If you saw John Merrow’s program “The Education of Michelle Rhee,” you will remember that there was one educator willing to go on camera and say, “Yes, I saw cheating. I locked the tests up and the scores dropped.” That principal is now under attack by Kaya Henderson, Rhee’s successor.
I urge you to read this article.
This is the chilling inside story that did not appear on the air. This is a story of fear and intimidation, of cheating and covering up. This is a story of people afraid to talk and people who did not want the truth to come out.
How I wish this shocking story had been on the air instead of the tripe about eating a bee.
.
John Merrow writes on his blog:
Friends,
I’d like you to know more about Adell Cothorne, who spoke openly about what she saw at one school in Washington, DC. You met her briefly in last night’s Frontline program, and she’s being attacked openly now by the current Chancellor. I applaud her courage and want you to know that she was one of a very small handful of people in the know who were willing to speak on the record about Michelle Rhee.
As we pointed out on Frontline, the widespread erasures (almost always ‘wrong’ to ‘right’) on the DC-CAS during Michelle Rhee’s first year, 2007-2008, were never investigated. In her year at Noyes Education Complex, Cothorne insisted on tight security, and test scores dropped–plummeted is a better word.
The details are in this post, along with more from Adell Cothorne. http://bit.ly/TLEsou
I will be writing more about this in the near future.
Please comment on the blog. Write me directly if you would rather not receive these notes.
John
John Merrow
Education Correspondent,
PBS NewsHour, and President,
Learning Matters, Inc.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Frontline is funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. I didn’t see the show (couldn’t bear to,) but I believe it is very unlikely a piece on the school reform movement will be a stinging expose on this particular program.
Read the blog post from Merrow… to his credit he doesn’t pull any punches…
I’m sorry, I’m appalled that Merrow ran with the “whitewash successful” story on Frontline, for the nation to see, and now on his little blog, he presents the truth he left on the cutting room floor.
If he feels ashamed of himself, looking at Adell Cothorne’s situation in the aftermath of his own cowardice, he certainly has that right.
He says we should watch for follow-up. I certainly hope so.
That was my thougt exactly. He is outraged now, but let the show air without any mention of the above. This is what seems to happen. The truth, facts and follow up never hit the mainstream…it is just for all of us to digest and shake our heads. Give me a break!
How many people really believe that he had complete control over the content of that show? I feel incredibly badly for Adell Cothorne. We all know educators who have been forced out for having standards that got in the way of someone’s agenda. I hope her new business gives her some peace if not the rewards she deserves.
I don’t remember the name of her cupcake shop. If she takes on line mail orders we should give her our business. Who doesn’t like cupcakes, especially chocolate ones?
If you find out the name of her cupcake store, let us know. If the Occupy movement starts again in DC, we can send them cupcakes.
I found it….look here:
http://www.cooksncakes.com/
Oh my……look at all the choices. It looks like you can order on line for pick up or delivery. Too bad we don’t live closer.
http://www.cooksncakes.com/products
Darn…if you put in more than one link you end up in moderation:
See here: I found it….look here:
http://www.cooksncakes.com/
Oh my……look at all the choices. It looks like you can order on line for pick up or delivery. Too bad we don’t live closer.
http://www.cooksncakes.com/products
Shame on you, Mr. Merrow.
Like so many media outlets…he published bold, above the fold, headlines containing the the pimped, hustle, crap sandwich corporate approved narrative; then printed the retraction, correction, oops; our bad, on the back of page 15 in small type.
Sir, redeem yourself by giving the real story the same spotlight and heat that you and your media outlet gave the hustle/ PR program.
Why are bullies bad when they are children in the schoolyard but glorified when they are adults running the school system (Rhee)?
Now that Merrow’s obvious bias has been exposed, he is trying to redeem himself. He can’t given his 40-year career as an education reporter who has NO teaching experience whatsoever. There’s too much out there against him for him to ever redeem himself.
Whistleblowers are almost always railroaded out of the education field. Few of them manage to resurrect their careers after being stripped of their jobs. People like Merrow have no idea that those who are ethical educators are those who are forced out. Something as relatively petty as a teacher refusing to change a student’s grades under pressure by a principal is all it takes to be canned from a school district. Heck, even being over 50 does the trick. Being fired or forced to retire or resign has little to do with that educator’s ability.
Teacher Unions will block any investigations into their alleged cheating.
Please crawl back under the rock from whence you came. Your ignorance should embarrass you.
Funny, I didn’t know Michelle Rhee was a union member.
According to you post unions and Rhee have something in common.
Check out the Daily Howler Blog…
“Frontline Mails it in About Rhee”
http://dailyhowler.blogspot.com/2013/01/frontline-mails-it-in-about-rhee.html
Good stuff.
Could it be that some are beginning to get the picture?