In this brilliant essay, John Prosser dissects Michelle Rhee’s attack on the teachers of Garfield High School in Seattle.
The teachers decided unanimously to boycott the MAP test for their students.
On March 6, Rhee wrote (or someone in her organization wrote) an opinion piece in a Seattle newspaper making false claims about the teachers and what they were doing and why they were doing it.
She first refers to them as “union members,” not as teachers, immediately suggesting that they are acting from selfish motives, to do something that their union wants, rather than acting as teachers, in the best interest of their students.
She claims that the teachers don’t want to give the test because they don’t want to be evaluated, but the tests don’t figure into their evaluation.
As Prosser shows, she engages in ad hominem attacks; she makes factual errors; she equivocates; she misleads; she uses the straw man argument and the red herring. Her article demonstrates how little she knows, how quick she is to attack teachers while pretending to praise them, and how little respect she has for teachers and students.
As the leader of a group called “StudentsFirst,” Rhee evidently thinks that what students need most is more testing. She thinks that she cares about students more than those who work with them every day in their classrooms. She, who pours millions of dollars into political campaigns for vouchers, charters, teacher-bashing, and high-stakes testing, has some nerve attacking the dedicated teachers of Garfield High School.
The teachers at Garfield High School in Seattle are our heroes. They have true courage. They truly put their students first.
When I see this lady on the tv or computer..I push or click it way as fast as my fingers will allow..
She has “not a clue”…
FACT: Teachers do not Teach..They TEST..
FACT: If a Tester is observed and they have not COVERED a specific amount of
material..they are downgraded to “Not Proficient”
FACT: Testers COVER..Testers do not Teach
FACT: The material for the Test that Testers Cover is in no way applicable to this
century..it is applicable to those in the Political Front who are looking for POLITICAL POWER -PRESTIGE-MONEY
FACT: Students are trained to TEST..
FACT: Diane ‘s blog make it perfectly clear that this TESTING HIERARCHY will plummet
into the abyss as the CHILD GUINEA PIGS will grow up with no idea how to
function without the A-B-C-D- choices….or the “prompt” that is the same for all
50,000 students..
FACT: True Education can be found still in Private schools which is why 95% of all
Political Leaders and School Board members place their child in the Private
Schools…..(as I did)
I have to watch Rhee It’s like why I watch FOX. You’ll know the GOP corporate shill candidate just by watching their network. You’ll know the direction the carefully coordinated attack is coming from. Like when “We have to stay the course” and “We can’t cut-and-run” were the inspirational justifications for endless war. “Students first” is the education version.
Can someone PLEASE shut her up?
Duct tape works.
Silence is golden, but duct tape is silver.
I am from Seattle, and all three of my children went to Garfield High School. I am now a public high school teacher in Philadelphia. Michelle Rhee knows nothing about Garfield High School. Kids from all over the city want to attend Garfield, BECAUSE OF the incredibly caring and dedicated teachers. I know that they acted in the interest of the students. This is what critics of public education don’t understand-that teachers know first hand the needs of the students! Corporate reformers don’t have a clue because they are not in the classroom.
Michelle,
You are clueless. How much testing takes place at your daughter’s private school? I think pretty soon it is going to be the beginning of the end for you. Your rhetoric is old, tired and laced with hate for a profession you never mastered. Admit it….you are taking it out on the excellent teachers in our country because it was the one skill you never mastered yourself. Yes, you could spin, lie, and tell a grand story, but you knew you sucked at it and the only way to feel superior was to dominate an industry that mystified you.
Watch this video and learn something. Sit down, shut up and listen to real teachers:
I read that Rhee piece online when it came out. The comments section was extremely feisty. Proportion of comments saying “Michelle Rhee you don’t know what you are talking about – please shut up and go away” to “schools are failing and we blame the teachers (union) were at least 30 to 1 in favor of Rhee shutting up and going away. The only other comments themes were: yelling at the editor for allowing such uninformed drivel on the oped page, and calls to reopen the investigation of cheating on DC tests. I got the impression this wasn’t a particularly left-leaning paper, either.
