interesting: every dcps parent i talk to in person supports rhee

[Anonymous]

18:10 These projects don't happen overnight, it may have been in the works before Rhee was on board! If so, my apologies but my sense is it got underway pre-Rhee.

[Anonymous]

none of this is accurate. Rhee was smart enough to be hands off with Eaton once parents agreed on principal (not a Rhee crony) and expanded support from the chinese embassy. The "world cultures" moniker isn't a program, but private foundation funding for schools that already had a plan, or whose principals were savvy enough to apply for no contest Catalyst grant (all shools that applied got it). Upper NW DCPS parent here. Rhee has done things, but don't give credit where it's not due.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a DCPS parent with kids at Eaton and Deal and I do not support Rhee or Fenty.

Why is that? Didn't Rhee grant Eaton autonomy? Hasn't the Chinese language program at Eaton flourished under Rhee? Didn't Rhee encourage Eaton's application to become a "World Cultures" school? Haven't test scores gone up considerably at Eaton under Rhee? Isn't the current principal (put in during Rhee's tenure) much better than the previous two? Parents seem to like her much better, than the prior principal, Drakeford. I thought at least 1 pretty horrible teacher finally got fired under Rhee, which parents had been asking for for years. And, the playground and whole landscape at Eaton was recently redone because of a commitment Fenty made at the annual block party. My understanding was that Fenty moved Eaton up in the playground re-do list, in fact, moved up Eaton so fast that the school's parents had very little input into how the new design went.

So, with kids at Eaton, why are you unsupportive of Rhee and Fenty?

[Anonymous]

OP,

Were the parents at all these schools parents of older children or just in the early grades? It would make sense to talk to people who had older children, who lived through several superintendents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Thanks for this perfect example of the phenomenon at work: Remember. Everything's about Rhee. Forget about the necessary reforms. We won't even talk about that. Rhee's personally unpalatable. That's all that matters.

I think you're misunderstanding. The pp named a particular characteristic of Rhee--her tendancy to alienate those she needs as allies--as a reason that she's not the appropriate leader going forward.

I know I'm not the only person who thinks that Rhee has done some good things, but can't be counted on to finish the job.

She's done great things, but in doing them has pissed some people off, which, in my opinion, was an unfortunate but unavoidable side-effect of doing anything. (There's a reason that school reform in DC has been completely ineffective over the last 30 years. We bring in someone new; that person suggests changes; that person is immediately shown the door by the forces of stasis). Hopefully Gray will play against form, and appoint someone who's not afraid to piss off the right folks as well. Otherwise, we'll get a lovely period of back-slapping and glad-handing as the kids continue to get the shaft.

Meanwhile, folks like yourself don't support her because she can't be counted on to "finish the job." Why won't she be around? Because she's angered too many of the wrong people--by continually doing the politically difficult thing.

Well, Rhee's divisive ways aren't the main reason I think she can't finish the job--I was just pointing out that you were taking a legitimate criticism of her tactics and saying that it was nothing more than dislike of her. I think she can't finish the job because she's done a half-assed job of several big reforms. As I posted earlier:

* elimination of middle schools in Ward 5 (& near-elimination in Ward 4): it makes sense to build on successful elementary schools, but for kids who want the resources (better labs, sports teams, advanced language) of a middle/junior high school, provisions outside the out of boundary lottery need to be made
* school closures: these needed to be done, but the final step is to redraw boundaries citywide--as it is kids from closed schools are being sent to the lowest-performing local school (because those have the most space), rather than the closest one
* inability to recognize talent: some great principals got axed this summer, leading me to think that Rhee just can’t recognize talent

I can see where folks who love Rhee are coming from. I wish you'd extend the same courtesy to me in my opposition to her. I assure you, I really have thought this one through.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Under the new principal (Rhee canned the old one), Stoddert Elementary in Glover Park has a brand new gorgeous building and playground this year. Last year's test scores, under the new principal hired by Rhee, were among the highest in the city, way up from previous years. Not surprisingly, most (not all) Stoddert parents I've talked to support Rhee and are voting for Fenty.

