Michelle Rhee, Human Beings, and Teachers

The letter below was written by Leonard Isenberg, a veteran teacher with LAUSD. It is addressed to Michelle Rhee, the former chancellor of the District of Columbia Public Schools System.

Dear Michelle,

In response to your video, I always become suspicious when somebody says, “Research shows” and then doesn’t cite the research that supports firing more senior teachers in favor of new teachers- especially, since the academics I talk to like Professors Lois Weiner, Diane Ravitch, and others completely disagree with you and they are willing to cite data.

Also, using a pejorative word like “antiquated” to describe “last hired, first fired,” simplistically ignores at least the arguable logic that those who have done it longer tend to do it better. Would you like a first year resident operating on your presumed heart or a 20-year veteran that has done the procedure hundreds of times.

Implicit in your comments are the false belief that good and seasoned teachers are not professionals and can be replaced by novices whose idealism is equal to years of experience.

In LAUSD and elsewhere are school systems where teachers get little support for good teaching from administration. The only reason that low performing inner city schools have a larger number of new teachers is because any teacher with sufficient seniority wouldn’t get caught dead in a school where administration is more concerned with Average Daily Attendance money from the state than maintaining an environment where education can actually take place. In fact, LAUSD administration moves in exactly the opposite direction by continuing to socially promote students grade after grade years beyond their subjective ability. What would you suggest a single-subject secondary credentialed teacher with a substantive course to teach and no remedial skills is supposed to do with these students?

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