Rhee rallies voters for Fenty
09.05.2010
Rhee rallies voters for Fenty
Hoping to help Mayor Adrian M. Fenty get reelected, Schools Chancellor Michelle A. Rhee told a crowd of supporters Saturday morning at a rally that the District is a "different city" under his leadership and that improvements in the school system and in economic development cannot continue without him.
Rhee, limited in her political activity by a federal law, told the crowd at Broad Branch Market in Chevy Chase that she was speaking as a "private citizen."
The market is within walking distance of Chevy Chase Community Center, one of four satellite polling sites throughout the city that opened at 8:30 a.m. Saturday for early voting. Fenty led the crowd of supporters in a march to the community center. As of 9:30, 125 people had taken numbers to vote.
By 10 a.m., about 600 people had voted at all five polling sites, including the Board of Elections and Ethics headquarters at Judiciary Square, said Alysoun McLaughlin, elections board spokeswoman. The number was expected to continue to grow with steady streams of voters at Chevy Chase Community Center in Ward 3 and Turkey Thicket Recreation Center in Ward 5. By 11:30 a.m., 280 voters had gone through Turkey Thicket while 382 had cast ballots at Chevy Chase.
Earlier, council member Muriel Bowser (D-Ward 4) used Rhee's title when introducing her, but Fenty steered clear of calling her the chancellor.
Fenty trails his chief opponent, Council Chairman Vincent C. Gray, by double digits among Democrats in a Washington Post poll. He has centered his reelection bid on a promise to retain Rhee as chancellor, but the poll showed that invoking Rhee becomes a virtual wash among potential voters. Of those polled, as many like Rhee's performance as disapprove of her work when asked whether she provides a reason to vote for Fenty.
The poll revealed racial and geographical divisions. Fenty's support is strongest among whites and Ward 3 residents. The crowd at Broad Branch was predominantly white: Parents and children, clad in Fenty's campaign color green, cheered for him and for Rhee.
Gray has refused to say whether he would retain Rhee as chancellor if he is elected.
As a resident, Rhee began her address to the crowd not with reference to schools but by talking about economic development.
She said she and her fiance, Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson, recently had dinner at Ray's the Steaks, which opened a branch in Ward 7. She said Johnson ended up talking to patrons at another table "all the way from Bethesda."
"Four years ago, we would have never seen this kind of progress," she said.
She shared a personal story, saying her older daughter met a transfer student from the private Maret School at Alice Deal Middle School. She said the student's mother "was tired of paying $30,000 a year. ... She hoped this one [school] had gotten fixed," Rhee said.
"What I want to be very, very clear about is that the work is not done yet. The only way we are going to continue the progress we've seen is to reelect this man here."
Taking a cue from Fenty's campaign message, Rhee also said the mayor had made tough decisions against the "status quo" that led to "push back." She also acknowledged that he has made mistakes.
"He owns those mistakes and is committed to moving forward," Rhee said.
Fenty told the crowd that he has improved schools and recreation centers all over the city. "If you go to Ward 8, it's almost a mirror image," he said, adding that the new Deanwood Recreation Center in Ward 7 is now the largest in the city.
He also told the crowd that "early voting is priming the pump."
"We get those higher numbers, and we win on September 14th," Fenty said.
In front of the community center, Fenty became more animated when his supporters had to share the sidewalk with Gray supporters. A lone Gray supporter disrupted the Fenty rally with children placing Fenty stickers on his Gray T-shirt.
At the community center, police officers and elections board spokeswoman McLaughlin reported no significant incidents. Gray supporters accused Fenty and those who marched from the rally of violating a rule by standing closer than 50 feet to the polling site.
Erik Kvalsik, a Fenty supporter with 7-year-old twins at Lafayette Elementary School, said improvements in schools were not the only reasons to vote for Fenty. "It's citywide progress," he said. "I hate to see it interrupted."
Carol Seitz, mother of two school-age children in private school, said she has been impressed with progress at Lafayette, Deal and Wilson High School. "I'm open to the idea [of public school] where I wasn't four years ago," she said.
