Defeat of D.C. mayor could bring schools chancellor to California

[Starry Messenger]

http://californiawatch.org/watchblog/defeat-dc-mayor-could-bring-schools-chancellor-california-4770

While no decisions about her future have been made, by calling the results of the election "devastating" yesterday Rhee seems to be intentionally setting the stage for her inevitable departure from D.C. In many ways, at least some of the reason Fenty lost was because of her deep unpopularity among several key D.C. constituencies. Just how deep? Check out this column yesterday by the Washington Post's Courtland Malloy in which he describes Rhee as being part of "the old antebellum system of control" and has contributed to a climate of "friendly fascism" in the District.

Were Rhee to find a post in California, she would not be the first former D.C. schools chancellor to come here. Former San Francisco Superintendent Arlene Ackerman (now a superintendent in Philadelphia) came West from DC in 2000.

One possible landing place would be at a foundation with a reform agenda similar to hers. And there are no shortage of those. The Broad Foundation in Los Angeles has been a leader in promoting charter schools. The Seattle-based Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which would at least get Rhee closer to the West Coast, is at the forefront of the current "teacher effectiveness" movement.

As for the public schools, now that Los Angeles Unified Superintendent Ramon Cortines has announced he'll be retiring this spring, there will be an opening for the top school post there, although John Deasy seems to be the front runner to succeed him. There's always a chance that, come November, a newly elected Gov. Meg Whitman will be looking for a new Secretary of Education, which would conveniently land Rhee a job in Sacramento itself, although the job has a smidgen, if that, of the the authority that she has been accustomed to in D.C.

Fenty's defeat has one immediate consequence: Rhee and Johnson may have also have more time to clear up the confusion around their planned wedding at St. John's Lutheran Church in downtown Sacramento. It was originally scheduled for September 4. In a major breach of etiquette, the couple cancelled it just 11 days before the event, telling the 200 invited guests they wanted to have a more intimate affair at a later date.

Do. Not. Want.

[Smarmie Doofus]

1. Her DC tenure appears to have flopped.

A somewhat complicated picture, but it's hard to see it any other way.

Why the big rush to hire her in California?

Or *anywhere*, really?

[Starry Messenger]

2. I don't know.

She seems to have failure written all over her. This is the third thing I've seen suggesting she might relocate out here. I sure as hell don't want her! I have to live here. I guess CA would be a big plum for the ed deformers though.

[Smarmie Doofus]

3. I'm not sure where Brown is re. the "reform" fad, but...

....a Whitman win would be great for Rhee.

A calamity for Cal PSs that are still functioning effectively, I'd wager.

But Rhee's employability quotient will go thru the roof.

She's tailor-made for a $$$ Whitman admin.

The "flop" part is the only stickler. Might be a little hard to sell her to the general public.

[Starry Messenger]

4. Brown's a wild card on education.

I've had a cautious eye on him. His education campaign statement has backed off a bit on his support for charters, but he was my mayor when I lived in Oakland and he was not a fan of the public school system. He also tends to be rather trickle-down in his economic policies, IMO. Whitman is bad, no doubt. I can't wait for this election to be over.

Link: http://www.jerrybrown.org/node/967

[watrwefitinfor]

5. Congratulations (in advance) to the people of DC

for getting rid of this shill/shrill piece of baggage.

Wat

[Recursion]

9. Meh. This former and soon-to-be-again Districtian is worried about Gray

I'm giving the guy the benefit of the doubt for now, but getting rid of a chancellor is not worth going back to the Barry/Kelly days.

[YvonneCa]

11. I'm sure there must be some middle...

...ground there. :)

[Reader Rabbit]

6. Jeebus. As if California didn't already have enough problems.

Can't wait to hear what my friends who still teacher there think about this.

[Starry Messenger]

7. Seriously.

Spread the word.

[soleiri]

8. DO NOT WANT!!!!

as both a parent, and soon (hopefully) a teacher in CA, stay the hell out.

[Starry Messenger]

10. I shudder every time I think about it.

I'm sure a lot of folks are licking their chops at the prospect. I don't know why she is still being feted. Maybe it's the glow from being in "Waiting For Superman".