Have not eveyone noticed the commonality in these beautiul spruced up schools, minus Eastern. They are all located in Upper Caucasia.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Under the new principal (Rhee canned the old one), Stoddert Elementary in Glover Park has a brand new gorgeous building and playground this year. Last year's test scores, under the new principal hired by Rhee, were among the highest in the city, way up from previous years. Not surprisingly, most (not all) Stoddert parents I've talked to support Rhee and are voting for Fenty.

Have not eveyone noticed the commonality in these beautiul spruced up schools, minus Eastern. They are all located in Upper Caucasia.

I noticed. And this isn't sour grapes talking, I'm just about as caucasian as you can get (redhead).

[Anonymous]

21:44 yes, I've noticed that! Meanwhile she backed out of the promise to renovate Brookland School.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:21:44 yes, I've noticed that! Meanwhile she backed out of the promise to renovate Brookland School.

That school needs it too, it's ghastly.

[Anonymous]

Under the new principal (Rhee canned the old one), Stoddert Elementary in Glover Park has a brand new gorgeous building and playground this year.

I'm surprised it took 3 pages for someone to perpetuate this misleading "Pro column" point. I posted on page 1, and I hear this too much. 'I like my new playground / facility, which was built under Rhee. Said facility was also built during the hottest summer on record. It was built in a year my sister had twins. The new school was built during the Chinese Year of the Golden Tiger.

The golden tiger and my twin nieces didn't bring you Stoddert's new building, or Deal's, or Eaton's playground ... and neither did Rhee.

[Anonymous]

My girlfriend is a teacher at one of the top performing schools and she seems to think that the divide among teachers is by generation. Younger teachers seem to love Rhee, older ones, not so much. Friend is highly qualified and she is doing extremely well under the assessments. She also said that the reason why most teachers are getting fired is because they are really, really bad. The teachers that fail the assessments are failing parts that even non-teachers should get correct.

Also, as to the point about how everyone wants a good education for their children--define "good." Apparently there are some parents who would define a good teacher by race (i.e., same race as me and my child), rather than by improvements in test score. Sad, but true.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The golden tiger and my twin nieces didn't bring you Stoddert's new building, or Deal's, or Eaton's playground ... and neither did Rhee.

Even though I'm leaning pro-Rhee (not necessarily Fenty), I like your style. Good point that people sometimes focus on what's easy to see (jungle gyms) versus what's hard to do (Alan Lew's job).

It's also very hard to understand what has, or has not, happened outside of your own schools(s). There are a lot of elephants in the elevator like race, class, recession refugees from private, charter tsunami, Obama-ites influx, etc. Everyone's buttons are being pushed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My girlfriend is a teacher at one of the top performing schools and she seems to think that the divide among teachers is by generation. Younger teachers seem to love Rhee, older ones, not so much. Friend is highly qualified and she is doing extremely well under the assessments. She also said that the reason why most teachers are getting fired is because they are really, really bad. The teachers that fail the assessments are failing parts that even non-teachers should get correct.

Also, as to the point about how everyone wants a good education for their children--define "good." Apparently there are some parents who would define a good teacher by race (i.e., same race as me and my child), rather than by improvements in test score. Sad, but true.

Not so in our school. The younger teachers are feeling more disillusioned and disgusted with Rhee than the veterans. These are idealistic young people who have no ax to grind. If you want to see the real effects of Rhee, walk around in a school during DC-BAS, DIBELS, and TRC. It's such a time suck. And for what? Seriously silly data.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:. She also said that the reason why most teachers are getting fired is because they are really, really bad.

Like that AP English teacher at Wilson that parents and students were up in arms about?

By the way he's back teaching AP, parttime.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: I've also noticed a lot of disgruntled teachers on this board (note to them: you are completely transparent and discounted).

Note to you -- when did you develop the skill to discern the tone of disgruntled teachers?


I must admit, I sometimes think I know who's really talking. For instance, terms like "disgruntled teachers" "Reform" and "wedded to the status quo" sound like campaign talking points.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: I've also noticed a lot of disgruntled teachers on this board (note to them: you are completely transparent and discounted).

Note to you -- when did you develop the skill to discern the tone of disgruntled teachers?


I must admit, I sometimes think I know who's really talking. For instance, terms like "disgruntled teachers" "Reform" and "wedded to the status quo" sound like campaign talking points.

Yep. That's PR 101: Discredit critics by referring to them as "disgruntled former employees"