Frontline Rhee-view
I watched the Frontline report on Michelle Rhee last night, and there will be no shortage of more detailed critiques, so I’m going to offer just a couple of observations before moving on to the broader issue. (You can also see Frontline’s webpage for many critiques, and strongly negative reactions to both the reporting in the program and the subject herself). First, I found it striking how much Rhee’s tone and affect shift depending on the topic. When the question is about how she wields power and holds those below her accountable, it’s no nonesense, no excuses, no compassion. When it’s a question of her role in creating a climate that encouraged cheating, and her weak response to the evidence of that cheating, then we get the softer Rhee, smiling, shrugging, and equivocating.
I was also struck by the artificiality of this exercise where she calls principals into her office and puts them on the spot to guarantee a certain gain in test scores for the upcoming year. It’s an exercise in guesswork, conducted in a high-pressure and high-stakes setting, and with little precision or clarity. What exactly would it mean, in terms of students’ actual knowledge, skills, and educational dispositions, if those numbers go up five points vs. ten points vs. fifteen points? With zero experience running any school, did Rhee have any actual idea what these numbers would mean, or what kinds of numeric goals were reasonable? Can anyone really
I was also struck by the artificiality of this exercise where she calls principals into her office and puts them on the spot to guarantee a certain gain in test scores for the upcoming year. It’s an exercise in guesswork, conducted in a high-pressure and high-stakes setting, and with little precision or clarity. What exactly would it mean, in terms of students’ actual knowledge, skills, and educational dispositions, if those numbers go up five points vs. ten points vs. fifteen points? With zero experience running any school, did Rhee have any actual idea what these numbers would mean, or what kinds of numeric goals were reasonable? Can anyone really