Do you mean the Rhee lies or this piece by Prosser. His is excellent. I especially like his closing.
Wow! This one must be saved and read and re-read. Diane, thanks for finding this:
And Finally, the Irony of Rhee’s First Claim
Rhee framed her op-ed with an ironic statement. “Seattle public school students should pay attention. They’re getting a front-row, real-world lesson in how the actions of adults can distract from what’s best for students.” Rhee’s statement implies two things, that by boycotting the MAP test Seattle educators are obscuring the larger issue of “what’s best for students,” and that not taking the MAP is not what’s best for students (i.e. that taking the MAP is best for students). Rhee doesn’t get it. It’s Rhee’s actions, of attacking labor unions and using rhetoric instead of evidence that distract from what’s best for students. The boycotting teachers make it clear in their December 21st letter that the letter “is an objection to the MAP test specifically and particularly to its negative impact on our students.” These teachers have an idea of what’s best for students and they make a stand to ensure that the students receive what’s best. Rhee does not present an idea of what’s best for students, other than to assert (without any evidence) that what’s best for students is using standardized testing to evaluate teachers and incentivizing teacher performance through additional pay. These assertions evidence the irony I mention above – that Rhee’s actions, not those of the Seattle teachers, distract from the reality of what’s best for students, since Rhee avoids any real analysis of improving student learning and instead focuses on her favorite ed-reform strategies of using standardized tests to evaluate teachers and merit pay.
The feisty commenters were responding to Rhee’s actual Op Ed piece on the papers website – the same piece that Prosser is refuting.
Ironically, Rhee’s statement about “how the actions of the adults can distract from what’s best for students” has a element of truth in it.
Both teachers and district administrators are adults. The adults Rhee should differentiate. Teachers work hard, spend their own money for supplies, have little power, all the accountability, and for relatively a low salary. Administrators are not in the classroom, do not spend their own money, have all the power, none of the accountability, and for 3 times the average teacher salary.
In terms of the salary incentive, which group of adults is more likely to put themselves first for the students–teachers or administrators?
The real life lesson for students here is to question authority and see the myth of management.
Adding to the names of adults distracting from what’s best for students I would add:
Michelle Rhee
Kevin Huffman
John White
Wendy Kopp
Mike Bloomberg
Stefan Pryor
Dannel Malloy
Arne Duncan
Barack Obama
Eli Broad
Jeb Bush
Bill Gates
The list is endless.
And now I am quoting Diane from another post. The real movement masquerading as reform is:
Less government regulation; more private enterprise in public sector activities; replace public schools with vouchers and charters; cut the pay and benefits of the workforce; lower standards for entry into teaching; replace professionals with temps.
What we need is our own high powered PR firm to get our message out there. A large portion of America still only hears the reformers message not the teachers message.
Join the Network for Public Education. Our mission is to get the message out about the public schools and what they need and how well they do in the face of adversity.
Absolutely. One line out of a movie, “Street Kings” starring Forest Whitaker and Keanu Reeves, has always resonated with me: “Its not what it is that counts, it is what it looks like.”
Here is more information on the school Rhee sends her daughter to and if you can afford it, great. But why is she not proposing programs like this for all schools if she really stands for Students First…….check out #29!
No TFA teachers here…see # 14
Harpeth Hall:
10. Helping hands. In order to help our girls meet the challenges of middle and high school, each student is assigned a faculty advisor who serves as academic counselor, advocate and link to the Harpeth Hall community.
11. Our state-of-the-art library houses 28,000 books, six small group study rooms, two classrooms for library and technology instruction, and eight really comfortable chairs around a cozy fireplace.
14. Our faculty average more than 18 years of teaching experience and 80 percent hold advanced degrees.
19. AP Physics, AP English Literature, and AP Calculus BC are just three of our 28 Advanced Placement and honors course offerings.
21. Girls dance, sing, paint, act, and play music in comfortable theaters, studios, and auditoriums.
29. 8:1 ratio: Our teachers know our students.