In an interview, Rhee said she would continue to campaign for the mayor as needed on weekends and after work. During the interview, a woman interrupted, "I want you to be on the ballot."
DC One of Ten Jurisdictions To Receive Race to the Top Funds
08.24.2010
by Nick Anderson
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, August 24, 2010; 11:56 AM
Maryland and the District joined eight states as winners of $3.4 billion in coveted education grants, federal officials said Tuesday morning.
The other winners in the second round of President Obama's Race to the Top were Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Massachusetts, New York, North Carolina, Ohio and Rhode Island, Education Department spokesman Justin Hamilton said.
The department was briefing lawmakers and governors this morning. There was no immediate word on how much money each winner will receive.
The competition, funded through the 2009 economic stimulus law, has generated enormous interest across the country in efforts to improve education. It puts a premium on ideas to link student achievement data to individual teachers and principals, as well as creating public charter schools, adopting common national standards and turning around low-performing schools.
In the first round of grants, announced in March, Delaware was awarded $100 million and Tennessee $500 million.
Tuesday's announcement is for a second round of grants.
Among the second-round finalists that failed to win funding were California, Arizona, Pennsylvania, Colorado, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, New Jersey and South Carolina.
Virginia finished far out of the running in the first round and did not compete in the second.
Bloomberg Endorses Fenty
08.18.2010
A Tale of Two Mayors: How Bloomberg, Fenty Gain From Alliance
Adrian Fenty has long been a Michael Bloomberg fan. Even before he became mayor of Washington, D.C., Fenty traveled to New York’s City Hall to see how the billionaire mayor ran the biggest city in the U..S.
Since he took office in 2007, Fenty has borrowed numerous ideas from up north, including a focus on a more customer-friendly city services and an effort to bring about sweeping changes in the public school system.
Bloomberg, in turn, has frequently praised Fenty as part of a new generation of successful local leaders. After a visit to Philadelphia Tuesday morning to endorse Democrat Joe Sestak’s U.S. Senate bid, Bloomberg will be in D.C. to support Fenty’s re-election campaign. Read more.
Knocking on doors to welcome new parents
08.16.2010
By Bill Turque
If you have a child entering a DCPS preschool or pre-K classroom this month, don't be surprised to see someone at your door this weekend with information about the school year that begins on Aug. 23. The school system is launching a two-day canvass of the 5,600 families enrolled in early childhood programs to provide basic information, including forms for required health screening and immunizations. Read more
Fenty's Followers
08.12.2010
The mayor's fans concede a style that might alienate some, but that gets the job done
Moving to the District in 1973 to write his dissertation, Jerry Clark has a long relationship with the District. His career has taken him to the Department of Justice, Whitman-Walker Clinic, the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, and a number of other spots while in D.C. And through it all, the Ward 1 resident has watched the city evolve.
''I'd say city services are the best they've ever been,'' he says of today in comparison to nearly 40 decades of living here. ''I'm not one to hold back complaining if I'm not happy, and I haven't had to complain much during this administration.''
Adrian Fenty receives Washington Post endorsement
07.30.2010
Adrian M. Fenty in the Democratic primary for D.C. mayor
Sunday, August 1, 2010;
MAYOR ADRIAN M. FENTY swept into office four years ago vowing to take on the District's most daunting problems. The city had made progress during the eight-year mayorship of Anthony A. Williams (D), but the public schools were still the worst in the nation, crime remained high and government struggled to deliver basic services. Mr. Fenty attacked these challenges with his trademark energy and an almost intimidating single-mindedness. He has delivered: The District of Columbia today is a better place to live and work than it was four years ago. It is for that reason that we enthusiastically endorse Mr. Fenty in the Democratic primary for mayor. He should have another four years to entrench the progress he has made. Read full article...
Adrian Fenty Wins Ward 2 Democrats Straw Poll
07.26.2010
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Adrian M. Fenty won the Ward 2 Democrats straw poll last night, leading the opposition 97 to 63. The straw poll was held Wednesday evening and took place at the Washington Plaza Hotel.
