‘Frontline’ raises questions about test-score tampering under Rhee

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37. They Do Not Know

How many time have you heard a bad story about charter schools in the main stream media? How many stories have been done in the main stream media on how some of the charter schools that perform better than public schools get those results? How much time does the main stream media spend discussing the stories of schools that at one point had a dramatic increase in test scores only to see a just as dramatic decrease when individuals seem to be given less access to tests after they are taken? How many times does the main stream media link the dramatic increases and decreases to high stakes testing and not just bad apple teachers and principals?

If I have heard stories like that in the main stream media I have not heard very many. Much of the stories that I hear that do not give the positive view of charter schools come from independent media. I have seen a few television news reports about Michelle Rhee, but I do not recall any mentioning that the results that happened during her time in D.C. are in question. Normally, I hear Rhee took a get tough approach with teachers and other school officials in which she fired teachers and other school officials she felt were underperforming. Her approach angered teacher's unions and some parents, but test scores increased during her time in D.C.