Comments on: Arne & Michelle, Not So Different? http://www.eduwonk.com/2009/07/arne-michelle-not-so-different.html Education News, Analysis, and Commentary Sun, 21 Mar 2010 13:45:13 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.2 hourly 1 By: Linda/Retired Teacher http://www.eduwonk.com/2009/07/arne-michelle-not-so-different.html/comment-page-1#comment-87673 Linda/Retired Teacher Sun, 05 Jul 2009 17:16:43 +0000 http://www.eduwonk.com/?p=3997#comment-87673 There is one huge and significant difference between Duncan, President Obama and Michelle Rhee. Duncan and the president are smart enough to know that nothing, absolutely nothing will be accomplished without the cooperation of teachers. Whether they are "good" or "bad" is irrelevant; they are the people in the classrooms, closing their doors and making 100% of all decisions regarding their students. Even if Rhee gets rid of 250 teachers, she is still left with hundreds who will be even more determined to do what they feel is best for their students. And, for the most part, they will have the support of the community. Also, who are the highly qualified people who are going to want to work in DC? Once this recession is over, the district will once again be begging people to fill classroom slots. Whose fault will this be? Mr. Duncan is inviting teachers to join him in reform and he has steered clear, very clear, of insults. To me, that is a huge and very significant difference. Teachers are the people who have dedicated themselves to being in the classroom with children and so they are the ones who have first-hand knowledge of what is best for American students. To heed our nation's teachers and to honor them is the first giant step in attracting "the best and the brightest" to the teaching profession. There is one huge and significant difference between Duncan, President Obama and Michelle Rhee. Duncan and the president are smart enough to know that nothing, absolutely nothing will be accomplished without the cooperation of teachers. Whether they are “good” or “bad” is irrelevant; they are the people in the classrooms, closing their doors and making 100% of all decisions regarding their students. Even if Rhee gets rid of 250 teachers, she is still left with hundreds who will be even more determined to do what they feel is best for their students. And, for the most part, they will have the support of the community. Also, who are the highly qualified people who are going to want to work in DC? Once this recession is over, the district will once again be begging people to fill classroom slots. Whose fault will this be?

Mr. Duncan is inviting teachers to join him in reform and he has steered clear, very clear, of insults. To me, that is a huge and very significant difference. Teachers are the people who have dedicated themselves to being in the classroom with children and so they are the ones who have first-hand knowledge of what is best for American students. To heed our nation’s teachers and to honor them is the first giant step in attracting “the best and the brightest” to the teaching profession.

]]> By: john thompson http://www.eduwonk.com/2009/07/arne-michelle-not-so-different.html/comment-page-1#comment-86837 john thompson Wed, 01 Jul 2009 22:16:06 +0000 http://www.eduwonk.com/?p=3997#comment-86837 Huh? Rereading your post, I still can't see your point. Duncan now is "in roughly the same place" with a lot of featherless bipeds. And anyone wanting to reform education has a ton of challenges. But Duncan is like Rhee is what way? Huh? Rereading your post, I still can’t see your point.

Duncan now is “in roughly the same place” with a lot of featherless bipeds. And anyone wanting to reform education has a ton of challenges.

But Duncan is like Rhee is what way?

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