Teacher Terminator Rhee Strikes Again !As a WTU Building Representative, I have learned from an inside reliable source that Rhee and company have issued letters of termination to non-value added employees beginning this month. It is my understanding that itinerant related service providers and special subject teachers have received their official letters of termination this month notifying them that their last day will be July 16, 2010. You may recall that Rhee promised in a DC City Council hearing earlier this year to fire DC teachers and school personnel beginning the month of July. It is expected that teacher firings will occur later on this month as soon as the final IMPACT scores are calculated. Stay tuned for more on this story and updates about what will happen to DC's excessed teachers and school personnel.
I have posted an anonymous email (below) that I received from a related service provider who was recently terminated. I must admit I almost couldn't catch my breath when I learned of the termination of a colleague I have always considered highly effective. It boggles my mind. Here's the email:
Greetings Candi,
"After a 12 year career, I have been rendered ineffective by Chancellor Rhee, a woman who is called chancellor because of her lack of credentials. Warn the others that July 16, 2010 will be my last day."
Signed,
Anonymous
Checkout yesterdays craigslist. DCPS in need of teaching fellows. Why not place our teachers first!!!! and give related service providers and special subject teachers the option of teaching in another area of certification. I hope the council gives this the same amount of attention as the rif's.
ReplyDeleteunreal what GP and Michelle did with this contract, she is laughing at WTU. We got them. We get to fire the teachers and they will not get their money; see they will move the money that they claim their gonna use for raises and bonuses and they will gladly blame it on an accounting error. Thanks, George Parker.
ReplyDeleteWhatever the spin is, it won't matter to those group 1 teachers whose score range can go from minimally effective to highly effective all based on how their class did on DCCAS. All that matters are the numbers and they look bad. I just found out that my school, who had decent scores, but not AYP, suffered a ten point drop, though we don't know grade by grade scores as yet.
ReplyDeleteWhatever the spin is, it won't matter to those group 1 teachers whose score range can go from minimally effective to highly effective all based on how their class did on DCCAS. All that matters are the numbers and they look bad. I just found out that my school, who had decent scores, but not AYP, suffered a ten point drop, though we don't know grade by grade scores as yet.
ReplyDeleteIt reminds me of the apocryphal Chinese curse, "May you live in interesting times."
ReplyDeleteWhere is George Parker now that teachers need him? I bet he is in hiding. Excessed teachers have been looking for him to find out when we will be placed. I emailed Parker and he never answered any of my emails.I know Parker said we are still under the old contract. Any word if this is true?
ReplyDeletehttp://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/90/107962.page
ReplyDeleteThe above link is to a website where dcps parents are discussing their issues about Education.
I know this is a small matter Candi but the times on these comments read am and it is pm at least i wrote mine in the PM. Just letting u know. Luv ur blog!!!
ReplyDeleteWe were warned and it was ignored. Many of us did not vote! What $$$$$$??? There is none. GP is lurking some where in " WTU-land"! If I could stop paying union dues I would. This is a hot mess with more crap to come.
ReplyDeleteIndividuals with NVA data, I assume in the ineffective range are being terminated. What's going to happen to what may well be hundreds of teachers in Group 1 with individual value-added (IVA) data who also will fall in the ineffective range, now that DCCAS is back?
ReplyDeleteIn due season; we will reap the benefits of our labor; including the reformers. It's said when one must say umm the Riffed teachers got the better deal. At least they were given severance pay and retro. And they have no valid observations like impact scores to deem them ineffective. And they are not in that excessed pool; who are also deemed ineffective. Gee glad I was riffed. At least I see light at the end of the tunnel.
ReplyDeleteCalling All WTU Members!!!
ReplyDeletePlease demand the WTU elections to move forward. Actions speak louder than words. Please be encouraged and meet at the AFT building to speak personally with Randi before July 16, 2010.
There is no time to waste!!!
The Wrongfully Terminated DCPS employees will stand with you!!!
United We Stand!!!!
Keep the Faith!
To Anon 4:32 a.m. Excessed teachers will NOT be placed in schools this year. If you do not have a job with a school in August you will be terminated. You need to be checking the vacancy list on the educator portal and applying to individual schools with openings.
ReplyDeleteFYI to ANonymous @ 5 pm
ReplyDeleteMany teachers and school personnel have already done what you suggested and had multiple interviews to no avail. Even some have shared with me that they have heard nothing back and have contacted principals but can't get a response.
Understand that many positions were already filled earlier this year in the spring and that there were not enough positions for all excessed teachers. This was by design. Get it?
DCPS is recruiting for new teachers on ASCD SmartBrief
ReplyDeleteAnonymous 6;!4
ReplyDeleteplease post the link on ASCD. thanks
I found the ASCD link posted June 18, 2010 for DCPS school teachers. Rather than hire inside, Rhee continues to hire outside.
ReplyDeletehttps://jobs.smartbrief.com/action/listing?listingid=CD727267-3C9B-46F4-B504-16B3A44FE3D5&briefid=3E572E12-3FBC-11D5-AD13-000244141872&industryid=68DAF4D1-6B91-4720-9427-1CD7744D8012
Any friendly council members we can contact about this fiasco? Especially the ASCD and Craigslist hiring frenzy. I am disgusted by this whole situation.
ReplyDelete6:59 anonymous:
ReplyDeleteThey have already been informed.
