Rhee: 'Conspiracy theorists' have it wrong
I spoke to Chancellor Michelle A. Rhee Tuesday afternoon, a few hours after she told the D.C. Council that a $34 million surplus in the DCPS budget would help pay for teacher salaries under the new proposed labor contract. Rhee said evidence of the extra money--which is expected to decrease the District's reliance on private funds--was discovered by a senior aide in late February, three months after she laid off 266 teachers. The layoffs were driven, she said, by budgetary forecasts supplied to her last summer by the office of D.C. Chief Financial Officer (OCFO) Natwar M. Gandhi.
Here are excerpts from the 30-minute conversation:
Here are excerpts from the 30-minute conversation:
BT: When did you learn about the $34 million?
MR: Late February.
BT: Did you share this with anybody? At the bargaining table? The council?
MR: No.
BT: Do you think in retrospect it might have been better to share this?
MR: Why? What do you mean?
MR: Late February.
BT: Did you share this with anybody? At the bargaining table? The council?
MR: No.
BT: Do you think in retrospect it might have been better to share this?
MR: Why? What do you mean?
BT: There was so much anxiety about the private funding....
MR: Let me say this. I thought it was good news. The good news was that we were going to be able to allay the fears a lot of people had
MR: Let me say this. I thought it was good news. The good news was that we were going to be able to allay the fears a lot of people had
