General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsCan we stop listening to this lying fraud (Michelle Rhee) now?
http://takingnote.learningmatters.tv/?p=6232Michelle A. Rhee, Americas most famous school reformer, was fully aware of the extent of the problem when she glossed over what appeared to be widespread cheating during her first year as Schools Chancellor in Washington, DC. A long-buried confidential memo from her outside data consultant suggests that the problem was far more serious than kids copying off other kids answer sheets. (191 teachers representing 70 schools). Twice in just four pages the consultant suggests that Rhees own principals, some of whom she had hired, may have been responsible (Could the erasures in some cases have been done by someone other than the students and the teachers?).
Rhee has publicly maintained that, if bureaucratic red tape hadnt gotten in the way, she would have investigated the erasures. For example, in an interview[1] conducted for PBS Frontline before I learned about the confidential memo, Rhee told me, We kept saying, Okay, were going to do this; we just need to have more information. And by the time the information was trickling in back and forth, we were about to take the next years test. And there was a new superintendent of education that came in at the time. And she said, Okay, well, were about to take the next test anyway so lets just make sure that the proper protocols are in place for next time.
At best, that story is misleading.
The rash of wrong to right (WTR) erasures was first noticed by the DC official in charge of testing, who, after consulting with the test-maker, asked Rhee to investigate, in November, 2008. Through her data chief, Rhee turned to Dr. Fay G. Sandy Sanford for outside analysis.
I have a copy of the memo[2] and have confirmed its authenticity with two highly placed and reputable sources. The anonymous source is in DCPS; the other is DC Inspector General Charles Willoughby. A reliable source has confirmed that Rhee and Deputy Chancellor Kaya Henderson discussed the memo in staff gatherings. Sanford came to Washington to present his findings in late January, 2009, after which he wrote his memo.
lots and lots more at the link
dsc
(52,130 posts)but part of me thinks she could drain the blood of a baby on stage during the superbowl halftime show and people would still extoll her virtue.
DirkGently
(12,151 posts)dkf
(37,305 posts)If you give up on testing because people are cheating, that's no solution.
Is the accusation that she entrapped them and made the stakes so high she forced them to cheat?
What is the blame aimed at here?
dsc
(52,130 posts)instead she goes around and gets praise for what we now know she knew was a can of fraud. To top it off, she left the district worse off by every single measure.
MyOwnPeace
(16,888 posts)now THAT is an answer you can't erase or change!
Great response!
dkf
(37,305 posts)Would you have supported fraud charges against officials and teachers involved?
dsc
(52,130 posts)and yes. What one has to wonder is how many of the fired teachers were ones who didn't cheat but might well have been better than the cheaters who weren't fired.
BrotherIvan
(9,126 posts)Michelle Rhee, lying, and fraud in one sentence is always correct.
ReRe
(10,597 posts).... like Arne Duncan!
sabrina 1
(62,325 posts)unconscionable.
How many good teachers did is she responsible for firing??
So her choices of teachers, after getting rid of so many others, themselves could not take the pressure of this failed, awful system and apparently altered the results of tests.
Is there anyone in the field of education who did not warn that this 'education system' would not result in massive cheating? When you push this 'testing, testing, program, the pressure on everyone is intense, education doesn't happen, and cheating is inevitable.
That woman has done more harm to our educational system, together with Arne Duncan and Rahm Emmanuel than even George Bush managed to do.