I'm sure the council already knows about the posting, especially the one on Craig's List soliciting Teaching Fellows to fill middle of the year vacancies...the Teaching Fellows Program has recruited for new teachers to fill vacancies mid-year for at least 2 years now, I believe (I know they did last year). It's not a secret.
ReplyDeleteCraigslist site doesn't just include advertisements for DC teaching fellows they also have posted advertisements for DCPS teachers positions and school personnel all school year even though Rhee claimed there has been a budget deficit since fall 2009. Shortly after the layoffs, there were a number of ads for DC teachers which contradicted claims of a deficit.
ReplyDeleteI heard that there's an upcoming job fair and it's for teaching fellows only. What about all the decent teachers who were excessed and need jobs?
ReplyDeleteTeacher Terminator?
ReplyDeleteI love it!!!!
I love your blog.
I say notify the media. Karen Gray Houston!!! Would love this story.
ReplyDeleteAny response to the DC-CAS information? And do we have anyone who can leak scores to us early once again??
ReplyDeleteHow about instead of recruiting fellow, DCPS offers to finance dual certification for current teachers?
ReplyDeleteThe current chancellor and her staff are on their way out of DCPS. The disrespect shown to DCPS employees is unbelievable. This city and the current mayor are out of control. Any time a college educated person can not keep his/her job in this city, because of their age, race, etc.; only shows our students that they don't stand a chance in hell of obtaining a job in the city of their birth. This current reign of terrorists (Rhee/Parker/Fenty) needs to come to a complete stop!
ReplyDeletetest scores are under lock and key this year. Sorry I tried to get them early but the have change some things to keep results more secure or secretive
ReplyDeleteUnder "lock and key" ???! R u serious?
ReplyDeleteWhere do you get your pictures? They are absolutely wonderful. The one of Rhee really captures her evil essence.
ReplyDeleteI really feel sorry for the people that just don't get it yet. Some of you are talking about why wont she hire us, tell the city council. Have you not figured out yet that this was the plan. She doesn't want any teacher that was here before she got here and her plan to get rid of us is working and I must say that the Union and the techers helped. We didn't fight in the begining when she called us bad teachers so now we are behind the eight ball. When we had a chance to do something we didn't even vote (teacher contract). At this point I am just disgusted and pissed off at us.
ReplyDeleteYeah! I hear you 9:51. It is so late in the game; but it is not to late for teachers to come together and STAND. What really was upsetting is that the Union allowed the RIF. They knew it was coming weeks before it happened and they sat on it. Like the judge said TRO should have been filed long before the RIF. And then their was the strike that didn't happened. O yeah, when I was wrongfully RIFfed with other GREAT EDUCATORS teachers who were still working did nothing. They didn't participate when we rallied. Heck the ones at my school and the other colleagues from other schools REFUSED to talk about the RIF. Amazing because now teacher are being impacted and excessed. It' never to late for educators to stand together if not today then at least on Election Day. The riffers, impacted, and excessed need to have a strong presence outside the voting precinct.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.idealist.org/if/i/en/av/Job/389394-193
ReplyDeleteDC strikes AGAIN! For the brave at heart click on the above link.
Vote Fenty and Rhee out of office!
ReplyDeleteSeptember is almost here!
colleagues keep this quote in mind,"Think about the types of seeds you have been sowing. Are you sowing encouragement, hope, blessing and love? Then that's what you'll reap in the future, but is you've been sowing criticism,judgement and anger, you're probably already reaping a bad harvest. It's time to start changing your seeds. Just remember "YOU REAP WHAT YOU SOW"!!!
ReplyDeleteTo Washington Teacher:
ReplyDeleteYou're absolutely right! Here's the website that is asking for teachers. The WTU should already be challenging Rhee for terminating teachers yet scouting for newbies who most likely will not go beyond three years (TFA).
https://jobs.smartbrief.com/action/listing?listingid=F4AC851D-969D-4272-AC87-326E06A0E4D6&briefid=3E572E12-3FBC-11D5-AD13-000244141872&industryid=68DAF4D1-6B91-4720-9427-1CD7744D8012
If there's any good news here, it's that here it is mid-July and Rhee still hasn't found enough "talented newcomers" willing to teach in the mess that DCPS has become.
ReplyDeleteI recall Rhee saying last year that she intended to start hiring early in the Spring because that's when the good teachers get snapped up. She even offered DCPS teachers planning to leave a $1,000 exit bonus if they announced their plans in April.
To Anonymous @ 5:10
ReplyDeleteThe employees I wrote about did not resign, they were fired. I know this because I am a WTU Building Rep. and service providers who were terminated contacted me directly to share this with me. As I stated it is my understanding that 14 service providers were terminated. I know five of them personally who have confirmed this. All have not come forward to date but it was confirmed by an inside source.
Stop living in La La land and read the written word. I hope you will wake up and smell the coffee. Thanks
The Washington Teacher
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Anonymous @ 5:10 writes: I have not heard of any other teachers being terminated on July 16. Maybe this employee is resigning? I'm sure other teachers will be terminated soon, but this headline had me worried for a minute because I was excessed and I thought I was going to get a letter saying my last day is July 16. I guess I misunderstood.
This is in response to EFavorite, I too, agree with you. If I were interested in teaching in DCPS, I would not. I think anybody with a brain would not want to work in a hostile work environment, which is DCPS. "Newbies" if you value your health and good common sense, don't let Rhee&Co. fool you. Don't let the Rhee-formation lies fool you, she can not be trusted.
ReplyDelete