The 2009 TIME 100 Finalists

2009 Candidates

Susan Walsh / AP

Michelle Rhee

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AGE: 39
OCCUPATION: Washington, D.C., schools chancellor
PREVIOUS APPEARANCES ON THE TIME 100: 0

PRO: Her education-reform efforts — including cracking down on tenure, closing failed schools and firing underperforming staffers — have earned Rhee bipartisan praise and a swell of enthusiastic supporters (dubbed "Rhee-bots").

CON: She's constantly (and sometimes noisily) sparring with teachers' unions and parents.

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