Oct 17, 2009

Another New DC Principal Bites The Dust !

Mr. William P. Lee who just started in summer 2009 resigned last week as the new principal of Patterson elementary school which is located at 4399 So. Capitol Terrace SW.  It is reported that Mr. Lee lacked experience as a principal and worked last in a non-management capacity in Montgomery Co. , Maryland. As a new principal, Lee reportedly had strained relationships with parents in his school community and would frequently deny them entrance to the school. Teachers have reported that this school year alone Mr. Lee made multiple changes to their grade level assignments which resulted in students being confused about who their teacher actually was . Mr. Lee reportedly removed new playground equipment from the modernized school despite the chagrin of parents, teachers and the community. 

Posted by The Washington Teacher featuring Candi Peterson, blogger in residence

17 comments:

Dee Does DC said...

Hot. Mess.

Anonymous said...

It's getting crazier and crazier. Rhee had teachers and principals who worked together but closed schools and got rid of people. This is all her doing and it's just getting started.

DCPS Parent said...

Did you know the city council hearing went till 4 am this morning ? Even those DC teachers who weren't let go came out to testify.

Rhee has gotta go.

Anonymous said...

New Leaders for New Schools. WHAT A JOKE.

At least this one had the decency to leave before completely ruining the school.

We can only hope that Rhee will follow his lead.

A Dedicated Veteran said...

How many teachers were riffed at Paterson? I know its enrollment went down and the chaos described certainly didn't help things at that school.

Anonymous said...

What if he was told to carry out these crazy deeds but after a while could not take it any more; so he decided to put an end to his misery before it completely got out of hand ...
Many good principals were replaced this past summer by "fresh faces" who were most likely hired to terminate capable teachers --I can't help but believe that they were strategically hired to ruin what's left of DC schools ...

Anonymous said...

I was a principal in DC and was eliminated during the first rounds because I would not target teachers, because I would not ever consider cheating on the test. Look at how people are 'voted off the island' by the reality show host 'rhee' and it will tell you. She is ridiculous and needs to go.

Ms. Peterson, keep up the good work with your blog. There are many principals who were cut and didn't deserve it who would love to have had a person like you on their staff.

Anonymous said...

WAIT???? To the last ANON... principals are ask to cheat on tests??? What the heck is going on here! How can that be? And they are told to target certain teachers?? This is so upsetting to me! How could this be happening to us? Are they ask to target strong union members or older teachers, what??

Anonymous said...

I blame Michelle Rhee for her choice in principals. She is now trying to play the role of the Fairy Godmother. Teachers have trust issues with both Ms. Rhee and principals. It was very sad the way Mr. Lee let go seven teachers, custorian, and a secretary. Just weeks before the rif, . Mr. Lee hired an assistant principal, dean of students and a psychologist. How do you justify having two assistant principals with a low enrollment. Michelle Rhee has given too much power to principals.

Anonymous said...

" And the walls came crumbling down". The bible states " whatever you do in the dark must come out to light". This too shall pass.

Anonymous said...

Could someone look into how many teachers have filed EEOC claims, been forced to retire under duress or retaliation for standing up for students? Rhee told principals to do "whatever" to get rid of anyone who remembers CBC, PBE, continuous progress,and a time when teachers were allowed to develop students'minds and not create statistics for tests. These teachers need to be included in the numbers of lost positions. It is many more than the 266.It might be closer to 934.Integrity has been replaced by arrogance.

Anonymous said...

You are correct, there are more than 266 teachers fired. Michell Rhee is doing it piece by piece so that people will forget tracking all the count of fired personnel. Also, the anonymous is correct, principals and teachers were told to cheat on the tests-DCCAS and other tests to make Michell Rhee look good. I know of Ballou, when my daughter said some of the students were not allowed to take tests in her class. When I asked the teacher, she confirmed it saying that the administrators and teachers were instructed to do so. The teacher also said a Math teacher like Ms. Kidd-non certified teacher and a friend of former principal, Karen Smith will change students answers to make the school look good. So, whenever Fenty and Rhee is talking about gains in test scores, we should show and prove their fake data. Are they going to fake the result data for these students in college?

Anonymous said...

How was the principal allowed to hire nine new inexperenced teachers and allowed to RIF seven experenced teachers to replace them. Is the saying no child left behind not refering to the students at patterson???

Anonymous said...

It is sad how principals have been used and or being used to undermind teaches and other support staff. The same way that Michelle Rhee has underminded them.

Anonymous said...

I FEEL SORRY FOR THE STAFF AT PATTERSON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. WE HAVE FINALLY BEEN RELIEVED . WE CAN BREATHE AND EXHALE.

Anonymous said...

MR. LEE, MR. LEE, WHY DID YOU FLEE? WAS IT BECAUSE OF MICHELLE RHEE.? SHE GAVE YOU A JOB AND NOW YOU'RE ON THE BLOG1 POOR MR. LEE. MR. LEE NOW YOU CAN SEE, THAT YOU WASN'T WORTH SH......... TO MICHELLE RHEE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

Only students in certain grades take tests. Grade levels are not determined by the number of years in school, but the number of credits attained. So a student who has been in high school for 2 years and who would be a 10th grade student under normal circumstances, may not have the credits to be a 10th grader and they wouldn't take the test. This is common practice nationwide. 10th grade students are also identified (across the nation) as having passed AlgebraI and English 10. If they haven't done that then they will not take the test; not just a Ballou, but across the nation. That may be why some students were not "eligible" to test vs. not being allowed to test.