Of course the only "crimes" these teachers committed was being too old or being paid too much:
George Parker, president of the teachers union, called Rhee's statements "reckless" and without basis in fact. The union usually receives notice from the District when a teacher faces disciplinary action, Parker said, and he has received no information that any of the 266 had been under investigation for sexual offenses against children. One of the 266 faced action for administering corporal punishment, he said.
"This paints all teachers as being a group of child molesters who assault children and don't come to work," Parker said. "It damages the reputation of a lot of innocent, hardworking, dedicated teachers."
When you are an administrator or principal, you can break the law with impunity, since the taxpayers are footing the bill for your defense.
link
LOTS of good comments over at the Fast Company site.
This comment is REALLY good:
January 22, 2010 at 1:15pm by Betty Williams
Michelle Rhee's comments about firing teachers who hit and molested children and abused sick leave is evident that something is not quite right. As a professional psychologist I have followed the claims from Michelle Rhee regarding the educational system in DC and its staff and believe that first of all strong prayers are in order for her social and emotional stability. There is one thing to protect children but I think this mantra is becoming self imposed as Rhee begins to possibly act out her own childhood. Rhee has noted that her childhood was marked with feeling like an outsider, one who was constantly teased in the midst of not only her own but various other cultures. She claims that she was constantly in trouble because of the things she said to people and how she said them. In an interview, Rhee claimed that her parents constantly chided her about her "mouth" and warned her that it would get her in trouble someday. From the mouths of those who knew her personally she was bossy, crass, and found it difficult to have true friends in her life. Today, she is called a "Chancellor". Not many in history and certainly never in the history of education has anyone been called a "chancellor" accept Adolph Hitler. Hitler, the Chancellor, had a similar childhood, flanked with disappointment, bullying, and low self-esteem until one day he made good on all those who wronged him - whether they were the actual people who wronged him or not. He also found followers as many people find themselves victims of this same type of situation - even today when violence is at one of its most undefineable peaks - arises Michelle Rhee. She rises in the midst of the worst economic recession in history. She rises when there are more blacks in prisons than in schools. She rises in the black community where it is easier and encouraged to test and categorized black boys as Special Ed students. She rises while Principals are encouraged to expel and suspend low performing students from the schools so as not to reduce standardized test scores. She rises as alternative schools increase as a means to shove these students to the side in programs to be treated differently from "mainstream students". She rises as (in her own words)parents of private school students (meaning white children)complain about how expensive private school education is and how they want their children in public schools but don't want black teachers teaching them. She rises also in the midst of gentrification. She rises as the status quo grows for African American professionals and role models to be challenged, attacked, televised, and jailed, and as black teachers are escorted from their classrooms and offices in handcuffs. She rises in the midst of our first African American President. I think we should do research on the relationship between gentrification and standardized test scores in Washington, DC. Rhee is obviously not only out for self-aggrandizement in the name of "the children". I just wonder which children she speaks of, certainly not "all" children - just the ones who score high and who have parents with the economic means to place her higher among the social echelon. Which way is up for Michelle Rhee? Clearly, Michelle Rhee needs prayer of which she will receive while in the Black community. And when the Black community begins to pray for Michelle Rhee she needs to be concerned. Black people believe that prayer moves mountains as it has been our only weapon in time of need and despair. Prayer will not harm her but it will set wrongs to right and crooked to straight. At the risk of sounding condescending which is certainly not this attempt, we also offer and pray that Michelle Rhee also seek serious long term therapy as we would not like to see her harmed but healed. Imagine her power used to help instead of to detroy as she has done so well her few years in office as head of the education in a predominant African American school system.
A video report of her ridiculous remarks. As one person said in the report, "Why would these be factors in a RIF?"
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