AFT, NYSUT Criticize Cuomo For Saying Schools Deserve "Death Penalty"

I was wondering hoe long the leaderships at the various teachers unions were going to ignore Cuomo's statement that "failing" schools deserve the "death penalty."

Some of them finally issued statements today:

 After not commenting throughout the holiday weekend, New York State United Teachers President Richard Iannuzzi joined with American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten Tuesday afternoon to blast Cuomo’s comments.

“Governor Cuomo’s ‘death penalty’ reference in speaking about so-called ‘failing schools’ demonstrated disrespect toward New York’s dedicated educators, parents and hard-working students. The governor knows better — this kind of language has no place in our society and it only serves to destroy confidence in public education,” they said in the statement.

“Every New Yorker, including our elected officials, needs to avoid inflammatory language that does nothing to address the needs of New York’s most vulnerable students who suffer every day from inequitable conditions and, most often, are the victims of the social ills associated with poverty.

“What we don't need now is a war of words.  Rather, we need a war on poverty and inequality. We need to fix — not close — schools, and stabilize — not destabilize — communities. We need to work together to reclaim the promise of public education so that all children can achieve their dreams.”

Cuomo, during a gaggle with reporters outside of Buffalo late Thursday afternoon, said the state could not allow underperforming schools to stay open indefinitely.

“There is going to be have to be a death penalty for failing schools . . . where we say the children come first, before the bureaucracy,” Cuomo said. “If the school fails, the school has to end.”

Cuomo said options for failing schools include a takeover by the state or a takeover by a charter school.

Iannuzzi's and Weingarten's statement is a good one and hits the right points - fix schools, don't "kill" them, stabilize communities, don't destabilize them with state takeovers or wholesale charterization.

Good to hit him on his incendiary language too.

Alas, no Mike Mulgrew statement on the Cuomo "death penalty" comment.