D.C. Schools Chief Michelle Rhee Fights Union Over Teacher Pay

It is so sickening. The truth is never told. If the public could see how poorly behaved a great many of the students are in our nation's city schools, they would gasp. The reason students are failing is because they aren't trying to learn, but instead spend their time disrupting classes, antagonizing one another, and making excuses for not doing the work. Teachers are over-whelmed. PARENTS ARE NOT RAISING THEIR CHILDREN RIGHT. They spoil them, lie for them, make excuses for them, and ignore them. It doesn't matter if the student comes from a wealthy family or a poor one, money has nothing to do with what is happening in the public school system - the true reason schools are experiencing so much failure is the lack of consistent discipline in the home. It's time for teachers to march on Washington - it's time for teachers to stand up to the lies that cast blame on them for our failing schools. Merit pay could never be fairly implemented because students are the problem, not the teachers.

thed of DC 8:22PM January 11, 2010

I support Chancellor Rhee in everything she is trying to do, "Children First", but there is another side. The most important issue with some schools is the lack of parental support. As a non teaching employee in a school, I watch the teachers on a daily basis contend with the most disrespectful and disrupitive students and parents you can imagine. These are teachers WHO ARE TENURED AND CAN TEACH, but spend a huge amount of time disciplining the children. Just yesterday a new teacher said that she had a WONDERFUL DAY, and that she covered so much because her behaviors (8) were not at school (snow). At what point do we hold the parents accountable for their children. It is the parents who want to attack the teachers when their child is sent to the office. It is the parent who refuse to leave their job to come to the school when requested. It is the parent who tell their children to walk out of the classroom if they want water or use the restroom (which is the most common excuse for walking out the classroom in the middle of a lesson - same children). It is the parent who will not attend the PTA meetings because they are too tired after working all day (what about the teachers???). It is the parent who WILL come to the school if someone put dirt in their child's new 100.00 sneakers or torn their jacket while playing, but won't come to the PTA or a meeting with the principal). It is the parent who consistently forget to give the child their daily dose of medication. It is the parent who send their child to school late each day (guess what? they don't work). It is the child who threatens the teacher by calling their parents when directed to throw away their gum, put the sunflower seeds away, throw the candy away. It is the child who sneak to make telephone calls (cell) to their parents if things are not going their way (parents know that the students can not use cell phones). It is the child who hits the teacher who tries to break up the fight. Those are just a few. As for new teachers, ha! Most do not return the second year. The staff turn around in some of these schools is ridiculous. THEY CAN NOT HANDLE IT. They soon get the word that upper NW is the place to be and that is where they will go. On the other hand, if it is a 2 year commitment and they can not get to upper NW, they will stay for the second year and then hit the road. With that said, it is the tenured teachers who are committed, because they stay and take the abuse, instead of requesting a transfer. My heart goes out to every teacher in my building, because what I see each and everyday, proves my point that ALL TEACHERS IN THE WORLD are grossly under paid!! As a parent of 3 college educated children, it would have never occurred to me to fault the teacher. My motto was, "if your name is in it, then it IS YOU not the TEACHER." PARENTS HAVE TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE!!

T of DC of DC 10:40AM January 09, 2010

I'm a young person about to enter the teaching profession. I'm proud of my abilities, and I'm excited to become a highly effective teacher. HOWEVER, I WOULD NEVER ACCEPT A POSITION IN A DISTRICT WHICH DOES NOT GRANT TENURE. The system is flawed, and we do need to make it easier to get rid of poor quality teachers. As a teacher who cares, it bothers me to see incompetent teachers in the classroom. However, there are many behind the scenes issues which happen in schools that the people do not see. Politics and petty spite are common in schools outside of class time. Without tenure, influential parents, unprofessional administrators, and other factions would get good teachers without cause. Districts would suddenly find experienced teachers "disorganized and ineffective" so they could fire highly paid teachers and replace them with new people out of college to save money. Honestly, starting teacher salary in nortern NJ is fair, but I wouldn't want to make that amount my whole career as I hop from school to school. A parent with friends on the board of ed could use their influence against you because you didn't give her precious junior an "A". Helicopter parents, bully principals, and administrators with relatives who want teaching positions will control the classroom. I've seen plenty of instances where competent first and second year teachers were "not renewed" unfairly. Imagine how bad it would be if there was no tenure ever? If you hangout in the teacher's room, the good teachers only talk with other good teachers and the bad teachers form their own group to protect each other. Believe me, we don't want to see incompetent teachers undermining our profession. However, abolishing tenure is not the way to do it. Chancellor Rhee has her heart in the right place, and is thinking like a business person. However, she is not thinking like an education professional. She seems to only have a grasp of what happens during instructional time, and nothing else. I would never take a job in the Washington DC schools for this reason.

Chris of NJ 9:31PM January 04, 2010

Having read the U.S News & World report article in the Jan 2010 magazine regarding Ms. Rhee's tenacity for her efforts to gain better student performance she appears to have the right mettle to perhaps pursue an idea that I've had for years. The idea is certainly not totally new inasmuch as it is used by industry and other organizations all the time. However, it is my idea that much advancement in all facets of public education as well as private could be advance and improved by utilizing the best and brightest of our teachers and professors to teach via the electronic world we now live in by making their lectures/teaching lessons available to the masses (ie by cd's or video telecommunication devices so that they reach a larger number of students rather than just the few fortunate enough to be in their classroom. Not only could this elevate student achievement but it might also reduce the cost of education by reducing the need for mediocre teachers (who just ride out tenure) but it would also reward the more gifted teachers/professors. I'd much prefer the video lessons from a gifted/exciting/knowledgeable teacher to a hum-drum lecture/classroom presentation by an incompetant/less effective teacher. If you think this idea has merit perhaps you could suggest this idea to influential people that might help give it some traction and on the flip side, some eductiors might make a boat load of money in the process and no-one would be the loser.-But the students and our country would be the winners and we could help export this type education around the world to developing countries and we'd all have a better world in which to live. Just as tv news is broadcast around the world, we could also do the same with the use of more effective teaching methods rather than allow the system to plod along for decades

larry e lamb of VA 1:50PM January 02, 2010