"Thanks to all the residents who took the time to come out last night," said Mayor Fenty. "With your support, we'll continue to build great schools, drive down crime, and deliver better city services, not only for Ward 2 but for all residents, for four more years."
As they came in to place their votes, Ward 2 residents spoke about the results they are seeing citywide. Logan Circle resident and ANC 2F Chairman Charles Reed said, “Mayor Fenty has made great improvements in our community and in the city over the last three years. It is crucial that this progress continue, and under Mayor Fenty’s leadership, it will.”
07.26.2010
D.C. police chief transcends race and gender in serving the city
07.26.2010
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Teacher Tenure Breakout
07.26.2010
In the long war between teachers unions and education reformers, the reformers won a big victory this week that could serve as a model for school districts across the U.S. The breakthrough is a new contract between the District of Columbia and 4,000 public school teachers that shatters taboos on teacher tenure, seniority and pay-for-performance.
The contract, which was approved by the D.C. Council on Tuesday, is a triumph for hard-bargaining Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee, who took on American Federation of Teachers (AFT) President Randi Weingarten and has lived to tell about it. "Seniority used to drive all kinds of decisions, including who was hired or laid off," said Ms. Rhee during a recent visit to the Journal. "Now that will be determined by performance and quality."
Among other things, the new contract abolishes lock-step pay and implements a voluntary performance-based system that could add $20,000 to $30,000 to the salaries of teachers whose students show above-average improvement in test scores. Tenure rules will no longer compel principals to hire rotten instructors.
Teacher performance will be judged by student achievement and evaluations by administrators and "master educators" appointed by Ms. Rhee's office who can make surprise classroom visits. Bad teachers can be terminated more easily, while teachers rated "minimally effective" will have their pay frozen and can be fired after two years if they don't improve.
These may seem like common sense reforms to anyone outside of public education, but they have been fiercely opposed by the AFT, the National Education Association and their local affiliates. In most states, teachers receive tenure after only two or three years in the classroom, and then it's nearly impossible to fire them. Students are the victims of this system meant to serve adults with lifetime sinecures.
How has Ms. Rhee pulled this off when so many others have failed? One reason is the political support of Democratic Mayor Adrian Fenty, who appointed her in 2007. Another is the awful state of the schools she inherited, where only 8% of eighth graders were performing at grade level in math when she took over, even though D.C. was spending $14,300 per student, or $6,300 more than the national average. Even Ms. Weingarten couldn't defend those results.
Ms. Rhee adds that she had more than the usual bargaining leverage thanks to some earlier reforms that let her decide how teachers are evaluated. The wholesale flight of D.C. children—some 38%—from traditional public schools to charter schools increased her negotiating power. Credit also goes to the Washington Post, which has supported Ms. Rhee even as most big city liberal newspapers have backed the status quo.
Ms. Rhee's challenge now is to use the new rules forcefully enough to drive improvements because the unions will assume they can wait her out. Meanwhile, Ms. Weingarten and the national unions are trying to downplay the D.C. contract lest other school chancellors take it up as their reform model. Their greatest fear is that they will have to defend against reformers determined to rewrite teacher tenure rules on multiple fronts.
Unfortunately, most school chancellors are careerists who don't want to upset the unions because they are always looking for their next job. One example: Clifford Janey, whom Ms. Rhee replaced in D.C., went on to become the superintendent in Newark, N.J., whose schools may be worse than D.C.'s. Ms. Rhee, by contrast, came to her job as an outsider willing to endure the considerable abuse that the unions and their political backers threw at her.
School reform can sometimes seem like a Sisyphean task, but D.C.'s breakout on teacher tenure shows that the status quo can be broken. Let's hope more big city mayors and chancellors have the courage of Ms. Rhee's and Mayor Fenty's convictions.
Fenty wins backing of gay activist Rep. Jared Polis
07.26.2010
If Mayor Adrian M. Fenty's facing dwindling support in the city's gay and lesbian community, it certainly wasn't apparent on the upper floor of the Halo nightclub Wednesday night.
