Rhee to lead 'reform' advocacy group

[n2doc]

By Bill Turque and Nick Anderson
Washington Post Staff Writers
Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Michelle A. Rhee, who often expressed impatience with politics in more than three years as D.C. schools chancellor, launched a new political organization Monday that plans to spend $1 billion to bring her aggressive brand of education reform to the national stage.

Rhee said the new group, StudentsFirst, will pressure elected officials and bankroll candidates at all levels of government who support her approach. The agenda includes recruiting high-quality teachers who are held accountable for student growth, swiftly removing those who do not perform, offering merit pay to reward top educators, expanding school choice and fostering parent and family involvement.

"We'll support any candidate who's reform-minded, regardless of political party, so reform won't be just a few courageous politicians experimenting in isolated locations," Rhee, a longtime Democrat, said in a first-person essay in Newsweek. "It'll be a powerful, nationwide movement."

The announcement marks the widely anticipated next chapter for Rhee, 40, who resigned in October after Mayor Adrian M. Fenty's Democratic primary loss to Vincent C. Gray, who was elected mayor in November.

more

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/12/06/AR2010120607425.html

Wonder where the moolah will come from? Gates?

[proud2BlibKansan]

1. She is delusional

"From the National Rifle Association to the pharmaceutical industry to the tobacco lobby, powerful interests put pressure on our elected officials and government institutions to sway or stop change," Rhee said. "Education is no different. We have textbook manufacturers, teachers' unions and even food vendors that work hard to dictate and determine policy. The public-employee unions in D.C., including the teachers' union, spent huge sums of money to defeat Fenty . . . but there is no big, organized interest group that defends and promotes the interests of children."

There is no interest group that defends children? Oh really, Michelle?

http://www.childrensdefense.org/

[Reader Rabbit]

4. You have to admit, though, that she's a master of self-promotion.

She certainly figured out how to get the media on her side.

[proud2BlibKansan]

5. Yes and they've given her a pass!

She admitted abusing children and the media thought it was just a cute and funny little story.

[femmocrat]

2. "StudentsFirst" = code for "TeachersLast"

:puke:

[Starry Messenger]

3. I'm so sick of right wing bullshit!!

Why doesn't she just join DFER and be done with it? All of these front groups are driving me nuts.