Rhee’s New Advocacy Group

News headlines pointing out that Waiting for Superman was not nominated for one of tonight's Academy Awards combined with the media frenzy surrounding Michelle Rhee's new advocacy group have directed my attention back to the education reform debate. On Friday night, I had a few friends over for vegan chili and a discussion of Waiting for Superman and we came to the unanimous conclusion that the film unduly glorified Rhee and grossly oversimplified our nation's education dilemma.

In Waiting for Superman, Guggenheim frames the discussion on education reform around a fictional mutual exclusivity of the interests of children and adults as if changes that benefit teachers cannot also help students. Rhee's new advocacy group, Students First, also subscribes to this philosophy and seeks to limit the power of teachers unions and strip teachers of job protections like tenure. Through Students First, Rhee intends to raise a billion dollars to counter the political clout of teachers unions, which contribute heavily to the Democratic Party at the national level.

During her stint as Chancellor of DC public schools, Rhee gained notoriety for firing a record number of teachers. 75 of these 1,000 teachers have recently had their jobs reinstated and were granted back-pay following a finding that Rhee never provided a reason for their termination. Also, IMPACT, the method Rhee used to measure teacher job performance in DC, has been strongly criticized as unfair. Student test scores were one of the central components of the measure and it's not clear if standardized test scores can be directly linked teacher performance. The American Federation of Teachers recommends using a different termination process that values peer input.

As teachers and other public employees are fighting to keep their collective bargaining rights in Wisconsin and around the nation, Rhee is busy gathering the resources necessary to impede their progress. Students First is a thinly veiled vehicle designed to support right-wing education reforms that place educators under the knife on the operating table of government budget cuts.

Zimmerman’s "The Arabian Nights"

If you'd like a magical escape from the politics, war and social change in the news about the Arab world, Mary Zimmerman's Arabian Nights is the theatrical production for you. Set in ancient Baghdad with subplots in Cairo and around the Middle-East, Arabian Nights presents a glimpse into Islamic life that is so creatively nuanced that it couldn't be replicated in one's wildest dreams. This unique piece of art was clearly crafted by an expert director and playwright. I was fortunate enough to see this play last night courtesy of the discount ticket program at Arena stage, but Zimmerman's latest artistic masterpiece will be playing in DC through February 20^th. (I'd recommend getting tickets as soon as possible because word of mouth travels quickly about these performances and they are more likely to be sold out towards the end of the show's run.)

The plot is built around the story of a young woman who uses storytelling to escape her tragic fate. Over the course of the almost three hour long play, the desperate protagonist draws upon her superb and mesmerizing storytelling skills to captivate her would-be murder and by consequence, the audience too. Her stories are humorous, imaginative and bold. At times, the stories mirror the themes of the main plot, creating parallel representations of love, betrayal and revenge.

Despite its seemingly solemn subject matter, it is actually quite a humorous performance to watch. I laughed consistently throughout the evening as characters tried to trash-talk their way out of trouble in various scenes. The script is delightfully sprinkled with easy puns and sharp wit. Best of all, Arabian Nights provides an imaginative escape without the special effects and frills of Hollywood cinema. Viewers are encouraged to use their own minds and actively participate in forming their own visual image of the play.

DC Chinese New Year Parade

This past Sunday, a good friend alerted me about the Chinese New Year Parade that was taking place in DC's Chinatown just in time for me hop on the train and catch the parade from start to finish. It was a lovely winter day with plenty of unobstructed sunlight and highs in the upper 40's. The weather was so nice that I even took off my overcoat at one point during the parade because I was too hot! The parade spectators consisted of a diverse mix of families with small children, groups of teenagers and adults.

The parade got off to a noisy an exciting start as a group dressed in traditional Chinese garb led the parade while popping firecrackers on the street. (I'm pretty sure they had a special permit, so don't get any ideas about setting off fireworks in the city). Following the first group were a series of marchers and performers including dragon dancers, Chinese animal characters, Kung Fu artists and some seemingly unrelated groups including a high school band that lacked props or decorations related to the parade theme. 2011 is the Year of the Rabbit on the Chinese lunar-solar calendar and the New Year celebration lasts for 15 days, from new moon to full moon, beginning Feb 3, 2011.

Unfortunately, this parade, much like DC Chinatown itself, paled in comparison to parades in cities with larger and more established Asian-American populations. Don't get me wrong though, because I think the few contingents that were in the parade were well planned and neatly presented. However, I do hope to see this parade evolving into a larger, more widely-attended parade like the Capital Pride parade over time. This growth will undoubtedly happen as word of mouth about this great reason to get outdoors, absorb some Vitamin D and experience a cultural event on a winter day travels around town.