VOA慢速英语2010年-Education Report - What Next for Miche

This is the VOA Special English Education Report.

Michelle Rhee had never led a school system before she came to the public schools in Washington in two thousand seven. By the end of the following year she was on the cover of Time. The magazine recognized her as a national leader in education reform.

And now Ms. Rhee appears in the film "Waiting for 'Superman,'" a documentary¹ about problems in the educational system.

MICHELLE RHEE: "You wake up every morning and you know that kids are getting a really crappy education right now."

DAVIS GUGGENHEIM: "So you think that most of the kids are getting a crappy education right now?"

MICHELLE RHEE: "Oh, I don't think they are. I know they are."

Ms. Rhee closed underperforming schools in America's capital. She dismissed hundreds of teachers and administrators² -- including the principal at her daughters' school.

She angered the teachers union and those traditionally protected in permanent jobs, but who she said were not doing a good enough job. She negotiated³ a new labor⁴ contract that measures teacher success based in part on student performance.

Michelle Rhee talks to a third-grader at J.O. Wilson Elementary School in Washington

Many of her actions were the same as those supported nationally by the Department of Education and President Obama.

But last week, Michelle Rhee announced she will leave after almost three and a half years. Her resignation⁵ takes effect at the end of October. She said Washington's next mayor should be able to start with someone of his own choice.

On November second, voters are expected to elect Vincent Gray, now the city council chairman. Democrats⁶ nominated⁷ him over Mayor Adrian Fenty.

People can argue about why Mayor Fenty lost after one term. But for many voters, one reason was his hiring of Michelle Rhee and his support for her aggressive reforms.

Public opinion surveys showed a racial divide. A majority of whites but only a third of blacks thought the public schools have improved.

Close to seventy percent of whites told the Washington Post that Ms. Rhee was a reason to support Mayor Fenty. But more than half of blacks saw her as a reason to vote against him.

Mr. Gray and Mr. Fenty are both African-American, as are three out of four students in the District of Columbia public schools.

Mr. Gray promises to continue school reform efforts. Ms. Rhee's leadership team will remain until the end of the school year. Her deputy⁸, Kaya Henderson, is taking her place, at least for now.

It is unclear what Michelle Rhee will do next. Shortly after her announcement, she launched michellerhee.org. She says she will continue her efforts for education reform, and she is asking people to share ideas.

She also says she wants to live closer to her future husband, Kevin Johnson, the mayor of Sacramento, California.

And that's the VOA Special English Education Report. I'm Steve Ember
 

1 documentary   

adj.文献的；n.纪录片

参考例句：

• This case lacked documentary proof.本案缺少书面证据。
• I watched a documentary on the Civil War.我看了一部关于内战的纪录片。

2 administrators   

n.管理者( administrator的名词复数 )；有管理（或行政）才能的人；（由遗嘱检验法庭指定的）遗产管理人；奉派暂管主教教区的牧师

参考例句：

• He had administrators under him but took the crucial decisions himself. 他手下有管理人员，但重要的决策仍由他自己来做。 来自辞典例句
• Administrators have their own methods of social intercourse. 办行政的人有他们的社交方式。 来自汉英文学 - 围城

3 negotiated   

谈判，协商，议定( negotiate的过去式和过去分词 )； 兑现（支票等）； 通过，越过（险要路段）

参考例句：

• The government negotiated with the opposition party over the new law. 政府就新法与反对党进行了协商。
• By careful strategy she negotiated a substantial pay rise. 她精心策划后，谈妥了大幅增加工资的事。

4 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

5 resignation   

n.放弃，辞职，反抗

参考例句：

• He handed in his resignation right after the cabinet meeting.内阁会议一开完，他就提出了辞呈。
• They asked for his resignation with one voice.他们一致要求他辞职。

6 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 nominated   

adj.被提名的，被任命的 动词nominate的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• She has been nominated for the presidency. 她已经获得了董事长职位的提名。
• The movie was nominated for an Oscar. 这部电影获奥斯卡金像奖提名。

8 deputy   

n.代理人，代表，副职；adj.代理的，副的

参考例句：

• John will act as a deputy for me during my absence.我离开期间，约翰将代理我的职务。
• She is the deputy headmistress of the school.她是那所学校的代理校长。