DC School Chief's 'Sex' Remarks Stir Controversy

Washington, D.C.'s schools chancellor is facing harsh criticism for her claim that among the 266 city teachers she fired last October, some "had sex with children."

Speaking with the magazine Fast Company, Michelle Rhee was explaining the criteria she used to determine which teachers the city let go in the face of a $43.9 million budget shortfall. "I got rid of teachers who had hit children, who had sex with children, who had missed 78 days of school," Rhee said. "Why wouldn't we take those things into consideration?"

The problem for Rhee is that if school authorities knew of teachers whose behavior had endangered the welfare of the district's children, the names of those individuals are, by law, supposed to be reported to the police.

On Tuesday, Rhee added additional detail to her claims, telling a local news affiliate that one of the teachers fired had been on administrative leave for sexual misconduct with a student, six others had served suspensions for a variety of corporal punishment violations, and that two of the 266 teachers fired had been suspended for unauthorized absences.

Rhee has so far declined to provide the names of the teachers in question.

"Why was an alleged budget problem used as a basis for dismissing people who, according to her, engaged in abuse and sexual molestation of children?" D.C. Council Chairman Vincent C. Gray asked in an interview with WTOP News.

Gray says he is considering a subpoena for Rhee to compel her to testify and provide names of the teachers accused of abusing children.

Rhee's decision to terminate 266 teachers has further exacerbated an already difficult relationship with the city's teachers' union.

"The statements are not only an affront to every single teacher that was [laid off] but every single teacher currently employed in D.C. public schools," the union's general vice president, Nathan Saunders, told The Washington Post. "It's irresponsible, and she needs to be taken to task for it."

Since being appointed in 2007 to head one of the nation's worst school districts, Rhee has clashed with the union on issues like merit pay, which she advocates and the union staunchly opposes. Efforts to sign a new contract with the city have so far proved unsuccessful.

Meanwhile, under Rhee's leadership the district's test scores have risen and the high school dropout rate has eased.

While Rhee faces potential troubles in the nation's capital, she is being heralded in the new documentary "Waiting for Superman," which made its debut over the weekend at the Sundance Film Festival.

After seeing the film, Chicago Sun-Times critic Roger Ebert wrote the following about Rhee's battle with the union: "The most powerful opponents to better teaching are the teachers' unions. I am a lifelong supporter of unions. But 'Waiting for Superman' makes this an inescapable conclusion. A union that protects incompetent and even dangerous teachers is an obscenity."
As to the matter of naming those teachers whom Rhee claims may have had sex with or physically abused students, it remains to be seen whether her remarks will result in any further disciplinary or legal action, be they against Rhee or the alleged perpetrators.
Filed under: Nation, Only On Sphere

Source:sphere.com/

Enjoying a Swedish massage at the Ritz-Carlton Georgetown, Washington, DC

The spa: Housed in the depths of this landmark hotel, the four-room spa is an oasis of serenity next to a busy gym, which, as befits the world’s powerhouse of politics, is open 24 hours a day.

Spa Spy’s symptoms: Ah, those hardy perennials: shoulder tightness, muscle tension and lower back pain that Spa Spy suspects is back-to-work stress.

The prescription: After a consultation with Yannick, my therapist, the signature therapeutic massage (50 minutes, £76) is recommended – a common-or-garden Swedish-technique massage designed to ease chronic pain, fluid retention and muscular fatigue that is pepped up some deep-tissue action and a range of specialist therapeutic techniques.

The procedure: Easing the pain involved some serious pummelling of the shoulder area and tugging of arms from the masseuse interspersed with yelps from Spy; the myofascial release involved some rather unpleasant manipulation of connective tissue. Yannick used her knuckles and elbows to get into the deep tissue and mobilise long tightened muscles, all the while, we discussed the finer details of Washington politics. The neck was lengthened and, finally, the knots untied, the worries wrung out.

The verdict: Executed with highly skilled hands. Spa Spy strolled to a rendezvous in front of the White House feeling lighter, thanks to a change in posture, and definitely taller.

The medical opinion: “Lower back pain is very common, affecting approximately 80 per cent of the population at some point,” writes Dr Max Pemberton. “It is usually the result of poor posture leading to strain on the muscles and ligaments of the back. However, a review of the research on spinal manipulation – massage included – showed that it is no more or less effective than standard medical interventions for back pain, such as encouraging gentle exercise and managing pain with painkillers and anti-inflammatory medication.”

The feelgood factor: Unlike other newly built, cookie-cutter Ritz-Carltons, this one has a boutique feel. Housed inside a former incinerator, with a 130ft chimney that rises above the hotel, it’s more trendy loft conversion than marble palace. But you are well situated for fashionable restaurants and shops, and for a stroll to the White House.

Details: Doubles at the Ritz-Carlton Georgetown (0800 234 000, www.ritzcarlton.com), from £279 a night. Virgin Atlantic (08448 747 747, virginatlantic.com) is offering return flights this month from £379 return.

Source:elegraph.co.uk/