I’m Right, You’re Wrong..Compromise is KEY!

The sparing match between Council Member Vincent Gray and Chancellor Michelle Rhee of the DC Public School System is one of the best matches I have seen in a while.

Here’s the problem:  On May 12th, 2009,  The DC City Council voted to strip, at least temporarily, $27 million from the city school system budget for next year because it has been unable to justify enrollment projections.  According to the city school budget projections, the enrollment for the DC Public School System was an increase of 3,000 students. 

Council Chairman Gray says, “Pump the Brakes! (in regards to the projection of 3,000 students).

Gray states “Given the enormous budget challenges facing the District in 2010, there needs to be a justification why this increase is warranted; noting it cost nearly $9,000 for each additional student.”

He continues by saying, “the numbers don’t add up”, while Chancellor Rhee vehemently disagrees. Rhee writes a passionately letter to the City Council with her disappointment on this ruling. She states, “the decision will “negatively impact school opening in August 2009″ and will “impact every school in the District and their ability to recruit and hire teachers.” 

Now, Chancellor Rhee makes a good point. What about the teachers? A huge budget cut of 27 million dollars is alot! However, I would like to ask Chancellor Rhee,”Have you sought out other means to keep teachers from losing their jobs?” Or Are you just saying this for shock value so that the DC Council will change their minds?” Inquiring minds wanna know Chancellor Rhee!

At the May 12th hearing DC Council Chairman Gray asks this question, “”I am simply asking, where are 3,000 new students going to come from?”  According to reports, Rhee based this 3,000 student project from solid research. 

As reported by the Washington Post, She is backed by a study that she commissioned from a trio of think tanks — the 21st Century School Fund, the Brookings Institution and the Urban Institute — Rhee cites several reasons for concluding that the District’s historic enrollment decline (from 146,000 students in 1960, to 80,000 in 1980 to 67,000 in 2000) will bottom out. Chancellor Rhee is banking on the economy for parents to put their charter/private school children back in public schools. Sounds like a risky assumption Chancellor Rhee!

What I find quite interesting about this situation, is the escalating tension between the City Council and Fenty-Rhee Camp regarding everything from baseball tickets to board appointments. The City Council claims resentment from many incidents of a lack of transperancy from Fenty-Rhee regime. 

As of Today, Rhee & Gray are working towards a compromise. According to Today’s post, Councilman Gray hinted he’s willing to restore the funding, but only if the school system agrees to change how it calculates enrollment figures. Absent such concessions, Gray said, taxpayers are being asked to foot the bill for students that may never materialize.

This is the bottom line folks:  Education is the cornerstone of our society. It is the single most powerful tool a child can possess in order to make a difference in their lives and in this world. It is our responsibility that we seek out every opportunity to make sure our schools and all of the resources are being maximized to benefit the students.

Chancellor Rhee is in a position of power to make executive regarding the DC Public School System and the City Council’s job is to represent the needs of their residents. Their has to be a common ground for both parties to make a decision for the well being of the students. All of this back biting and craziness needs to be put to the side. The Fenty-Rhee has a tendency to LEAP 10 steps ahead of the game without telling anyone how they got there and expect everyone else to follow suit (and  agree that their direction is the best one).  I’m not knocking the Fenty-Rhee regime, but there comes a time when improved communication, transparency, and compromise should be the sole leading factors in making critical decisions, especially about education.

Read ALL about the Showdown with the Links Below:

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/dc/2009/05/rhee_fires_back_at_council_war.html

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/dc/2009/06/gray_rhee_work_toward_compromi.html