The Rhee people use this as a divide and conquer strategy to undermine the unions. Government tax revenue streams are a major target for corporate interests, with schools being the biggest remaining. The teachers unions are the corporatists last hurdle before mass privatization of US school systems can begin.
There was an excellent issue of Frontline about Michelle Rhee, it wasn't presenting the teachers unions as the last bulwark against privatization at all. That is a deeply misleading characterization of what the program examined, and how.
You're right, I should have been clearer that the episode was about Michelle Rhee and her philosophy that schools should be run more like private companies. And new allegations that her system may have led to test results being manipulated to improve scores and achieve the goals she set out for teachers and principals. Is that fair?
No, that's not fair either. Her philosophy is that schools must maximize student achievement, and I agree with her about this. The point of education is not to provide jobs for educators.
