Rhee backs out of debate with Ravitch

[eridani]

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/11/23/1257313/-This-week-in-the-War-on-Workers-Michelle-Rhee-s-hilarious-reason-for-backing-out-of-a-debate

Michelle Rhee became a media star during her time as chancellor of the Washington, DC, schools because she was supposedly soooo tough. She'd stand up to powerful people—like teachers she had the power to fire. Why, she'd fire someone right on camera! Turns out, though, she's not quite so tough when it comes to a free and open exchange of ideas in public.

Rhee was supposed to debate Diane Ravitch in February at Lehigh University, but, Ravitch writes, Rhee backed out of the debate. Why?

Rhee first demanded that we have two people on each team, then three people on each team.
I readily assented and selected a wonderful second and third for the debate.

Early on, Rhee said her second would be Rod Paige.

My choices were the Finnish educator Pasi Sahlberg (a visiting scholar at Harvard this year) and Philadelphia parent activist Helen Gym.

Rhee and I–through our agents– mutually agreed on the date.

However, the debate is off because Rhee says she cannot find a third partner.

[chervilant]

1. Bwahahahahahahahahaha!!!

Rhee is a blight on public education. "Can't find a third" my shiny hiney!

[Smarmie Doofus]

2. An uncharacteristically wise move on Rhee's part... all things considered.

Her choice of Paige as a second is instructive and gives the lie to the corporatists' and rw DEMS' pretense that Obama-style "reform" is anything other than a continuation and an intensification of the ed policies of the Bush regime that preceded it.

Much like our foreign policy, come to think of it.

[Ka hrnt]

4. I agree...

Seems she followed the old saying, "It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt."

[Smarmie Doofus]

5. That's one of my all time favorite quotes. I thought it was Voltaire but am stunned to see...

... it's from one A. Lincoln ... at least according to Brainy Quotes.

Anyway... it more than applies here. Though Rhee's never betrayed any concern about sounding like a fool before.

Anyway, she should relax. Ravitch is known to take it ez on debate opponents who don't know whereof they speak. Stephen Brill, for instance.

So .... come on , Michelle!

[LWolf]

6. Yes.

She could have called on Duncan as a third. But why lead the deform movement to certain slaughter?

[snot]

3. K&R'd

[DamnYankeeInHouston]

7. That would have been a satisfying debate.

It seem that Rhee has lost most of her luster if Paige is the best she could do. I survived 33 years in the Houston schools. Paige is an astoundingly inarticulate, Bush groomed P E teacher.