Well over 100 Fenty supporters packed the Logan Circle club Wednesday night for a "meet and greet" for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender Washingtonians. They heard Rep. Jared Polis (D-Colo.) - one of three openly gay members of Congress, along with Reps. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc.) and Barney Frank (D-Mass.) - introduce Fenty and endorse him for a second term.
While Polis acknowledged that Fenty had signed a landmark bill authorizing gay marriages in the District, he spent much of his remarks praising Fenty's record on education, noting his years of service on the Colorado State Board of Education.
Fenty has come under some criticism from members of the politically potent gay activist community is recent weeks. Lane Hudson, an activist supporting Gray, accused Fenty of being "MIA" on gay issues in a Washington Blade op-ed. And last week, Peter Rosenstein, an erstwhile supporter of Fenty's, unleashed a 5,000-word broadside against Fenty's performance as mayor in the same publication.
But the Halo fundraiser attracted a large and diverse crowd -- including several advisory neighborhood commissioners and at least one supporter of his opponent.
Lee Brian Reba, a former deputy chief of staff to Council Chairman Vincent C. Gray, was in attendance. "I'm on Team Gray, but I'm supportive of the mayor. ... I don't think it's fair the way he's been criticized in the gay community," Reba said, before invoking Gray's campaign slogan. "Tonight was to come together. ... At the end of the day, we're still one city."
A survey of attendees found many, like Polis, were quick to cite education and other non-GLBT issues in expressing their support for Fenty.
"I really like what he and Michelle Rhee are trying to do with the schools," said Cary Plair, a Logan Circle resident who has school-age nephews in the city.
"Crime is down, so business is better," said D.C. Allen, a Dupont Circle resident who has owned the Crew Club gym on 14th Street NW since the early '90s.
He, too, supports Fenty's education efforts. "So many young gay and lesbian couples are having children that it is important that we have a netter school system," said Allen. "An educational system is probably the most important thing a city can have."
Fenty Earns Endorsement from Region's Business Leaders
07.26.2010
WASHINGTON - Fenty 2010 on Tuesday announced the Greater Washington Board of Trade endorsed Adrian M. Fenty as its candidate for mayor of the District of Columbia.
"I am honored to have earned the support of the region's business leaders," Fenty said. "During the last three and half years we’ve worked very closely to build a strong partnership to ensure Greater Washington remains a world-class center for business. As the core of the Washington region, the District's ability to create jobs and attract new businesses and residents will only strengthen our position as the best place to do business in the nation. During the next four years my administration will work even harder to see businesses of all sizes thrive in every neighborhood in the city - from Georgia Avenue to Georgetown to Gallery Place to Good Hope Road."
The Board of Trade is the region's largest business advocacy organization.
"Our endorsement of Mayor Fenty for a second term recognizes that the mayor has developed a strong team of top talent, who he appropriately holds accountable for making progress," said Jim Dinegar, the BOT’s CEO. "The mayor has backed key initiatives important to the Board of Trade and to the region at large, especially by collaborating on rail to Dulles, prioritizing regional emergency preparedness and emphasizing the need to better manage government expenses rather than seek to raise taxes."
The BOT recognized the Fenty's achievements in transforming the District's public schools into a national model for urban education reform, implementing progressive transportation initiatives, improving service delivery and reducing crime by record levels.
Fenty Hails Plan to End Homelessness
07.26.2010
Mayor Adrian Fenty has joined with the District Department of Human Services to congratulate the U. S. Interagency Council on Homelessness on its release of the nation's first comprehensive plan to prevent and end homelessness.
The plan is entitled, "Opening Doors: Federal Strategic Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness," and is the result of a collaborative effort among several federal agencies, with the departments of Housing and Urban Development, Labor and Veterans Affairs listed among them.
However, the effort surrounding homeless veterans in the District provides more than 100 persons labeled as chronic victims with supportive services and housing.
Overall, President Barack Obama's road map to ending homelessness calls for it to be completely eradicated from the veteran community by 2015. A commitment to end the condition across the board is expected by 2020, and accomplishing that feat calls for an increase in leadership and civic engagement, increasing access to supportive housing and economic security as well as improving health and stability and transforming crisis response systems for the homeless.
