Washington School Chief Starts a Commotion By Taking on Tenure

The headline “A School Chief Takes on Tenure, Stirring a Fight” caught my attention in today’s issue of the New York Times. The article talks about the chancellor of Washington Public Schools, Michelle Rhee, and her proposal to give teachers an option of two compensation plans. The story was balanced and showed the opposing side of this proposal as well. The lead, which was just your basic news lead, also held my interest and made me want to continue reading.

The two options Michelle Rhee proposed are called the green plan and the red plan. Pay for teachers in the green plan would rise drastically, nearly doubling by 2010. They would, however, need to give up tenure for a year, after which they would need a principal’s recommendation or face dismissal.

Those who choose the red plan would also get big pay increases, but would lose seniority rights over new teachers. If they are not hired by another school, their only options would be early retirement or eventual dismissal. However, a poll commissioned by the union found that teachers opposed Ms. Rhee’s proposal by three to one.

The story was organized in a linear structure, beginning with Michelle Rhee’s proposal and all the support it was receiving. From there, it talked about those who opposed it and why. The story lived up to its captivating headline and kept me intrigued throughout the entire article.

The article linked its main points in order from the supporters of the proposal and various quotes from people who agreed with Michelle Rhee. From there, those who opposed were represented through quotes and an explanation as to why they did not agree with her. It was a very neutral article and did not favor one side over the other. The quotes from both sides came from people who knew what they were talking about which left me feeling as though I could trust what they were saying.

I thought towards the end of the article there were too many quotes. It wasn’t an effective way to conclude the story. I was left wondering why Michelle Rhee was so determined to get her proposal passed and how it would affect the rest of the country. Would other states follow suit if the proposal is passed in Washington? Also, I was left unsure as to which side I would favor if I had to choose.