Would Catania or Bowser keep Kaya Henderson?

[Anonymous]

Thoughts?

[Anonymous]

I think both will keep her, with different political directives. Catania will keep direct control of DCPS policies, Bowser will delegate it all.

[Anonymous]

According to this article out today, neither candidate will say. I hope people will keep pressing them to give an answer. I would vote for the candidate that commits to keeping her.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/dc-primary-results-raise-questions-about-schools-chancellor-kaya-hendersons-future/2014/04/03/ff5258e0-ba93-11e3-9c3c-311301e2167d_story.html

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:According to this article out today, neither candidate will say. I hope people will keep pressing them to give an answer. I would vote for the candidate that commits to keeping her.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/dc-primary-results-raise-questions-about-schools-chancellor-kaya-hendersons-future/2014/04/03/ff5258e0-ba93-11e3-9c3c-311301e2167d_story.html

+1

[Anonymous]

+1. I really like what she's doing for DCPS.

[Anonymous]

People seem to like her but not Abigail Smith. The question is who is Abigail Smith tied to? Henderson or the next mayor? People were happy w what was going on until this whole boundary changing fiasco began. Perhaps the next Mayor could keep her and let go of Smith and her agenda?

[Anonymous]

Abigail Smith is the #1 person who is running the public education scene in Washington, DC. She was part of DCPS before Rhee ever arrived here. In fact, she is the one who pointed out Rhee to Fenty as a good choice for Chancellor. She has always from the beginning been quietly running things behind the scene.

Super smart lady, but a "true believer" brought up throughout the Teach for America ranks. She is tied to the mayors: Fenty and then Gray. No one at DCPS outranks her and now as DME she has power over Charter Schools, too.

I would love for someone to do an in depth profile of Abigail Smith and try to dig up the agenda she is pushing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Abigail Smith is the #1 person who is running the public education scene in Washington, DC. She was part of DCPS before Rhee ever arrived here. In fact, she is the one who pointed out Rhee to Fenty as a good choice for Chancellor. She has always from the beginning been quietly running things behind the scene.

Super smart lady, but a "true believer" brought up throughout the Teach for America ranks. She is tied to the mayors: Fenty and then Gray. No one at DCPS outranks her and now as DME she has power over Charter Schools, too.

I would love for someone to do an in depth profile of Abigail Smith and try to dig up the agenda she is pushing.

+1

[Anonymous]

Bowser just said on Kojo that Kaya is likely to stay until 2017 unless something happens.

[Anonymous]

What kind of agenda do you think it is - you make it sound nefarious?

[Anonymous]

As someone new to the area I am a bit confused. Is Smith appointed by the Mayor or Henderson? Who has to sign off on her decisions?

[Anonymous]

She is appointed by the Mayor and only the Mayor has to sign off on her decisions since the mayor has complete control of DCPS.

[Anonymous]

Catania for Mayor!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Abigail Smith is the #1 person who is running the public education scene in Washington, DC. She was part of DCPS before Rhee ever arrived here. In fact, she is the one who pointed out Rhee to Fenty as a good choice for Chancellor. She has always from the beginning been quietly running things behind the scene.

Super smart lady, but a "true believer" brought up throughout the Teach for America ranks. She is tied to the mayors: Fenty and then Gray. No one at DCPS outranks her and now as DME she has power over Charter Schools, too.

I would love for someone to do an in depth profile of Abigail Smith and try to dig up the agenda she is pushing.

As someone who knows her personally, the "agenda" she is pushing is what will be best for all the children of DC. It may not be realized overnight, but she is the one who has the brains, the passion and the leadership to see it through. She is a committed parent who believes in public education and seeing that every child get the education that he/she deserves--the best. I'm a parent with children in both DCPS and a public charter school, and I sleep better at night knowing Abby is at the top.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What kind of agenda do you think it is - you make it sound nefarious?

I don't think it is a nefarious agenda, but perhaps a misguided one having to do with intermingling the charter and traditional schools systems, neighborhood preferences for charter schools, controlled choice rather than one by-right neighborhood school. For sure she is a tireless advocate for improving education for the most disadvantaged kids. This is laudable but I fear that the ideological may outweigh the practical and that middle class families ( black and white ) who have only started to trust the school system and believe that they can live and thrive in the district will be chased off with policies that strip them of choice and control over their kids' education. If people sense that their kids are being used as pawns in a scenario to improve education the most disadvantaged INSTEAD of fixing what is broken in the school leadership and dysfunctional system, they will evaporate from the city schools in a heartbeat. And that's when everyone is worse off. It's a fine balance and I hope she can walk it.