"I commend the Obama administration and leadership in the various agencies of the Interagency Council on Homelessness for setting aggressive goals that will make our efforts to end homelessness easier," Fenty said in a prepared statement. "I am especially proud that the successful partnership between DHS and Veterans Affairs and their efforts to house the District's homeless veterans were highlighted as [a priority]."
According to the Washington, D.C.-based Urban Institute, homelessness appears to have increased drastically in the past decade when some 2.3 million people fit the category.
Likening the plight to a revolving door syndrome, the Institute further states on its Web site that while many individuals and families tend to exit homelessness fairly quickly, others are unfortunately becoming homeless on a daily basis.
Triggers for homelessness include personal difficulties such as mental disabilities and job loss. With the onset of the Great Recession two years ago, the situation as it relates to housing market trends, has gotten worse rather than better, according to the Institute.
DHS Director Clarence Carter said Washington should lead the way in abolishing homelessness.
"We look forward to continuing to make the District a national example for ending homelessness as we fulfill the mandate articulated in Opening Doors," Carter said.
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07.26.2010
LiUNA Endorses Mayor Adrian Fenty's Re-Election
07.26.2010
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Laborers International Union (LiUNA) and its Baltimore/Washington District Council today threw its weight behind the re-election campaign of Mayor Adrian Fenty. LiUNA endorsed Fenty as the candidate with a record of getting things done—including aggressively pursuing every opportunity to get District residents back to work.
"I am honored to accept the endorsement of the Laborers," said Adrian Fenty. "Working together, there is an enormous amount we can do to rebuild our city's schools, recreation centers, and libraries while creating jobs for our residents."
LiUNA represents nearly 3,000 men and women who work in building construction, environmental remediation, heavy and highway construction, as well as industrial and public sector jobs.
"This is all about putting people back to work!" said International Vice President and Regional Manager Dennis Martire who announced the endorsement. "Our members live in the District and they’ve been hit hard by this economy. We've worked with Mayor Fenty on innovative programs like the Home Weatherization and training program that will not only create new jobs but open doors to the field for hundreds of unemployed District residents. This endorsement is an opportunity to be a real partner with the Mayor in putting DC residents back to work."
"This is the right move," said Local 657 member Beatrice Jackson, a single parent who began her career in construction working on Nationals Stadium. Jackson, who has found work sporadically since the Stadium project's completion, was eager to sign up to canvass for Fenty. "I listened to what the other candidate said, but Mayor Fenty has a plan to help me get back to work, and because my union is part of that plan I know that he will come through."
After the Mayor's speech, Local 657 Business Manager, Anthony Frederick, got the crowd of 250 going with a passionate speech and Obama-esque chant of 'Yes We Can.' During the last election, Frederick led a volunteer effort that saw more than 200 members canvassing the City to elect pro-labor candidates. He expects that LiUNA will exceed that effort this election cycle. "In 2006, our members were excited, but they were working. This year is much more than an election, it’s a fight for survival and we know that only Adrian Fenty can deliver on jobs. Our members are motivated like never before."
over 21,000 District Residents Put Adrian Fenty on the Ballots
07.26.2010
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today Fenty 2010 submitted over 21,000 petition signatures to the DC Board of Elections, exceeding the number collected during Adrian Fenty’s 2006 mayoral campaign by approximately 9,000 signatures.
"As we collected signatures, we spoke with thousands of District residents who want the progress we've made, from school reform to reduced crime, to continue," said Adrian Fenty. "Thank you to every resident who signed our petitions. We're excited to keep reaching out over the next 92 days."
Fenty volunteers, who helped collect signatures since May 14th, said the petition drive was a great opportunity to spread Adrian Fenty's message of progress and results.
"While I collected petitions, I was able to tell my neighbors about Mayor Fenty's work to secure a new community center, library and field for the Rosedale Community," said Sondra Philips-Gilbert of Ward 6. "Mayor Fenty is a very compassionate person that really cares about our community, and we need his leadership for another four years."
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