Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee Responds to Cheating Accusations, Takes on Teachers Unions
Long considered a failing institution, the D.C. public school system was overdue for a shake-up when newly elected Mayor Adrian Fenty took office in 2007. Enter Michelle Rhee, a education professional who sparked interest among mid-career professionals who sought opportunities as public school teachers through The New Teacher Project– a non-profit organization she founded in 1997.
Though she didn’t have experience running a school system, Fenty offered Rhee the job and gave her carte blanche to make whatever changes she felt were necessary. Through an aggressive series of controversial reforms, Rhee took on teachers unions, fired administrators and principals, and closed several underperforming and underused schools. Though she became a target of critics, Rhee asserted that many of her changes led to dramatic improvement in student achievement.
Now, Rhee is once again in the spotlight after a claim surfaced last week contending there was widespread cheating on standardized tests during the embattled administrator’s tenure. Rhee responded to earlier rumors on cheating at a Commonwealth Club appearance back in February.
She also argued that teachers unions do a great job in defending teaching jobs, but at the expense of helping students receive a good education.