She May Not be Joe the Plumber But…

by WangKon936 on October 18, 2008

It’s clear that Joe the Plumber was the major name dropped in the latest Presidential Debate. What may have been less noticed was the other individual mentioned by both McCain and Obama- Michelle Rhee, the controversial DC public-school chancellor.

Per the DCist, it appeared that both candidates were jockeying to make it look like Rhee supported their education plan. So who is this lady? A nice summary of her is given here.

Essentially, she is the person chosen by the Mayor of DC to reform some of the worst schools in the country. The results over the past two years are open to interpretation, but many view her as a rising star in the nation’s capital. She’s got positive press from both conservative and liberal publications. The fact that she’s the chancellor of all the public schools in Washington DC means that what happens in her reform attempts could have ramifications for the educational system in the rest of the country.

There are even rumors that both candidates are considering Rhee for Secretary of Education (a cabinet position). Democrats like her because she’s a declared Democrat and has an interest in helping disadvantaged children. Republicans like her because she supports President Bush’s No Child Left Behind initiative and likes to bust teacher’s unions.

{ 26 comments… read them below or add one }

1 anunsaram October 18, 2008 at 3:27 pm: D.C. schools spend more money per student than almost any other school district in America.

The school buildings are some of the newest and best equipped facilities in America as well.

D.C. also offers libraries, museums, and cultural attractions second to none IN THE WORLD !

What could possibly account for the deplorable education results ??????

I haven’t a clue,……could someone please shed some light on this for me ?
2 Linkd October 18, 2008 at 3:47 pm: For many years, high-achieving students chose not to be teachers (the average SAT of would-be elementary-school teachers taking a popular licensing exam is significantly below the national average for all college grads). The daughter of a doctor, Rhee, who was raised in Toledo, Ohio, describes herself as “a relatively high-achieving kid all through high school and college. So nobody tells you to go into education,” she says, in her matter-of-fact way, not trying to be ironic. “You know, people are telling you to go be a doctor or a lawyer or a stockbroker. They are not telling you to be a teacher.” Not sure what she wanted to do with her life as she graduated from Cornell in 1992, Rhee joined Teach For America, a then brand-new organization, created by a Princeton student, to get Ivy Leaguers to work in poor inner-city schools for a couple of years. The experience, she says, “has shaped every single day of my life since then.”

Rhee was placed in one of the lowest-performing schools in Baltimore as a second-grade teacher. “It was a total culture shock for me,” she recalls. While she was talking to her students as they lined up for lunch, one of the students fell down on the floor. “Each kid, as they were walking by, kicked the kid that was down,” Rhee says. “I was, like, ‘What are they doing?’ But it was like second nature to them. The kid is down. Kick him.”

Rhee was unable to stop the kids, or control them in the classroom for most of her first year. At Christmas, she went home scratching at huge welts on her arm. A doctor diagnosed stress. Her mother said, “You can apply for law school second semester.” Her father, a strong believer in the work ethic and rooting for the underdog, said, “Suck it up and get back in there.”

She’s fucking hot, too.
3 user-81 October 18, 2008 at 4:00 pm: She’s fucking hot, too.

Either you’re drinking too much beer or I’m not drinking enough.
4 Linkd October 18, 2008 at 4:09 pm: When you put it in bold font it does seem excessive. She’s pretty hot, then, when the camera gets her from a good angle. And that’s all I say, hey hey, cuz I’m off to Cirque du Soleil.
5 globalvillageidiot October 18, 2008 at 6:51 pm: Interesting and inspirational story. Nice to see that her efforts are appreciated by both parties. Hope she keeps up the good work.

“She’s fucking hot, too.”

Not my cup of tea, but to each his own!
6 cm October 18, 2008 at 7:34 pm: It’s great to hear some very positive views about Korean Americans for a change, instead of the usual fare.
7 Sonagi October 18, 2008 at 9:16 pm: Democrats like her because she’s a declared Democrat and has an interest in helping disadvantaged children. Republicans like her because she supports President Bush’s No Child Left Behind initiative and likes to bust teacher’s unions.

I’d be surprised if she supports NCLB without reservations as every single educator who’s expressed an opinion about it in a staff meeting has said that the premise is sound but some of the specific regulations need to be altered. One absurd requirement is that all limited English-proficient children in the US for at least twelve months must PASS all tests, including reading. Another fanciful requirement is that all students will pass by 2014. That is not going to happen. All kids can learn, but they don’t learn in lockstep. Some kids need more time owing to developmental differences. And I don’t think Ms. Rhee is out to “bust” teachers’ unions. It would be more accurate to say that she wishes to curtail its power.
8 gbevers October 18, 2008 at 9:33 pm: Sonagi,

Does your school janitor have an opinion on Ms. Rhee?
9 GI Korea October 18, 2008 at 11:16 pm: Michelle Rhee in my opinion has smartly released a statement not taking sides on the voucher issue. However, judging by what she has said about Obama in the past I doubt she will be on his short list for Education Secretary:

Rhee hasn’t shown much enthusiasm for either candidate, but told me earlier this year that McCain has the much stronger education policy from her point of view. “He isn’t great, but he hasn’t said he’s going to throw NCLB out—and now everyone who says I’m a right-wing wingnut is going to be like, ‘I knew it!’” she said.

