Written by Administrator on 11 June 2010
On April 16th the District of Columbia celebrated Emancipation Day. This 4-year old Holiday in the District of Columbia is a very good way to remember the historic moment when President Abraham Lincoln freed the nation’s capital 3100 slaves in 1862. With the financial woes of the city, Mayor Adrian M. Fenty has proposed eliminating the day off next year to save about $2 million in holiday pay to critical workers.
How do you celebrate Emancipation Day in DC? What do you think of the Mayor’s proposal? Look at photos of the celebration of this Holiday on our website at: http://www.dcdsc.org/events/emancipationday.htm
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Written by Administrator on 11 June 2010
DC Public School chancellor Michelle Rhee was a guest speaker at an event help by the Ward 3 Democrats of Washington DC. The event held as part of the Ward 3 Democrats’ regular meeting drew about 50 guests. The meeting was an opportunity for many city residents to ask direct questions of the head of the DC Public School system (DCPS). Ms. Rhee, appointed to head the school System by Mayor Adrian Fenty in 2007, gave indications that the school system is improving. While the head of the more than 55,000 student system, ranked 65 largest in the nation, was quick to mention that her boss needs a second term to complete the school reform they have set out to do, she says there is already progress to report. Last year the school system saw a 10% increase across the board on reading and math levels compared to the last 4 years combined. She also notes that they have managed to close the academic achievement gap that exists between white and minority students by as much as 11%. But she also points to data that indicates that only 9% of students that start high school end up graduating from college within 5 years of graduating high school, and that nearly 92% of eighth graders are below reading and math levels for their grade.
Chancellor Rhee says that she and Mayor Fenty have set two main goals that they plan accomplish by the end of Fenty’s second term. The first would be to make the DC Public School system the highest performing urban school district in the nation, and the second is to close the achievement gap between white students and minority students such that the color of skin of a child does not determine his academic success. On the topic of charter schools, the chancellor noted that nearly 30% of students in the city attend charter schools. She admits, to her surprise, that there is a growing opposition for the more autonomous school format. “I don’t believe in the one-size-fits-all format”, said Rhee, who believes that autonomy should be a reward for success and not necessarily a prerequisite.
The meeting was also an opportunity for Wards 3 Democrats to put together a panel on environmental issues, commemorating Earth Day. Additionally, at least two resolutions were presented at the meeting, one on DC statehood; the other was a resolution on marriage equality, which aims to address the gender disparity that exists for same sex couples. Attendees to the meeting included, DC Shadow Senators Paul Strauss and Michael D. Brown, DC Democratic Party chair Anita Bonds and DC Democratic Party treasurer Dan Wedderburn, amongst other. Videos and photos of the meeting can be seen at http://www.dcdsc.org.
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