What Did We Learn from Michelle Rhee? 2/25/2011

Richard Whitmire, Author of "The Bee Eater," discusses education reform.

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[keybobrob]

LISTEN VERY CAREFULLY TO WHAT HE SAID AT 5:05 - 5:23 This slip EXPOSES more of the truth. Notice that he did not say "EFFECTIVE TEACHERS" He said the "YOUNGER and EFFECTIVE TEACHERS".Is this all about EFFECTINESS OR AGE?? Read between the lines. While it is DEFINITELY TRUE that there are a percentage of older &younger ineffective teachers in public schools it is also true that younger ones are going to be paid less & put in non union charters..so that profits can be maximized by the profiteers!

[BosPercussion]

@Kapitainleutnant Could be but as a teacher and an informed individual on the matter, Union mafia is not a far exaggeration Protecting their own at the expense of the students and the taxpayer is a fairly accurate description. Furthermore the teacher tenure process as is currently place is outrightly a protect your own system.

[Kapitainleutnant]

"Union Mafia" (which is actually how you SPELL "mafia," not "maffia") is usually a buzz word for persons who know NOTHING about either teachers or unions.

[Reporter40]

@akspartan92 Yes I've seen you around. Good job staying on top of things. Rhee was the first one who couldn't be brought down by the Union maffia. So they got her through her boss. It's super sad. The unions don't care about the children. Only their money is important.

[akspartan92]

@Reporter40 I've been flaming her on every video I see her on. She blocks everyone from seeing her page and never responds back to my comments. It's so frustrating that someone like her is in a position where she gets paid for being a terrible teacher.

[Reporter40]

The problem we see here is that old teachers could be fired under the pretext that they were bad teachers. But it's only a trick to get rid of older employees. Listen, if old teachers are fired they won't get a job anymore anywhere. Young teachers are cheaper...

Yet at the same moment Rhee wants to fire really bad teachers but she isn't allowed by the union maffia.

Also, another way to fire old teachers is by fiddling with the Last In First Out rule.

So keep these three subjects in sight!

[Reporter40]

@raynica94 MsJanetWood knows this but she's a union thug following Michelle Rhee subjects on YouTube and posts something negative. It's her hobby/job.

[Reporter40]

@MsJanetWood Fucking whore you're chasing Michelle Rhee subjects on YouTube and post something negative about it. You're either a union thug or white trash indoctrinated by the union.

[bnannylv]

Rhee is the epitome of the Sellout. The shill. The fraud. The person who will do or say absolutely anything if she is handed enough cash.

FYI, I'm not a teacher. Nor is anyone in my family.

But I'm a parent of a young child and a taxpayer. And I'm disgusted by the "Educational Reform" movement---a thinly veiled attempt to gradually phase out the American tradition of free, universal public education.

But now, we parents are pushing back. And Rhee will succeed only over our dead bodies.

[raynica94]

@MsJanetWood Whether the teachers that were fired were "older, black women" or not, they were not fit to teach anymore. While being credentialed and experienced can be a plus, it does not mean that they are immediately qualified be excellent educators for students. If they are not good, then they should find another profession that tailors to their skills and abilities. Secondly, it does not matter whether you are young, white, and inexperienced. If you are a good teacher, then you should stay.