School reform supporters organize to back Rhee – by Leah Fabel – Staff Writer

November 1, 2009

Local supporters of D.C. Public Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee have grown more organized in recent weeks, as her attempts at reform have come under sharper attack from union officials and members of the city council.

“I’ve never gotten more e-mails from people all over the city asking what they can do to help,” said Anne Martin, executive director of D.C. School Reform Now, an advocacy group in favor of systemwide changes such as entrusting principals with more power to hire and fire.

The group’s online petition has collected 700 signatures in little more than a week. More than 200 of those came Friday and Saturday, following Rhee’s nine-hour D.C. Council hearing about the recent firing of nearly 400 teachers and school employees.

“It’s a little overwhelming,” Martin said, amid planning for a Wednesday pro-reform event at downtown’s E Street Cinema. “A couple of months ago, no one was reaching out to us.”

Martin and her team are hoping to stage events countering the Washington Teachers’ Union’s more organized and immediate displays of indignation, including an Oct. 8 protest of the firings that gathered more than 1,000 supporters, and angry testimony to the council that lasted until 4 a.m. Oct. 17.

Read the full story