked in the past because it was overwhelmed by poverty--the problem was intractable.

[Anonymous]

Wow, I have been visiting the city's parks and swimming pools for years. Turkey Thicket and Takoma indoor swimming pools have been open for almost ten years, if not longer. Before that, there was the indoor swimminpg pool located off of south carolina avenue near eastern market. The libraries have been in decline for years. Well, not georgetown library. hmmm.

Charter schools are not a product of Michelle Rhee or Fenty. As a matter of fact, as a councilmember Fenty opposed charters. And by the actions he has shown toward charters in regards to permanent facilities, he continues to be opposed to charter schools.

[Anonymous]

I'm 18:55 and yes, I too have used the pools and libraries since moving here - but they were not as good as they are now. I don't know who is responsible for the changes - but I'm happy that things are improving.

[Anonymous]

jsteele wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
To be fair, Jeff, I haven’t seen anyone advance the rationale you made in #*8

That rationale was in the message that I quoted.

Anonymous wrote:I’m genuinely curious over the roots of your obvious antipathy for her – do you remember when it started? Not saying it’s undeserved, but I can’t remember anything in her tenure here that would cause the implacable, seemingly irreversible distaste you have for her.

I can explain exactly from where my antipathy comes. Prior to Rhee's selection, I was publishing a blog focused on the Ward 4 special election to replace Fenty in the Council. A major issue in that election was Fenty's takeover of the schools. All the candidates but one opposed the takeover (guess which one won). I was appalled that the Council voted on the takeover at a time that two wards had no representation. That is the root of my antipathy for Gray and every other Council member from that time except Mendelson (I don't support Kwame for other reasons, and Schwartz got defeated).

After the election, I transformed my blog to focus on local district politics. I wrote a series of articles detailing the influence of the Federal City Council in school policy and attempts to privatize or siphon off funds from the schools. What I learned during my research massively increased my suspicion of Fenty and his plans for the schools. In the midst of this, Fenty selected Rhee.

The first turn off was the method of revealing the selection. Fenty introduced Rhee to the Post and, in exchange for a scoop, they interviewed only Rhee supporters and published a one-sided, laudatory article introducing Rhee even before the Council was aware of the selection. This was combined with a supportive editorial. Fenty broke the law in not consulting the Council.

I then began researching Rhee. I found that her only teaching experience was at a for-profit organization that had taken over schools in Baltimore. The contract for the company was later revoked and it went out of business. So, combine a suspicion that the Federal City Council is pulling Fenty's strings to privatize schools with a Chancellor with a background in for-profit schools and my antipathy was complete. I also researched Rhee's test score claims and found them unsupported (she admits there is no supporting documentation). In fact, the more that I researched, the more that I found that did add up or appeared not to be true.

In hindsight, I think there was an initial move toward large-scale privatization but it was thwarted (e.g the EdBuild contract). Fenty didn't push it, so maybe that was not as much of a priority as I had feared. I suspected, but I don't think I wrote about at the time, that Rhee was a publicity hound. If anything, I underestimated that aspect.

There was a moment, just after her confirmation, when I was willing to let Rhee have the benefit of the doubt. I actually wrote a post supporting her. But, almost immediately her dictatorial style turned me off. Her statement that "collaboration is overrated" is probably the most honest summary of her style that I've ever seen. It is also the primary reason that I don't support her. My opinion is that the schools require collaboration more than any other public institution. They require collaboration between parents, teachers, students, government officials, and the schools chancellor. I don't think Rhee will succeed without collaboration and I suspect that she won't be here long after her marriage because she realizes she can't succeed.

Editing to add: If anyone is interested in the articles I wrote about the school and Rhee, I will be happy to republish them here. I didn't have time or energy to continue my blog, so it's now offline.

Are you kidding?! I would LOVE to read these articles. Also, I would love to read your blog (I know maintaining one is a huge commitment of energy, but allowing the archive to remain online is pretty low maintenance). In any case, how can I read your work? I'm very genuinely interested.

[jsteele]

Anonymous wrote:
Are you kidding?! I would LOVE to read these articles. Also, I would love to read your blog (I know maintaining one is a huge commitment of energy, but allowing the archive to remain online is pretty low maintenance). In any case, how can I read your work? I'm very genuinely interested.

I'll post the school-related posts in this forum. The last few posts on the blog were very out-of-date and I was embarrassed to have it sitting there unmaintained. So, I took it off-line.

[Anonymous]

Thanks Jeff. Remember, Fenty told the Washington Post editorial folks about Rhee before the council, even though the law requires the mayor run the appointment by the council. Also, Fenty was opposed to taking over the schools but flip-flopped after he won the primary and became mayor elect apparent. WTF? As for Rhee, besides her dishonesty, she is pretty much using New York City as a model, I do not know of one original thing she's done. Fenty seems chastened by his unpopularity, supplicant in public appearances in ways he was not after his election.