DC Schools Not Up To Obama Snuff

And why not--he attended private schools his whole life.  The hypocrisy in letting the DC Voucher program lapse is astounding. 

On Mr. Fenty's Loss

Here are a couple of good reads on the subject.

First, Reason's blog has a pretty good screed on the teachers union's big victory in the city. 

Next, the weekend WaPost had a very interesting article on Mr. Fenty's loss.  Lots of  discussion of Mr. Fenty's being out of touch with the black "community", but also a pretty solid case for the view that the "community" sees the city education system NOT as a venue for educating its youth, but as a jobs program for its adults.  You get what you pay for.

My Dream Job

I've fantasized for a long time about running the Washington DC public schools---probably since they hired a three star general in the 90's who quit in frustration a year and a half later. His departure was met with no small helping of smarmy "we told you so's" from the merchants of mediocrity who took great pleasure in explaining why a "military" mindset was inappropriate for public education.

So now it seems that DC Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee has hired a retired one-star general as the Chief Operating Officer of the DC Public Schools--the guy who makes the trains run on time. Anthony Tata answers only to Rhee, and she takes the political heat for the two of them. In exchange, he gets to wade into the morass that is the cronyism, incompetence, overcapacity and under-performance of our nation's capital's education system. That job would make me wake up every day excited about slaying dragons.

Good luck General--and if you need a Chief of Staff---call me.