Rhee Fires 22 Assistant Principals
D.C. Schools Chancellor Michelle A. Rhee fired 22 assistant principals this week, her second round of school administrative terminations that came about a month after her dismissal of 24 principals.
Rhee, who previously said some of the principals were terminated because she differed on the direction they were taking the schools, offered no reason for moving against the assistant principals. Under D.C. law, the administrative leaders work on year-to-year contracts and can be terminated without cause.
"Both principals and assistant principals serve at the will of the chancellor. The decisions were made based on the chancellor's consultation with principals and instructional superintendents," Rhee's spokeswoman Mafara Hobson said today in an e-mail. She declined to offer any more information, citing personnel policies.
Aona Jefferson, executive vice president of the Council of School Officers, which represents principals and assistant principals, said the 46 represents the largest number of administrative leaders who were not reappointed to their positions. She said several assistant principals called expressing dismay.
"Definitely, there are feelings of unfairness. They were given no evaluation in some cases," Jefferson said, adding that the dismissals seem "arbitrary and personal."
"There's no specificity to what's being done -- no documentation for what's being done," she said.
Jefferson said she has asked the D.C. Council to investigate the firings.
Dion Haynes
By Dion Haynes |
June 18, 2008; 4:57 PM ET
| Category:
Education
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Posted by: Resident | June 18, 2008 5:21 PM
Smallberries is in favor of giving Ms. Rhee firing power over the entire DC workforce. She has shown she does not have smallberries! She can get the job done and move on.
Smallberries for DC Councilman - At Large!
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Posted by: John Smallberries, Republican | June 18, 2008 5:57 PM
I believe if you provided Ms. Rhee with a front loader, she could single-handedly open Klingle Road. I would put her in charge of this project, and encourage her to beat of the councilwoman Mary who if she gets in the way.
Smallberries for DC Councilman - At Large!
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Posted by: John Smallberries, Republican | June 18, 2008 6:02 PM
My apologies, that should read, "beat up councilwoman Mary Cheh if she gets in the way."
Carry on.
Smallberries for DC Councilman - At Large!
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Posted by: John Smallberries, Republican | June 18, 2008 6:04 PM
Can anyone from The Post provide a good reason why the D.C. Wire logo/graphic shows more of a map of Virginia than it does of D.C.?
Posted by: dcvoterboy | June 18, 2008 11:18 PM
This is the worst metropolitan school system in the entire nation. Things need to be shaken up a bit. Obviously, people aren't doing their jobs. Otherwise, DC wouldn't have such a bad reputation. Good for Rhee. Good for Fenty. And most importantly, good the children of the District. The teachers are next.
Posted by: dcp | June 19, 2008 9:28 AM
Oh and may I add that these kinds of shakeups would never have taken place if old school Linda Cropp had been elected. DC put the right person in charge.
Posted by: dcp | June 19, 2008 9:32 AM
dcp, I could not have said it better. And the right person is:
Smallberries - At Large 08!
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Posted by: John Smallberries, Republican | June 19, 2008 11:57 AM
Please do your research, because those who rated DC among the worst school districts definitely did not. No respectable researcher evaluates cities and states using the same rubric.
DC schools need a lot of work, agreed. But to blindly allow someone (with little experience) to sweep teachers and administrators out of positions with no explanation, is myopic.
When Rhee came in, she promised 'transparency.' Are you comfortable with not knowing what her plans are for our city's students? It doesn't take a lot of energy to destroy a stucture. The real work comes from rebuilding a strong new structure. Are you sure you believe in her ability to rebuild the schools? Do YOU know what her plan is?
Just realize that we have given her a blank check, with no perameters. Who does that? I guess people whose children don't go to DC schools would allow that kind of experimentation.
Posted by: tiptop | June 19, 2008 11:44 PM
The comments to this entry are closed.
Not renewing a 1-year contract is NOT the same as "firing."