Ep 3. Michelle Rhee
Michelle Rhee might be the most controversial person in American education. Some call her a hero, whilst others label her an enemy of public schools. She's never been a teacher herself, but this Korean-American woman believes she has the answers to America's failing schools.
This is the story of how Michelle Rhee took on the teachers' unions and revolutionized public education in America. Bloomberg Risk Takers takes you inside one of the most daring experiments in education reform. We'll show you how Rhee's battle with the traditional education establishment turned her into a lightning rod of controversy.
As Chancellor of the Washington, D.C., public schools, Rhee took on the toughest challenge of her career: fixing one of the worst school systems in America. She promised to raise test scores, reduce bureaucracy, and eliminate tenure for bad teachers. But Rhee's no-nonsense approach left many teachers feeling threatened; they saw her plans as an attack on their job security and their way of life.
Before Rhee took over the schools, only eight percent of eighth graders in D.C. were at grade level in math. After her radical reforms, that number jumped to 49 percent. But her critics said the gains came at a high cost. They accused her of putting too much emphasis on testing and firing veteran teachers without giving them a fair chance to improve.
Even her biggest supporters admit that Rhee is not an easy person to work with. She's been known to swear at parents, ignore advice from experts, and even fire her own staff with little explanation. But Rhee says she's simply doing what it takes to save children from a failing school system.
In Bloomberg Risk Takers' episode on Michelle Rhee, you'll see exclusive interviews with the controversial education reformer and watch as she takes on the powerful teachers' unions. You'll also hear from both sides of the education debate and see how Rhee's ideas helped inspire a nationwide movement for education reform.
Michelle Rhee's story is one of risk, controversy, and faith in her own ideas. She believed that the American education system was broken, and she was willing to risk everything to try and fix it. Whether you see her as a hero or a villain, there's no denying that Rhee is one of the most important figures in the debate over how to fix America's schools. Bloomberg Risk Takers takes you inside her world and shows you what it takes to risk everything for a cause you believe in.