Failed DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee's 15 Minutes Are Over
Once again, Michelle Rhee demonstrates she has no understanding of the politics of the nation or compassion for LGBT teachers and students. Last week her organization StudentsFirst named John Ragan, a member of the Tennessee House of Representatives as the state's 'Educational Reformer of the Year.' In doing so StudentsFirst talked about Ragan as someone who "stands up for the kids of Tennessee and has been a leading advocate for change".
What they neglected to mention was that Ragan co-authored a bill in Tennessee that in essence would have forced school officials to notify parents of children who privately discussed their sexual orientation with them. Hedy Weinberg, executive director of the ACLU of Tennessee said:
It's inexcusable to make counseling professionals out LGBT or questioning young people to family members, when all too many parents physically abuse their LGBT children, force them into quack 'reparative therapy' programs, or kick them out of their homes. This disgraceful bill pays lip service to student safety, but in reality it puts vulnerable young people at terrible risk.
For many who worked with Rhee in the District of Columbia, the honor her organization gave Ragan appears to be a continuation of her lack of understanding or interest in the needs of LGBT