Michelle Rhee in DC: Episode 11

Looming problems threaten to derail Michelle Rhee's large reform efforts in Washington, DC. Tensions are rising and stakes are high.

Watch the full series following Michelle Rhee in Washington, DC here: http://bit.ly/9zzcTJ.

This is a Learning Matters Production.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• education
• john
• merrow
• learning
• matters
• reform
• school
• leadership
• michelle
• rhee
• adrian
• fenty
• teach
• for
• america
• washington
• d.c.
• pbs
• newshour
• jim
• lehrer
• gwen
• ifill

[MsJanetWood]

THE TRUTH: Getting rid of LIFO has more to do with MONEY!

They want to fire all the old, EXPENSIVE veteran teachers and hire new, CHEAP inexperienced teachers!

Ironically, the only people making money in education are ADMINISTRATORS, EDUCATIONAL CONSULTANTS, TEXT-BOOK PUBLISHING COMPANIES.

[michaeldeltoro208]

Michelle Rhee is here for our children to be educated not to protect INCOMPETENT employees in the education system!

[theherdmentality]

@itsjustme2919 Have you read nothing else I've posted about this video??? ALL of my other posts are about addresing the cultural issue, specifically the black culutral issue that glorifies ignorance, bad behavior and a lack of responsibility....that is EXACTLY where this conversation needs to go, more than the teachers, but the its goign to be easier to change hte teachers than it will be to stop an entire culture from heading off a cliff. we are not indisagreement on that point.

[itsjustme2919]

@theherdmentality "Michelle Rhee cares more than these teachers who are passing children along who can't even read by the time they graduate." Not true. In one of these videos (not sure which one in the series) she is stated as saying something to the effect of "I can't say they are ready for college, but (big grin) we met our state numbers". Which is why I said its not about education its a numbers game in the first place. In turn it progress her career and screws the kids over in the end.

[itsjustme2919]

Also let me add in European countries, they don't educate everyone. You mess up once you go to trade school. Thats it. Got Down's Syndrome? Probably not going to go to school. In this country we have to educate everybody in the same track and they take the same test. Special needs, ADD,ADHD, etc so naturally our scores will be lower. Its a proven fact.

[itsjustme2919]

@theherdmentality Im not saying there aren't bad teachers, but its also the students job to WANT to do better. I got A's because I wanted them. Also because I face punishment at home if I didn't have them. I know a woman right now who said to me "my kids are so retarded it pisses me off, they are failing big time". Really? Then its your job as a parent to sit down and make sure the homework is done, the grades are in and that they are progressing. Just as much as the teachers.

[itsjustme2919]

@theherdmentality Lets run this scenario. Your student fails the 7th grade. You fail them. Now, you have an angry parent on the phone petitioning the state to take away your teaching license because their kid missed 38 days of school in a school year. This is what happens. In the end, its easier to just pass them along because you get backlash. The parent wins, and I have to say we have pretty shitty parents in this country. Lets address THAT issue first!

[theherdmentality]

I'd openly say "screw these kids, I hate black children AND black culture and I'm going to not teach them so that I can do my part to ensure their failure and the failure of their larger communities...." and I'd laugh into the camera at the petty attempts to get me fired and I'd moon them with "tenure" written on my ass.....

***Given the results of D.C. schools, I'm not convinced that these things aren't already goin on OFF camera. These attitudes maare bad, but the results are the same

[theherdmentality]

@MsJanetWood I'd take this challenge......I'd go to class, give everyone and "A" and sit on my ass at the front of the class and discuss rap music and pop culture with the kids all day. I'd listen to my ipod and tell them to open their books and teach themselves. I'd let the camera watch me get a nice check every month for doing absolutley nothing and I'd let the cameras watch me spend the money and laugh at the people who would try to get me fired for incompetence but absolutely COULDN"T!!!ha!

[theherdmentality]

@itsjustme2919 Michelle Rhee cares more than these teachers who are passing children along who can't even read by the time they graduate. WOuld you EVER want to work somewhere where you worked hard and the person next to you filed thier nails all day and you both got the same pay rate and could NEVER be fired? what kind of work environment do you think that woulod lead to, what would it do to the morale of the workers to know they could be awful and never be fired? Michelle Rhee is a genius.