Michelle Rhee - America's future in her hands?

[SkywardET]

Michelle Rhee is the D.C. area School Chancellor, and she is the cover story of this week's Time magazine. I normally wouldn't recommend Time to anyone, but this subject is far too important. Mrs. Rhee is making huge waves in public education and could very well be the tip of the iceberg in badly needed education reform.

I think it would be almost impossible to find an unbiased source on her, either for or against what she stands for, but I find this to be absolutely fascinating. I am very much in support of her methods, as although I think she is too narrow-focused in some ways, she provides the perfect counterweight to the system she works in. If her feather-ruffling and "scorched earth" practices don't doom her efforts prematurely, this is the beginning of a bright future, in my opinion.

Here's just one article that does the popular thing and tries to present both sides: http://www.cnn.com/2008/LIVING/wayoflife/09/09/dc.schools/index.html

 

[fusu]

skyward, you might not like to refer people to Time, but I love citing the Atlantic. They did a piece on her a month ago. its pretty incisive and comprehensive.

http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200811/michelle-rhee

her administrative pedagogy seems to be the new wave.

 

[OccamsRazor]

The Atlantic is a terrific magazine - especially Robert Kaplan's articles.

 

[JIMC5499]

The NEA will pick somebody to blow that Mayor away at the next election and she'll be out of a job.

 

[Flash]

As a DC local I have watched with some interest what Ms Rhee has been doing. But it will take some time to actually see some real results from her work, and she has a mountain of work ahead of her. DC schools, along with most of the city government, has long been dysfunctional and it will take quite a long time to get things to clear out the chaff to make a difference. So it is basically wait and see right now, give it a few years before you start making her a saint.

The NEA will pick somebody to blow that Mayor away at the next election and she'll be out of a job.

Shows how little you know of DC politics. Mayor Fenty is enormously popular in DC, across all lines, and unless something drastic happens he will likely be reelected, NEA or not.

 

[JIMC5499]

Shows how little you know of DC politics. Mayor Fenty is enormously popular in DC, across all lines, and unless something drastic happens he will likely be reelected, NEA or not.

I hope you're right, but I wouldn't hold my breath. I may not know anything about DC politics (not that I would care to anymore than you would know Pittsburgh politics), but I do know that DC schools are heavily watched by the media. If this starts to show positive results, you can bet bottom dollar that the NEA will do everything it can to discredit it and failing in that attacking the Mayor politically. I'm married to a teacher and I used to go with her to some of her union functions. You wouldn't believe some of the views these people have.

 

[Mumbles]

Mayor Fenty is enormously popular and a sharp dresser too. I like him much better than Marion Berry.

 

[Flash]

Mayor Fenty is enormously popular and a sharp dresser too. I like him much better than Marion Berry.

The fact he is not a crackhead helps too.

 

[brownshoe]

The fact he is not a crackhead helps too.

Over the years, I have done some engineering and construction work for the D.C. government, what a joke! I am going to put my soapbox away before I even get started, otherwise I will go on for pages and pages.

Look here for a laugh or two:

http://www.skeptictank.org/barry.htm

Steve

 

[SkywardET]

So it is basically wait and see right now, give it a few years before you start making her a saint.

I know, and actually I think her methods are overbearing, but that's why I support her and her methods. From this outsider's perspective, she is the ideal prescription to this criminal situation. I am totally willing to overlook any of her downsides because I believe she is genuinely interested in the outcomes of the children.

I am also glad to hear that the current mayor is popular. That, combined with his support of Mrs. Rhee, will give her the time she seeks, I think. Hopefully she is not hampered by the national level; ideally she will receive help from the incoming Administration.

 

[Pugs]

The fact he is not a crackhead helps too.

Hell, they like the crackhead Berry so much they continue to elect him as a city councilman.

Aside from the Metro system, DC is damn near a wasteland of anything good and I've spent more than enough time there and close to there to know what I'm talking about.

 

[fusu]

a wasteland pugs? you mean apart from some of the worlds best (free) museums, thousands of intelligent and beautiful ex-pats, top notch universities and, I don't know, the seat of the federal government, right? :icon_wink

DC has go problems sure, but man its a sweet town to be 22 and single in.

And as to the problems, I think Rhee is a step (one of many needed) in the right direction.

 

[brownshoe]

a wasteland pugs? you mean apart from some of the worlds best (free) museums, thousands of intelligent and beautiful ex-pats, top notch universities and, I don't know, the seat of the federal government, right? :icon_wink

DC has go problems sure, but man its a sweet town to be 22 and single in.

And as to the problems, I think Rhee is a step (one of many needed) in the right direction.

Pugs is right! Sorry to say, Washington D.C. is a joke! The places and things you’ve mentioned are assets funded by the federal government, and other entities, not run by the D.C. government.

But I do agree. Let’s see what happens.

Steve

 

[scoolbubba]

DC Blows. It's not as crappy as Baltimore, but it's up there in the "shitholes I don't want to get lost in outside the tourist attractions" list. New Orleans, after my recent night there, is near the top of the same list.

 

[Pugs]

a wasteland pugs? you mean apart from some of the worlds best (free) museums, thousands of intelligent and beautiful ex-pats, top notch universities and, I don't know, the seat of the federal government, right? :icon_wink
.

The national mall is not DC IMO. The crap that surrounds it is. The museums are great and DC certainly has some good restaurants and bars but those can be found in lots of other places and better ones too.

My wife lived in DC when we dated for two years and I must have seen all of it at one time or another. It sucks and it's leadership has sucked for so long they accept it as the norm. Baltimore is a great town if you look at the six blocks of the inner harbor. The rest of it is just like DC and I live here.