Amid complaints of disruption and angst in the classrooms, the state's major teachers union launched a petition drive asking parents to protest the use of a new set of standardized tests.
Now, state Education Commissioner John King has enlisted business leaders in what might be seen as a counteroffensive.
King urged a roomful of corporate decision-makers to support the tests and, more importantly, the new Common Core approach to learning embraced by New York and 46 other states.
"We need the entire community to support the standards," King said Thursday during a talk hosted by the Center for Economic Growth.
At the end of the hour-long discussion, CEG Executive Director Michael Tucker urged those in attendance to sign a pledge saying they would support the Common Core by writing letters to the media and generally talking up the concept.
Such efforts are the latest front in the battle for public opinion — and possibly legislative intervention — over the Common Core and its exams, which will also play a role in how teachers are evaluated.
They must really be feeling the pressure up their in Albany if King needs to sucker business guys into this p.r. campaign.
What makes him think anybody cares what these businessmen and businesswomen think about the tests?
The business leaders should gang together to support the Common Corporate Standards. After all, they were created to serve business interests.
ReplyDeleteYup - good to see King come right out in the open and admit the real reason he's pushing the Common Corporate Standards...
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