DCist: Schools Roundup: Stepping on Flowers Edition

mommyworks

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 10:19:23 -0500

As a parent of a kid in the DCPS system, I have to say good for Rhee. There are a small handful (less than 10) of schools in upper NW that are succeeding in their mission to educate children. The vast majority of schools are failing. I see nothing wrong with new hires having a probationary period where they can be dismissed if it is not working out. That is how the real world works. Anyone who has ever had to hire someone should know that sometimes it does not work no matter how great the resume, writing samples and interviews are. This is important really important. Educating kids is one of the most important things in life next to loving them and caring for them. Over the past 2 years I have been shocked at the utter ignorance that the vast majority of parents show with respect to what an adequate education is. Don't fall for the massive amount of DC teacher's Union propaganda. I am pro-union and have served as shop steward in a previous position and our union was not a jobs program for the inept like the DCTU runs. They are a blight on organized labor.

HCE

Tue, 14 Oct 2008 19:38:45 -0500

"I challenge you to name one candidate that is remotely viable to unseat Fenty in two years." Ask me again in two years.

Nate

Tue, 14 Oct 2008 17:16:49 -0500

Some possible "unforeseen reasons": - information came to light that called into question something on Ms. BenZion's resume; - accepted a contract with lots of rules and caveats related to following the Rhee agenda, and then did a 180 and refused to enact reforms; - her previous experience running two small pre-schools turned out to be completely inadequate to the management challenge of being in charge of an entire elementary school or to maneuvering in the bureaucratic environs of DCPS; - etc., etc., etc. We may never know for sure what happened here, since Rhee is barred by personnel policies from discussing it, but it seems clear that in some way Rhee and her team felt that they did not get what they had paid for in Ms. BenZion. I wouldn't be surprised if the basic dynamic underlying the situation, though, was that Rhee and her team thought BenZion's "outsider" status and lack of public school experience would make her a natural ally in shaking up the status quo, and that for whatever reason she turned out not to be.

Reid

Tue, 14 Oct 2008 16:33:25 -0500

"Not completely inaccurate, Reid, when you consider that she was a one-term mayor." I challenge you to name one candidate that is remotely viable to unseat Fenty in two years.

alewis

Tue, 14 Oct 2008 15:35:01 -0500

What I find the most disturbing is not that this principal was fired but that Rhee herself hired her for the position. I can't imagine what "unforeseen reasons" could have come up in three months, and I think Rhee's quick about-face speaks volumes about her lack of judgment.

Virginia is for Losers

Tue, 14 Oct 2008 15:06:51 -0500

Not completely inaccurate, Reid, when you consider that she was a one-term mayor.

demonfafa

Tue, 14 Oct 2008 15:06:30 -0500

Rhee just hates Jews.

SuperDrew

Tue, 14 Oct 2008 15:06:29 -0500

Honestly, I have no interest in second guessing Rhee. Real reform is tough to swallow, and people are bound to get their feelings hurt. Tough. It looks to me like she's walking the walk, and I'm pleased.

Reid

Tue, 14 Oct 2008 14:56:54 -0500

"Adrian Fenty = Sharon Pratt Kelly 2.0." That's a facile and completely inaccurate statement. SPK failed because she was passive and uninvolved from day one. She was elected by the Upper 16th st. aristocracy and failed to have a clue as to how the DC government works. Moreover, even if she had been a more skilled mayor, she was still taking over for Marion Barry and when the city was still in the midsst of the worst of the crack epidemic. Fenty has faults, but being passive and uninvolved are surely not among them. And he had the luck to take over from Williams (who by the way, was more passive and uninvolved) and in the midst of an economic boom.

MandarinZazz

Tue, 14 Oct 2008 14:46:42 -0500

Well written letter Ben Zion. I think we know why you were fired. I hope English is not your first language. I think you need to get Rheeducated in basic english punctuation.

Politburo

Tue, 14 Oct 2008 14:42:14 -0500

Campaign donations are public records.. if there is such a connection, it's probably best to verify it before lobbing accusations.

Virginia is for Losers

Tue, 14 Oct 2008 14:33:32 -0500

We all know how vindictive Mayor Fenty is. These school employees being fired are probably those who donated to the campaigns of his opponents when he was running for mayor. Adrian Fenty = Sharon Pratt Kelly 2.0.

monkeyrotica

Tue, 14 Oct 2008 14:33:04 -0500

“Unforeseen reasons” is bureaucrat-ese for "we found the pictures of you with the shaved panda amputee and the de-beaked octopus."

OnlyatBrandeis

Tue, 14 Oct 2008 14:29:07 -0500

Galeet BenZion is pretty much the most Israeli name I've ever heard and if you translate her letter to Hebrew, statements such as "I am not the right fit to this community and it is best for the children that I am replaced" are grammatically correct. I've noticed that the ear is much more forgiving to the speech idiosyncrasies of non-native English speakers, whereas the same errors are much more glaring in written form. I worry that typical DC uproar and drama will prevent Rhee's reforms from having an opportunity to generate some improvements. Seems pretty hypocritical to deny a new principal such an opportunity.

IMGoph

Tue, 14 Oct 2008 14:27:25 -0500

wow, what the heck does ms. rhee have against our hebrew-named educators!???