26. Technology: Every student in grades 5-12 has a laptop computer connected by a campuswide wireless network.
27. International exchanges in China, France, Germany, South Africa, and Spain give students transformative cross-cultural opportunities.
28. Harpeth Hall girls form friendships that last a lifetime.
And there is more…there are 50 reasons why this is the school for you.
http://www.harpethhall.org/podium/default.aspx?t=151749
Rhee, the hypocrite!
Sounds nice. Are they hiring?
Yes, Alan…they are…similar to many of our urban schools they are looking for a gallery director. See here:
GALLERY DIRECTOR:
The Harpeth Hall School seeks a Gallery Director who is qualified to organize and oversee art exhibits in a school setting. Strong communication skills a necessity and experience in exhibiting artwork preferred. This position pays a stipend per show.
Duties include:
Select exhibition dates to coordinate with the school calendar
Create invitations to exhibitions and update mailing lists
Oversee publicity and signage
Oversee installation of exhibitions
Coordinate opening receptions for art exhibitions
Oversee sale of art
Send resume and cover letter to Nicola Pollard, pollard@harpethhall.org
Also, it is only part time and you need experience and a degree (TFA need not apply). Are you willing to move to Tennessee?
MIDDLE SCHOOL LEARNING SPECIALIST (Part-time)
Harpeth Hall seeks a dedicated individual to provide academic support to girls in grades 5-8. Skills and competencies: The ideal candidate should have a special education degree, teaching, tutoring or academic counseling experience. A bachelor’s degree in education or a related field is required; a master’s degree or the equivalent is preferred. Familiarities with a variety of learning styles and abilities, desire to work with middle school ages, and an understanding of the developmental needs of girls are necessary. Patience and a non-judgmental attitude are also essential. Other important qualifications include a willingness to collaborate with colleagues, exceptional communication and organizational skills, and a commitment to high professional standards. Candidates should submit a letter of interest, curriculum vita, references, and a statement of educational philosophy to Mary Lea Bryant, Middle School Director at mabry@harpethhall.org. Put “learning specialist” in the subject line. Position is for the 2013-14 academic year.
Linda, have you confirmed that Rhee sends her kids to Harpeth Hall? What’s the source? Other peoples kids indeed!
I read it in a few places. Here: https://dianeravitch.net/2013/01/14/14051 and here:
Yet Rhee has big plans for her new home state. Rhee splits her time between Nashville and Sacramento, Ca., where her husband, former NBA player Kevin Johnson, is mayor. (The pair were married at Blackberry Farm in 2011.) Rhee’s two daughters attend school in Nashville. Although she told the Nashville City Paper earlier this week, “I am a public school parent,” her oldest daughter Starr apparently attends the private girls school Harpeth Hall, according to a press release on the school’s website from last spring.
http://www.metropulse.com/news/2013/jan/16/vouching-winners-more-education-reform-coming-prop/
I read it in a few places. Here:
https://dianeravitch.net/2013/01/14/14051 and here:
And here:
Yet Rhee has big plans for her new home state. Rhee splits her time between Nashville and Sacramento, Ca., where her husband, former NBA player Kevin Johnson, is mayor. (The pair were married at Blackberry Farm in 2011.) Rhee’s two daughters attend school in Nashville. Although she told the Nashville City Paper earlier this week, “I am a public school parent,” her oldest daughter Starr apparently attends the private girls school Harpeth Hall, according to a press release on the school’s website from last spring.
http://www.metropulse.com/news/2013/jan/16/vouching-winners-more-education-reform-coming-prop/
I have not read the piece yet, but does she realize a strong majority of parents and students opted out? I try not to hate anyone, but she is starting to get to my virtues. It burns! Make it stop!
Diane,
I read about the new network you started to combat Rhee. Is there a website?
http://www.networkforpubliceducation.org/
Rhee’s empty rhetoric is easy enough for a critical thinker to eviscerate. She and her ilk are counting on the majority of people skimming and accepting their words at face value.
