Arne pressuring DC mayor elect Gray to keep Rhee as school head.

[madfloridian]

From Newsweek:

Duncan to D.C.: Keep Rhee in Her Job

U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan said Wednesday that he is actively reaching out to D.C. Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee and presumptive mayor Vincent Gray in an attempt to work out a deal to keep Rhee in her job. After Gray defeated incumbent Mayor Adrian Fenty in a bitter Democratic primary last week, education reformers expressed concern that Rhee—a Fenty ally—would quit her post, imperiling all the recent progress the troubled school system has made. During a breakfast meeting with reporters, Duncan acknowledged that he has already spoken to Rhee once, and will talk to her again when she returns from her honeymoon with new husband Kevin Johnson, the mayor of Sacramento, Calif. He also said he has repeatedly tried to reach Gray by phone to discuss the matter with him. “We’ve been trading calls the last two days, but we will talk,” Duncan said.

Asked if he was considering adding Rhee to his team, Duncan said he was a “big fan” of the schools chancellor but said he thought her “leadership” was needed in her current job. “I’d like to give this thing a chance to improve over time,” he said.

Sounds pretty actively reaching out if he keeps calling Gray.

There's a big amount of money involved for DC.

Duncan has some influence with Gray, since the federal department recently announced that D.C. was one of the winners of the national Race to the Top school-reform competition, and stands to win $75 million if it implements the reforms Rhee’s administration outlined in its application.

Noting that “D.C. schools were known for a long time as a national disgrace,” Duncan said he knows that Gray “knows what’s at stake” and “wants D.C. schools to continue to make progress.” The city’s education-reform efforts, Duncan said, “absolutely have to continue.”

Sounds like a lot of pressure.

[LostInAnomie]

1. I'd pay good money to see that piece of shit Rhee get fired.

See how she likes her own medicine.

[KingFlorez]

2. If she has made progress, she should keep her job

The truth is, a lot of teachers are no good and shouldn't be on the payroll.

[blondeatlast]

3. Which ones? What have they done wrong? If you hold such knowledge, I think

you owe it to DU to post more than a single line about such a serious issue.

[KingFlorez]

10. Good teachers usually don't get fired

I haven't seen any proof that these teachers were fired for no reason at all.

[blondeatlast]

13. Of course not--your good teachers taught you that you can't prove a negative.

So, for what righteous reasons were they fired?

[The Philosopher]

14. Ha

That's awfully similar to the reasoning Republicans gave when everyone began complaining about the Patriot Act. "If you've done nothing wrong, you have nothing to worry about."

Years later, we found out different. Right?

Obviously if a teacher is doing their job, they have nothing to worry about. So what's the problem?

[proud2BlibKansan]

35. I have

A very good teacher I worked with years ago was fired because she caught her principal doing the nasty in his office with another teacher. Lawyers got involved. She got money but lost her teaching certificate.

It happens. Apparently more than you realize or are willing to admit. I choose the latter.

[madfloridian]

6. There has not been that much progress made. Sorry you think lots of teachers are bad.

"Rhee’s problem with D.C.’s new test scores

D.C. Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee has a problem, and it’s not the fact that elementary school standardized test scores just went down (at a bad time for Mayor Adrian Fenty, who appointed Rhee and is seeking reelection).

The problem is that she has made rising standardized test scores a central measure for achievement -- hers, students and teachers.

When test scores go up, as they very often do when a great emphasis is put on the results and teachers “teach to the test” (either consciously or subconsciously), it is easy to claim credit. School reforms are working! Yeah!

But scores invariably go down after a time, no matter who is giving them and who is taking them, and they do so for reasons that may have nothing to do with the teacher, or the student, or the schools district chief."

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/answer-sheet/dc-schools/rhees-problem-with-dcs-new-tes.html

[sabrina 1]

8. One day the current system under Bush/Duncan will go down in history

as one of the most cynical and disgraceful methods of 'education' ever. It is not only bad in terms of actually educating students, it is harmful.

Too bad we will produce a generation of two of people who are unable to think critically and can only 'think' when they have a multiple choice test question in front of them. But then, some people think that is the goal of this 'system of education'. To produce robots who will make good followers so the elite won't have to worry about a thinking population. They will be very good at following orders.

