229 Teachers RIFed, see DC Wire for full story

[Anonymous]

Rhee's professional experience in education is primarily HR and her pitch was I can supply you with New Teachers who will turn this failing school around. She's doing the same thing now because she doesn't know how to do anything else. And when it doesn't work, she just does it some more.

Isn't that one definition of insanity -- doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results?

[Anonymous]

She is a neophyte whose insight into teaching is she 'ate a bee' and wowed her 'rough students' in her Baltimore teaching days for TFA where she turned test scores around (test scores no one can seem to locate).

[Anonymous]

16:35 thank you so much for telling your story, and your dedication to your kids. I am so sorry you have to go through this, but what really struck me reading your post was the impact on the kids. I feel so emotional thinking of the kids you (and other teachers) worked with over the years coming to school Monday without you there. I definitely support reform but by all the reports who was RIFed was not done is a smart or thoughtful way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What does ET-15 stand for? Families from our DC's elementary school received an automated phone call to share how these RIFs would effect our children. We were told we lost one ET-15 position. Just parents, we don't know the jargon.

ET-15s are full-time teachers

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Rhee's professional experience in education is primarily HR and her pitch was I can supply you with New Teachers who will turn this failing school around. She's doing the same thing now because she doesn't know how to do anything else. And when it doesn't work, she just does it some more.

Isn't that one definition of insanity -- doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results?

It's not insanity; it's incompetence.

[Anonymous]

Has anyone followed up with how ex-Superintendent Janey is doing in Jersey I think? You know, the one Fenty fired around the day after he took office so he could put Rhee on the throne...

[Anonymous]

(I posted the above)

I am seeing headlines like, "BIG JOB Clifford B. Janey has sought to work with teachers, families and community groups".

Working with people?!

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/17/nyregion/new-jersey/17suptnj.html

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:She is a neophyte whose insight into teaching is she 'ate a bee' and wowed her 'rough students' in her Baltimore teaching days for TFA where she turned test scores around (test scores no one can seem to locate).

"Ate a bee"?? What's that supposed to mean?

[Anonymous]

Michelle Rhee: Unconventional, Bee-Swallowing Reformer
http://www.newsweek.com/id/81617

[Anonymous]

Okay, so it sounds like she'd make a great Fear Factor contestant. (Is that show still on?) Wouldn't have been one of my top 10 desired skills in a teacher though, much less a chancellor.

I used to really like Michelle Rhee, or at least I thought I liked the idea of her. But lately, I've lost that lovin' feeling. Now it's gone, gone, gone. Woe, woe, woe...

[Anonymous]

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Agreed. It is painful now, but everyone who leaves DC lands on fertile ground - - she will have no problems getting a job somewhere else. Your wife was probably one of the few good teachers who got cut. No situation like this could be perfect. I am glad that with the sacrifice the some individuals like you and your wife, that a the kids in this city will have better teachers overall.

What a crock of _____. You have no idea what type of teachers were let go.

I second this. what a crock of horse shit. I thank the Gods in heaven that my child was offered a slot in one of the charters at approximately the same time Rhee began to make her political statement with her rif. How would PP no who were the good teachers from the bad teachers. Rhee has not released the grading mechanisms in which she used to evaluate who stayed and who left. BTW--you cannot rif an employee for performance. There is a legal mechanism for riffed employees and it seems that Rhee has violated the law AGAIN. so, as always, the DC taxpayers will pay double in the end. Has not the city learned from the rifing of the OAG attorneys when performance was used as a barometer for who would be riffed. Well, DC taxpayers had to foot the legal bills and settlements in that matter. Perhaps the city could close their deficit gaps by doing the right thing upfront and saving on legal and settlement costs in the end. Moreover, how is it that Rhee's teach for american employees prevail in a rif. Should it be automatically assumed that a member of teach for america is more qualified than another. I smell cronyism, as when Rhee is finally booted she will have forged a greater alliance with teach for america

[Anonymous]

If the Washington Teacher Blog is correct, it is going to get worse tomorrow:

"Oct 4, 2009
More DCPS Layoffs Scheduled Black Monday October 5th!

A DCPS administrator shared with me more layoffs of DC teachers and school based personnel are yet to be delivered starting Monday October 5. Some of us said that the numbers of layoffs so far just didn't add up and it seems to explain Rhee's evasiveness on recent TV news clip about the RIF (reduction in force) . Get ready for Round 2 of DC public schools layoffs."

http://thewashingtonteacher.blogspot.com/2009/10/more-dcps-layoffs-scheduled-black.html

[Anonymous]

It is going to get worse for the Chancellor if everyone shows up at the rally and get demandy with their Councilmembers. Enough is enough. I have personally spoken with a NW Councilmember who says she pays absolute attention to volume of calls and post cards. Let's do it! Let's take back our schools!

http://www.dccouncil.us/

[Anonymous]

I don't know...people get layed off all the time...even teachers.

And maybe they got rid of some crappy teachers. Some teachers really do suck. Quantity does not equal quality. So if a teacher has been there for 20 yrs it doesn't mean she has been doing the job well or right, it just means she has been there for along time.