Her peice would actually be an excellent example to use in a rhetoric lesson in class.
“are,” not “is.”
No, we should use the CC standards against her. One of the 8th grade writing standards states that a speaker’s argument and specific claims should be based on sound reasoning and that the evidence be relevant and sufficient. I guess Michelle, you would fail this standard on one of your beloved state tests.
I think that is one of many standards she would fail.
Also, the following character traits, which we hope to instill in our children, she is definitely lacking nor does she have the desire to acquire these skills:
Honesty
Respect
Compassion
Responsibility
Integrity
Trustworthy
When do we start burning in effigy? Oh wait…Rhee would probably consider that a compliment. Never mind.
Michelle Rhee is the media face of corporate “edu-reform”. She is paid well to do their bidding and take the public “hits”. She, admittedly, does not care what people think of her statements or actions. Her job perfectly fits her personality.
It’s time that the public learns the truth. Thanks for the new NPE.
No surprise. Rhee is allergic to the notion of factual statements. She wouldn’t know one if she tripped over it.
I’ve been working on an essay, the beginning of which is below:
MICHELLE RHEE: CREATING A SYSTEM OF PRESSURE
When she was in charge of DCPS, Michelle Rhee said, “Pressure is good.” It was a bit like two decades ago, when Gordon Gekko declared, ‘Greed is good.’ In both cases the statement is presented as the hard, unvarnished truth that people are unwilling to accept because they are too politely unrealistic. That the declaration of the goodness of pressure and greed also serves the interest of the speaker is left unsaid.
It is worth remembering that the greed line didn’t first come from Michael Douglas playing a fictional character; it was originally said by Ivan Boesky addressing students at the Columbia Business school. There was a presumption behind the statement, that greed was so good that it deserved to go unregulated.
Of course, the law did catch up to Mr. Boesky and he spent 3 years in a minimum security prison from which he had a 3 day furlough ever two months. It was tough, but he has had his consolations – he’s reportedly worth between 2 and 3 billion today.
We should link greed and pressure. Each is only one of many neo-liberal tendencies that continue to shape reform efforts in the education field. And they have a synergetic relationship – the concepts have in common dual presumption: for-profit enterpises show us how tenure hurts productivity and workers should be exposed to pressure in order to increase productivity.
Michelle Rhee’s ‘pressure is good’ statement is emblematic The full quote is, “People feel a little stressed out. They feel a lot of pressure. But that’s good. Pressure is good.” 1 It assumes that educators are not under enormous pressure already, that more pressure will increase their efficacy. This is an argument transplanted from the for-profit/business world, where it was accepted that the efficient use of resources was among the most highly leveraged concepts. This includes human resources. But is it good?
Aristotle thought leisure –the lack of pressure– was the condition of philosophy, but perhaps we don’t want philosophers. Maybe we want entrepreneurs, and if we do, then we are well served by the elements of contemporary education reform which, are embedded in a neo-liberal program, considers insecurity a positive and seeks to increase pressure on workers. Not that we would educate more entrepreneurs, but the lure of making money would draw in more and more enterpreneurs.
What would they do? Even if their teachers were quite good, the threat of an unsatisfactory ranking will put pressure on people to work harder and improve.
As we consider that, we should note that, unlike a steamfitter, Michelle Rhee has no way to measure the pressure already in the system or whether it is equipped to handle more. We can ask, if this is general through the society, is that the society in which we want to live? One based on greed and pressure?
And is it good for the schools? Teachers in such situations have felt enormous pressure to pass students, teaching to the test or, sometimes, resorting to other methods. There is much in the way of increased pressure and job insecurity, plus the potential financial insolvency of school districts, to suggest people will make other career choices. This is especially true when they feel they are not educating, but merely assessing. “Thanks to mounting pressure to get students to score high marks, teachers must concentrate on teaching the curriculum chosen by test-designers rather than local school boards or themselves.” (Rees)
Alls this despite the fact that Encouraging individuality and promoting self-confidence need not be at odds; they need not depend on enormous pressure. . . . placing too much pressure on children can have affects ranging from rebellion to depression to breakdown to, in more instances than we would hope, suicide, but this is accordance with a system that makes teachers subject to pressures to reduce wages and benefits in accordance with the waning fortunes of a stable middle-class.
