DC Council Strips Workers of Rights

Turning a deaf ear to efforts to protect school employees, the DC City Council on Tuesday overwhelmingly approved legislation enabling DC Public Schools (DCPS) Chancellor Michelle Rhee to fire non-union employees "without cause." The legislation may face legal challenges from affected workers; the Metro Council and school unions had offered a compromise bill. "It is deeply disappointing that so many Councilmembers choose to trample the rights of city school workers," said Metro Washington Council President Jos Williams. Only Councilmembers Marion Barry, Phil Mendelson and Harry Thomas Jr. voted against the bill. Harry Thomas Jr. made impassioned comments. "I am a product of DC Public schools, as are some of the members of this Council, my mother worked in DCPS as a principal. "I am here today because of D.C. Public Schools," said Thomas during debate on the bill. "I am committed to reform of our schools but to fire front line workers for no cause even if they get a good evaluation is not reform, it's wrong." The Council used its emergency powers to pass the unprecedented measure, by-passing the 30-day Congressional review; the bill will become law as soon as the Mayor signs it which was expected to be Wednesday, when he returned from New Hampshire. - reported by Rick Powell, Metro Council Political Coordinator