Union Leader George Parker joins the 'dark side'

I just learned the news that ousted Washington Teacher's Union President, George Parker has joined forces with Michelle Rhee. After I got up from the floor I started fuming; connecting the pieces, yet fuming. What does this mean to us DC teachers? Parker was involved in the making of our famous 'balanced, fair and negotiated' contract 2 years back, so how fair could it have really been with our own union president having one foot on the other side?

I was talking to a friend yesterday about trust and he shared how he does not trust anyone involved in the education policy world, not even the unions. I added that perhaps the distrust came from the fact that most people no longer cared to do the right thing, but only cared about doing precisely what would place them in control, at the top or give them some sort of fame. No situation proves my point more strongly than this situation with Parker. We've all seen the media coverage on Rhee's wardrobe, her expensive purses, etc. She has become a sort of celebrity. For control and fame-hungry people like Rhee (and other unmentionables in the education deform movement), once people put you in on pedestal it's hard not to believe the hype going around about you; it gets to your head and clouds all traces of common sense. This process of moral decomposition must have happened to him; perhaps the money is better. Who knows, maybe soon we will begin hearing about Parker, "the celebrity" and his expensive Italian suits.