DC Schools & Their Horrible Leaders
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Anonymous
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This is a very serious question that I've been pondering: What is it about DC that attracts and allows them to keep such horrible, mean-spirited, petty school leaders? The things they get away with in both the charter and public schools would not fly anywhere else. DC seems to be a dumping ground for insecure, sadistic, petty people who are more concerned with bossing than leading.
Examples: 1. The case at Center City Charter schools just a year or two ago. A teacher was fired for assigning a math worksheet with violent word problems on it. She explained that she'd had reservations about the assignment but was instructed by her supervisor to give it to students. The head of the school was so smug and happy to announce she'd fired the teacher. When asked about the fact that the teacher felt forced to give the assignment, the head stated that the teacher was still at fault, as she should not have given out the worksheet after deciding it was bad for kids. She failed to mention the hell the teacher would've caught for being insubordinate. Why did the head go straight to firing? Why not a write up? Warning? Even parents thought firing was a bit harsh. 2. The Howard Middle School debacle that just happened when 4 teachers submitted their 2 week's notices. Instead of using the time to find replacements, the principal went into the teachers' classrooms while they were teaching to fire them and have them escorted out. Can you say power tripping in both cases? "Leaders" like that wouldn't last a week in surrounding areas. Their actions are similar to but in some cases not as bad as what I can tell you about school 'leaders' in DC Public schools. They are the worst! There's a reason 100 teachers new to the District in August quit BEFORE OCTOBER. And they continue to leave, even as late as two weeks ago. Others are getting their ducks in a row in other places so they can do the same before the year ends. Seriously, how do so many troubled individuals end up in DC and actually survive in those roles for longer than a week? |
Anonymous
| The fact that the 100 teachers came into DC from other places and left before October tells you many of the practices you see in these schools are not normal and would not fly elsewhere. Most returned to their former schools in other districts. |
Anonymous
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it is indeed sad - and even sadder that this is better than DC was pre-Rhee days.
How many teachers were fired under Rhee b/c they were not qualified to teach? |
Anonymous
| Is this 100 teacher departure documented? |
Anonymous
The school leaders they have now are better than pre-Rhee???? I couldn't help but wonder if her anti-teacher rhetoric was the cause of a lot of the abusive 'leadership' they now have. Fire, humiliate and blame teachers! seemed to be her motto. I couldn't help but wonder if what we're now seeing is an outcome of that. The stories I could tell you from inside the public schools would make you shudder--if you actually believed them. |
Anonymous
Yes, it is documented. The number comes from the teacher's union. |
Anonymous
| Shouldn't you be in class? Let's hope this is not filling the time while a video plays before your students. |
Anonymous
Did I say I'm a teacher? What are you, a DC school "leader"? |
Anonymous
| OP, the two instances you just mentioned are related to charter schools. DCPS has approx. 3,500 teachers so if 100 left before October that is a pretty small % and while it is regrettable, it is possibly because the reality of being an urban teacher is VERY difficult and NOT for everyone. Now, with that said, I'd love, love, love to know what the f*ck you're talking about regarding DCPS' "terrible leaders". Care to share a situation you're referring to? This is also known as "put up or shut up". |
Anonymous
| 100/3500 teachers is .3% (rounding up) which doesn't sound too extreme to me considering the life of an urban teacher. |
Anonymous
| The principal of my school is pretty damn awesome. Maybe not from the perspective of a teacher that isn't performing well... |
Anonymous
Michelle Rhee dissed the community. She came and went and didn't care that folks depend on having jobs at DCPS. Rhee didn't understand the DC way. |
Anonymous
| Actually, it's 3% of teachers, pp. Not .3% big difference. |
Anonymous
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The 100 is of the new teachers hired in August-not of all DCPS teachers. I believe approx 500 new teachers were hired for the fall of 2014. I could be wrong on the number 500, not sure.
That's 100 new people who came, looked, said WTF and left. MANY came from urban, alternative and even prison schools . No other urban system seems to have the issue with teacher retention and horrible antecdotes of poor leadership that DC does. |
Anonymous
| The fact is DCPS does not require an admin degree/training. And administrators that are worth their salt won't touch DCPS. |