As for Obama, she told me in May that what he might do on education policy “terrifies me,” even though she’s a staunch Democrat. She criticized his stance on No Child Left Behind, which she portrayed as “an ‘NCLB is evil, sucking the life out of teachers’ angle. It’s a total victim mentality.” (Obama did voice support for charters, which won’t be good news for his hard-core union supporters.)

That might take care of her Sec of Ed prospects in a Democratic administration, but let’s say the White House did call her in January and offer her that job. How would she feel? “People say that I’m not even qualified for this job,” she says with a laugh. “I think that would be ridiculous.”
10 iheartblueballs October 19, 2008 at 8:20 am: She’s fucking hot, too.

Sweet jumping Jesus on a stick, put down the pipe!
11 Dram_man October 19, 2008 at 8:27 am: I would not say hot, but I would not kick out of bed for eating crackers.

And with teeth like that those would have to be some thick crackers.
12 Linkd October 19, 2008 at 9:30 am: On a perhaps unrelated topic, I am pleased to announce that I only blew point-oh-four on my way home from Cirque du Soleil last night, where I saw many grotesques.
13 hamel October 19, 2008 at 10:30 am: gbevers to sonagi:
“Does your school janitor have an opinion on Ms. Rhee?”

Are you attempting some good-natured, folksy humor, or are you just being a passive-aggressive ass? It is so hard to tell with you.

If the latter, why must you do that?
14 user-81 October 19, 2008 at 10:32 am: Linked:
On a perhaps unrelated topic, I am pleased to announce that I only blew point-oh-four on my way home from Cirque du Soleil last night, where I saw many grotesques.

Were you pulled over at a checkpoint or were you pulled over for driving erratically?
15 user-81 October 19, 2008 at 10:43 am: Are you attempting some good-natured, folksy humor, or are you just being a passive-aggressive ass? It is so hard to tell with you.

I think he’s trying to do good-natured ribbing but he needs to use winky face!
16 baduk October 19, 2008 at 10:55 am: Another KA making a mark in the US history.

Americans should be happy to have KoreanAmericans in their midst.

This KA asskicker showed how to clean up the mess left behind by the we-don’t-care-about-non-whites-Whites and the we-have-to-have-attitute-Blacks.

KAs are the solution.
17 baduk October 19, 2008 at 10:57 am: KAs will bring solutions to not only education but also politics, economics, science&engineering and international commerce.

KAs all the way!!!
18 user-81 October 19, 2008 at 11:15 am: Americans should be happy to have KoreanAmericans in their midst.

That depends on the circumstances.
19 dogbertt October 19, 2008 at 11:31 am: She’s fucking hot, too.

Sweet jumping Jesus on a stick, put down the pipe!

Looks like the post-op Tom Cruise in “Minority Report”.

Linkd is welcome to her.
20 Linkd October 19, 2008 at 12:38 pm: People get pulled over for ‘erratic driving’ where you’re from? Guess you’re not too familiar with Seoul’s driving culture. It was a checkpoint organized by the diligent police dept of 장안동, just west of 군자교. And thanks, Dogbert; all ridicule is well-deserved, though I’d hate to think yesterday’s little psychotic episode would force me into the habit of actually stopping to THINK for a moment before commenting here.
21 wjk, 검은 머리 외국인 October 19, 2008 at 1:39 pm: it’s obvious what’s keeping the education system stupid.

1/ drugs.
2/ teacher’s unions.
3/ murder/homicide.
22 WangKon936 October 20, 2008 at 6:23 am: Why is it that Michelle Rhee reminds me of Randy Newman’s song about Korean parents?

Linkd… you need glasses… or something.
23 NetizenKim October 21, 2008 at 5:48 am: Ms Rhee is HOT not because of her physical appearance but her unquestionable passion and dedication to reforming the school system and closing the achievement gap. She would make an excellent pick as Sec of Ed in the upcoming Obama Administration along with Ralph Nader as Sec of Transportation.
24 NetizenKim October 21, 2008 at 6:13 am: Rhee was unable to stop the kids, or control them in the classroom for most of her first year. At Christmas, she went home scratching at huge welts on her arm. A doctor diagnosed stress. Her mother said, “You can apply for law school second semester.”

LOL
25 user-81 October 21, 2008 at 2:34 pm: A new scare tactic for wjk to harp on: Obama might make terrorist Bill Ayers the Secretary of Education.

http://www.creators.com/opinion/phyllis-schlafly/bill-ayers-scary-plans-for-public-schools.html

Will William Ayers be secretary of education in a Barack Obama administration? All parents should ponder that possibility before making their choice for president on Nov. 4.

After all, Ayers is a friend of Obama, and professor Ayers’s expertise is training teachers and developing public school curriculum. That’s been his mission since he gave up planting bombs in government buildings (including the U.S. Capitol and the Pentagon) and assaulting police officers.
26 NetizenKim October 22, 2008 at 3:04 am: Obama might make terrorist Bill Ayers the Secretary of Education.

Terrorism today is equivalent to the Red Scare during the 50s. Martin Luther King Jr was accused of being a Communist sympathizer during the early days of the Civil Rights Movement because one of his associates was a Jewish Communist. It’s a scare tactic for the purpose of character assassination.