Arne Duncan is a disgrace and never, ever should have been placed in the position of not only continuing the disastrous Bush policies on education but he is going even further.

[chimpymustgo]

38. I agree.

[YvonneCa]

44. And that will hurt the Democratic Party...

...and Obama...as well as kids and educators.

[Dappleganger]

16. If teachers have made progress, they should be able to keep their jobs as well.

[madfloridian]

26. Very good point.

[olegramps]

40. What do you base this outrageous statement on. Your reading of Tea Leaves, Bagger?

[YvonneCa]

43. The truth is...

...that is not the truth.

[blondeatlast]

4. Arne, go to hell.

Just my personal opiniom.

[xchrom]

5. Of course he is - he's sold every one a bill of goods and now

He has to keep a happy face on things so he isn't discredited
As he should be.

[Starry Messenger]

7. What disgusting people.

I hope there is a hell for arrogant yuppies.

[KamaAina]

9. Oh god, she's the one who married KJ?!

Sacramento could be in deep doo-doo if she heads there. :scared:

[blondeatlast]

11. Crap--really? That makes this Suns fan sooo sick to her stomach.

I love KJ, but this may be more than I can take.

[chimpymustgo]

39. He was in DC campaigning for Fenty - going door to door. Rhee - illegally - also campaigned for her

boss.

We voted them BOTH out.

[Starry Messenger]

12. Seriously.

I've been dreading her coming here to CA for 6 months.

[madfloridian]

15. Didn't they postpone the big wedding?

To have a smaller one privately date unknown?

I think I read that.

[proud2BlibKansan]

17. Well of course he wants her to stay

She's his ally.

[Stinky The Clown]

18. Rhee, on the night Fenty lost to Gray: "This is devastating."

So ..... Arne ...... why should he keep her on?

Go shoot some hoops, Stretch.

[Fire1]

32. LOL!!! n/t

[craigmatic]

19. Rhee is only in it to fire teachers.

[Dawson Leery]

20. Arne Duncan: The Alberto Gonzalez of the Obama Administration.

[QC]

47. He seems more a Brownie to me.

Heckuva job, Arne!

[ibegurpard]

21. Someone needs to repost the Arne's statement about being willing to work with the Republicans

[madfloridian]

23. Here you go.

"While Education Secretary Arne Duncan says education should be the one issue where “we put politics and ideology to the side,” he still plans to hit the campaign trail for Democratic candidates in mid-October.

Speaking at a Monitor-sponsored breakfast for reporters Wednesday, Secretary Duncan said “we have tried to work very hard in a bipartisan way to do the right thing by children.” He added, “I have a great working relationship with Mr. Boehner,” referring to Ohio Republican John Boehner who could become speaker if Republicans take control of the House. “I don’t think he is going to become speaker," he said, "but whatever happens we are going to continue to work closely together.”

http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/monitor_breakfast/2010/0922/Education-Secretary-Arne-Duncan-will-campaign-for-Democrats

[olegramps]

41. Now does anyone not understand why Obama choose him. Mr. Bipartisanship.

What is it with this administration? They all suffer from battered spouse syndrome. The Republican kick them in the teeth and they end up kissing their asses.

[Canuckistanian]

22. Oh, this should be good

If Gray were smart, he'd realize that REJECTION of the Rhee-Fenty unholy alliance is what helped get him elected.

And he's GOT to be smarting from Rhee's "Waiting for Superman" premiere comments.

Bye-bye, Michelle.

[Nikki Stone1]

24. Rhee is a tool and a whore.

Period.

[madfloridian]

25. More about pressure Arne has put on Gray to keep Rhee. Not good.

"So now we have a new popularly-elected mayor in D.C., Vincent Gray, who won by a substantial margin over incumbent Adrian Fenty. Voters, especially those in predominantly black wards, made it clear that they were voting in large part against the continuation of Michelle Rhee as schools chancellor and especially against her firings of hundred of D.C. teachers. Rhee is the very embodiment of Duncan's Race-To-The-Top reform, a strategy focused on school closings, privately-run charter schools, mass teacher firings, and the undermining of collective-bargaining agreements.

