Sep 28, 2009
A Child Shall Lead Them: DC Students Bring A Message Of Hope to Their Teachers
McKinley Technology Senior High School located in NE DC was disrupted today as students unexpectedly protested teacher layoffs at the DCPS central headquarters near the Capitol today. I interviewed a student this evening named Tasha via telephone from McKinley . Tasha's real name has been changed to protect her confidentiality. Tasha stated that as many as 130 students went to the DCPS central office in order to protest the imminent layoffs of DC teachers in an act of civil disobedience. She estimated that approximately eighty percent of the students were from McKinley High. Other inside sources revealed that students also came from other schools including Woodson, Anacostia, and Dunbar. Students reportedly called for Fenty and Rhee to go. When Tasha was asked what did they mean by this, Tasha stated "it is time for Rhee's job to be over."
Certainly imminent layoffs of our teacher work force will create larger class sizes for many students and are likely to have an adverse IMPACT on student achievement. At a time when DC teachers are absorbed by their own worries about whether they will still have a job, some DC students are guiding the way by protesting unfair layoffs and telling Mayor Fenty and Chancellor Rhee in the words of an old school Gladys Knight song : "your time is up." Their matter of fact message is one that I am on board with.
Correction: I was able to confirm today that it was 130 students at the rally.
Posted by The Washington Teacher featuring Candi Peterson, blogger in residence
video courtesy of WJLA.com,
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4 comments:
heart-warming and very sad, that students have to lobby for their teachers.
Rhee has listened to students before, but only when they already suit her goals.
I wonder what she'll do this time -- and I wonder if this will be picked up by the Post.
As a former DCPS student it warms my heart to see students taking a stand against the mistreatment, abuse and injustice that defines the Fenty/Rhee reign.
While misinformed people read the sugar coated articles in the Washington Post Magazine and listen to biased opinions of Oprah...Washington DC and the rest of the country need to see that Michelle Rhee's evil policies are HURTING OUR STUDENTS!
BRAVO students for telling the truth and hopefully opening the eyes of the many gullable people who actually think Michelle Rhee is useful in any way !
And a child shall lead them. Good job students!
i love them ... what a real act of courage ... so the question is, Is Michelle Rhee trying to save those children? I would venture to say that those children need to be saved from Michelle Rhee!
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