And that’s where we’re going, isn’t it? The argument is still that an unsatisfactory ranking will put pressure on people to work and create downward pressure on salaries.
“If it’s good for children, we’ll do more of it, if its not good for children, we’ll do less of it.” So stated Arne Duncan, President Obama’s Secretary of Education. And it seems to be common sense. After all, who could argue with Arne Duncan’s statement? Is not education all about the results we produce in children? Is it not like producing clothes or entertainment or anything else? Shouldn’t we put teachers in competition to see how well they do with our children? More pressure means more efficiency, and that is what we are seeking, is it not?
. . .
If we call Michelle Rhee’s and Broad, Gates and Walton’s organization what it really is it all makes sense. They are really “STUDENTS LAST.” This is their true Orwellian identity.
Pointless article if you are not going to point out how Rhee was wrong in her accusation. I don’t care for Rhee, but at least make your point as to the “why” teachers chose not to give the test.
Steve, Diane linked to Prosser’s essay, which addresses the “why” extensively. In this post, Diane is highlighting the dishonest and fallacious tactics Rhee is comfortable using in her effort to advance her anti-teacher, anti-union agenda.
Reblogged this on The Real Gap and commented:
I knew eventually someone from the “ed reform” movement would respond to the Garfield Teachers Boycott….
There’s just one thing I want to say to Michelle Rhee, but there might be children reading this blog so please just use your imagination and insert whichever words you deem fit… they’ll all be appropriate.
I echo liberalteacher above. Evaluated on the basis of the CCSS, Rhee’s essay gets a big, fat F. She herself can’t even meet the standards she sets for other peoples kids.
I am going to offer a very slight disagreement with Prosser’s brilliant piece. He write s
That is not correct. Misusing the results of a test has nothing to do with whether or not the test allows valid inferences for the purpose for which it was intended. A test designed to allow the drawing of valid inferences as to what students know may or may not be valid for that purpose, but to then attempt to draw from the results inferences of what the teacher effects were is invalid in itself.
Further, to be valid an assessment must be reliable, that is, give consistent results. IT can be reliable but still lead to invalid inferences. For example, a scale that consistently measures me at my high school weight of 155 would be reliable, but not give valid information, since I have not weighed less than 160 pounds since the end of my freshman year of college in 1964 and currently average in the mid190s.
The evidence on valid added methodologies to determine teacher effects shows clearly they are not stable, hence are not reliable, hence cannot allow the drawing of valid inferences.
There is no doubt that Michelle Rhee misuses test data, even when she portrays it accurately. We know she has a track record of misrepresenting underlying data, as Guy Brandenburg demonstrated when he uncovered the actual test scores of the Edison school at which she taught in Baltimore to show there was no miraculous improvement in the scores of her students. Prosser rightly cites the irregularities in the scores in DC on which Rhee so relied, irregularities that SHOULD have been easily ascertained by anyone with any kind of understanding of how tests work and perform. Thus either Rhee lacks the requisite understanding or else is fundamentally dishonest and I will leave to the readers to make their own determination, merely suggesting that the rest of Prosser’s article beyond the small point I criticize might point you in what I believe to be the correct choice.
I agree with you Ken. You wrote: “Misusing the results of a test has nothing to do with whether or not the test allows valid inferences for the purpose for which it was intended. A test designed to allow the drawing of valid inferences as to what students know may or may not be valid for that purpose, but to then attempt to draw from the results inferences of what the teacher effects were is invalid in itself.” I would clarify my original point regarding test invalidation and say that validity is a relative, non-essential characteristic of a test, i.e. a test can be valid in one regard and invalid in another. It’s validity depends on whether it is indeed used for the purpose for which it was intended. Thus, as you point out, a test may validly point out what students know or don’t know while being used invalidly to make determinations of teacher effectiveness.