SchoolNotes

There are a lot of reasons that one-third of the District's young people don't bother to show up for school. Many students are struck by strange maladies that occur just before school. In reality, though, many of these students aren’t sick. They just don't think it's important to show up. They don't appreciate the time and energy that parents, teachers and residents expend to create quality schools or the wasted tax dollars. They would rather sit in front of the idiot box or stand out on the street corners than attend school.

There's not much that can be done for many of these students. It's difficult to engage them once they become distracted. The one thing adults and leaders can do is simple: They can set a good example. They can show up for their jobs, family events, and community events. Young people learn by watching the adults around them.

With that in mind, it’s hard to excuse School Chancellor Michelle Rhee for missing Wednesday's Family Reading Night at Scott Montgomery Elementary. Rhee was the featured speaker at the event and hundreds of residents jammed the auditorium to hear her speak. Unfortunately, thirty minutes before she was scheduled to speak, and as parents were still streaming in if from a long queue outside, Rhee sent word that she would not attend.

Montgomery school officials had rescheduled this event three times to accommodate the chancellor’s schedule. A CBS Evening News crew arrived at 4:50 with five people as part of an ongoing story they are working on about the chancellor. They spent a lot of time setting up and interviewing staff. They were told at 6:10 that Rhee would not be coming and immediately packed up and left.

Rhee’s absence said more than any of the elegant speeches she has given about raising educational standards. Many Shaw residents will now remember Rhee as the “one who didn’t show up.”

Scott Montgomery faculty and staff worked hard to make Family Reading Night a great success and to make a good impression on the chancellor. They secured thousands of books for students to select from and keep. They prepared hundreds of educational games for the students to play in the school library with their parents and take home. Community partners pitched in, too. Several small business owners donated food for the event. And residents responded. Hundreds of them attended the event eager to meet the school chancellor.

Of course, they went home disappointed. At least, they were disappointed in the chancellor.

I hope that Rhee has the good sense to apologize. An official apology to parents, teachers and students is in order. She might also consider personally meeting the two third graders who had planned to introduce her. The youngsters worked hard on their speeches, only to be forced to rewrite them on the fly. Luckily, these two kids were more than up to the task. Rhee should take some time out of her schedule to show some appreciation for their BRILLIANCE and apologize personally. These two SMES students are perfect examples of the fantastic work that teachers at Scott Montgomery are doing every day. The also reflect the time and energy of concerned SMES parents who value a good education and do their part to help their children achieve. They are also popular role models, well respected by their classmates.

The success of tonight's event made it clear to everyone that Rhee's presence wasn't really needed. That may be the silver lining. It’s not necessarily a bad thing when residents realize that they can accomplish great things without the interest, attendance or support of powerful people.

People work together because they believe in what they are doing despite the fact that Shaw has been so neglected and underserved by the District government and now an absentee school Chancellor. They do it because they can at least believe in our kids if they can't believe in the vacuous words of neglectful, dismissive government officials.

Martin Moulton
Friend of Scott Montgomery Elementary

P.S. Incidentally, I overheard someone mention that Rhee bumped some of the Washington Wizards off the Family Reading Night program. I bet if the Wizards had been scheduled they would have shown up. And I imagine, if offered the choice next time, the kids and parents won't think twice about who they'd prefer to spend the evening with.