Duncan campaigned actively for Fenty in the days leading up to the election. He used federal dollars to shower the district with grants and awards, as well as personal school tours and photo ops with Fenty and Rhee. Never before in history had an education secretary been so personally involved in trying to shape the outcome of a local mayor's race. He, along with several of the powerhouse foundations underwriting Rhee's efforts, even threatened to withhold more than $75 million in badly-needed school dollars should Gray defeat Fenty and replace Rhee with a leader more acceptable to the community.

But those threats obviously backfired, seeming to energize D.C. voters even more against Fenty, Rhee and Duncan.

Now suddenly, mayoral control seems to have slid from atop Duncan's priority list. Cheered on by a host of Washington's rich and powerful attending the recent premiere screening of the anti-union propaganda film Waiting for Superman, Duncan went into full arm-twisting mode, repeatedly calling Gray to cajole, threaten, and demand that he keep Rhee and her failed, divisive policies in place. Voters be damned."

http://michaelklonsky.blogspot.com/2010/09/duncans-for-mayoral-control-only-if-he.html

[sulphurdunn]

42. There's got to be a federal regulation

somewhere prohibiting this kind of strong arm muscling into local politics by a federal appointee. I'd like to hear from a lawyer because what Arne is doing sounds like influence peddling, extortion and bribery.

[patty2828]

46. Duncan and his cronies

Arne Duncan never spent a day in a classroom teaching. Michelle Rhee spent only 3 years teaching (I may be incorrect, but don't think so) and she was trained by Teach for America, which does not believe in a traditional college education program, but rather an alternative program.
I was a teacher for 22 years and recently retired from a teacher's union where I advocated for teachers, education employees and public education for 15 years. I represented numerous teachers over time and found very few of them to be incompetent. As in any profession there are individuals who should not be in the system, but I must say that there are very few teachers (in my public school experience) who should be counseled out of the system.
Teachers are dedicated, passionate, talented and sincere. They have been the political scapegoat since "A Nation at Risk" and they continue to take abuse. I believe it is time for our Public School Educators to get mad, get organized and to speak up. Arne Duncan and his ilk are wrong! Beating up on our teachers is not going to find "Superman". Superman and Superwoman show up in our classrooms each and every day. They work long hours, continually search for strategies to help struggling students and celebrate their students' achievements whether they be baby steps or giant steps.

I am proud of our teachers and what they do. Thank you to all of them, and shame on Duncan, Rhee and anyone who tries to abuse them. I am ready to fight back are you?

[Sancho]

27. Hell no!

Send her to Newark!

[swilton]

28. Rhee was one of the reasons that Fenty lost the primary

Having just moved to New Hampshire from that area, this is the first time I had heard that Fenty was defeated. It is not surprising as he was criticized for cronyism-corruption, arrogance, etc.

I also read the earlier discussion about Oprah and her program on educational 'reform'. Michelle Rhee was one of her experts...I'm taking what I heard from the critics - but Rhee was a poor example. Her policies were extremely unpopular in DC - I hope she doesn't stay on....It is a mistake for Duncan/Oprah to use her as a paradigm.

[YvonneCa]

45. And a mistake for our President. n/t

[Nevernose]

29. "Educations reformers expressed concern that Rhee...would quit..."

I think they've got that a little backwards. Union-busters expressed concern; education reformers (and others with knowledge of schools and children) expressed cautious optimism.

[Chan790]

31. More than cautious optimism.

I called the mayor-elect as a constituent to tell him that I supported him explicitly to fire her. I was told they're getting a lot of those calls.

[Chan790]

30. If Gray caves, he'll be a one-termer too.

Dissatisfaction with Rhee and a desire to see her replaced was second in open-response polling as the deciding factor in this election after various permutations of "Fenty's a massive prick."

If it was a referendum on Rhee and to some extent it clearly was, the voters have spoken. We want her out and think she's earned that pink-slip. So did Fenty.

[LWolf]

33. I hope Gray resists. nt

[martigras]

34. The sad thing about education

Even if they did fire her (and she should be fired) she would just land in some other school district and
ruin morale there. All these educational know-it-all's make their big bucks by rotating from system to system....sort of like the dance of the reformist lemons.

[proud2BlibKansan]

36. Welcome to DU!

:hi:

[madfloridian]

37. And she might become part of Arne's staff. He likes her so much.

Do I sound bitter? I guess I am.

There should not be this atmosphere toward teachers with a Democratic administration. It's wrong.