RUTHFULLY YOURS

By: E. D. Kain
Special to The Examiner
10/20/10 2:37 PM EDT

This Time magazine cover picture of D.C. schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee helped create the image of Rhee as a too-tough lady.

New Jersey Governor, Chris Christie, has offered former DC school reformer, Michelle Rhee, a position as the state’s next education commissioner which isn’t exactly surprising given Christie’s interest in reforming schools, New Jersey’s need for education reform, and Rhee’s no-nonsense approach to making that happen.

Rhee oversaw reforms of Washington D.C.’s public school system, laying off teachers and working to reform tenure by offering serious pay incentives to high-performing educators. She was at once loved and despised by many in the system, seen at once as a serious reformer and as somewhat ruthless. In the end, she and former D.C. Mayor, Adrian Fenty, lost the hearts and minds of D.C. voters and both were ousted.

Now Rhee has a chance to bring her reforms to New Jersey, a state which suffers similar levels of high spending and poor results as the nation’s capitol. Since Christie has been governor, he’s met stern opposition from the powerful New Jersey teachers’ unions, forcing through stiff cuts in education spending and running the tightrope between public sympathy and the tough choices facing the state budget which is in deep crisis despite some of the nation’s highest tax rates.

Christie’s reforms are not always the best, and tough cuts and tough choices – even when necessary – are not going to make any governor popular. But Christie risks running into the same problems as his potential new education chief – an appearance of not really caring about state workers, of placing ideology above the very real pain his reforms will bring about to many working New Jersey families. Perhaps Rhee is a good choice for reforming Jersey schools, but I would be cautious of placing too many hard-nosed reformers at the forefront of this fight. Rhee is a fierce reformer, much like Christie, but both come up short in the empathy department. This may not matter in the long term, but in order for education reformers to win the war of ideas, they’ll need to do better in the long run.

Personally, I’m not entirely sold on any one education reform package, but I’m thrilled to see attempts being made across the country to improve schools and education for our children. I have deep concerns with standardized tests, but I also have deep concerns over the strength and entrenchment of powerful teachers’ unions like those in New Jersey. One way or another, things need to change. That they will change in numerous little laboratories of democracy all across the country is a very good thing.