Comments on: Michelle Rhee Is Scaring Me

By: Richard

Richard — Fri, 01 May 2009 17:54:00 +0000

We need clones of Rhee throughout American educational systems. She has a very specific goal and does not play politics. All American school children need a superintendent (or chancellor) like her, and we, the American public and politicians, need to support her and others like her.

By: Sue

Sue — Fri, 01 May 2009 12:39:37 +0000

I agree with Spike Lee. It’s time to put racism aside and give Rhee our support. None of the black chancellors in the past were smart enough to solve the mess. They tried but, but they just had too much self-interst. They could never see the whole “big pictire” of the DC school system. Rhee has a global mind and is a maverick. She’s making progress and is putting together a team of people that are smart, know how to plan and are not concerned about other people feelings. Her team is only concerned about meeting a goal. That goal is the successful education of DC’s students.

By: The Scare Crow

The Scare Crow — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 21:48:23 +0000

Rhee has implemented a serious mandate in many schools ! 100 % Inclusion ! Bring the support services to the child rather than moving the child to the services. We may all agree the services prior to this implemented policy needs to ensure the services to the child are there and available ! Another policy implemented by an unrealistic expectation that money will be saved ?

By: The Scare Crow

The Scare Crow — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 04:43:16 +0000

Who knows what’s happening with the contract ? How’s the 14th Amendment and the Constitution going with Rhee’s contractual proposal ?

By: the fixer

the fixer — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 14:02:32 +0000

The problem with this forum speaks directly to why teachers can’t organize themselves against someone like Michelle Rhee. Eventually, the talk turns to personal disagreements. If someone on this board says something you don’t agree with, you don’t really need to go back and forth with them until the conversation gets bogged down in the details. Any group of people that want to unite themselves in the face of opposition like Rhee needs to put differences aside so that a more powerful union can be formed. Michelle Rhee would like nothing more than to see teachers divided while they argue about her policies.

What she really needs to see is more and more message boards loaded with people who stand against the worst of her policies. That is the only way teachers can stand against her. Its also the only way we will get any traction. I don’t even teach in D.C. and I stand firmly against Michelle Rhee. Her policies are some of the worst I have ever seen. Intimidating professionals is not the way you turn a system around. She is really only doing this for personal gain.

If you can’t see that – and you don’t think that is worth standing against – you’re blind. Can you even name three other school CEO’s without looking them up?

Probably not.

None of them seek as much attention as Rhee. She is like a child on a playground who doesn’t just take her ball and go home – she takes her ball, throws it into traffic – and closes down all the playgrounds within walking distance.

By: Chris

Chris — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 05:14:51 +0000

If you read the article, apparently walking out of the meetings is fairly common. The statement about some teacher being nice but should work at the Post Office is another one that comes to mind. Gesturing to the teacher to get back to teaching when she greets her in the room, etc.

As for your previous message, it clearly seeped with sarcasm and a sense of trying to bait me into something other than these issues.

By: Mary

Mary — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 01:44:45 +0000

And when, to your knowledge, did Rhee walk out on such a meeting?

And what about my other question, regarding the “direct attack?”

By: Chris

Chris — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 22:55:14 +0000

An example of direct honesty that needs to happen more in education. Walking out of meetings that don’t matter or get anything accomplished.

By: Mary

Mary — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 21:13:16 +0000

Chris – where is the direct attack? Seriously – I don’t know what you mean.

I also don’t know what you mean by Rhee’s direct honesty – could you give me an example.

I DO understand your comment about Rhee’s take on my take of her. I assume she’d disagree. She says she always puts children’s interests first, with the implication that whomever disagrees with her puts their interests before children’s interests.

By: Chris

Chris — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 17:08:54 +0000

Whoa, from respectful disagreement to personal attack. I won’t be packing my bags any time soon because we have work left to do here in Jacksonville. I wonder if Michelle Rhee was a part of this conversation if she would accept everything you say she thinks? I don’t know; I’ve never met the woman. Nor do I see her as the savior of education as you seem to think I do. I just appreciate her approach of direct honesty and am intrigued as to how things will turn out.