Our pal @BarackObama compares GOP hardliners to striking workers who should be fired. Thanks a lot, Prez. http://t.co/bOU2rZZnvHAnd here is how Byron York writes that story up:
— Arthur Goldstein (@TeacherArthurG) October 9, 2013
President Obama again compared Republicans in Congress to workers going on strike, telling reporters Tuesday that GOP lawmakers had no more right to shut down the government than factory workers had to walk off their jobs.
The president made similar remarks at an event in Rockville, Md., on Thursday. He even referenced that event in his remarks Tuesday.
Both times, he compared GOP lawmakers to hypothetical striking workers. He argued those workers would be rightfully fired if they tried to shut down a plant to extract concessions from management.
In each case, Obama seemed unaware that the worker activity he was describing was a classic organized labor strike, a federally protected activity under the National Labor Relations Act. The law was signed by President Franklin Roosevelt in 1935 and is considered one of the era's major liberal victories.
...
Obama's comments annoyed AFL-CIO spokesman Josh Goldstein, who tweeted: "He's really using this analogy again?" The AFL-CIO has been a major supporter of the president.
Yes, Josh - he's using that analogy again.
And hes doing so because that's what he believes.
Tell me again why labor supported him two times running when he is clearly an anti-labor neo-liberal, little different than Mitt Romney or any Republican except that because he has a (D) after his name, he has to play in public like he doesn't despise unions and unionized workers.
But his comments as detailed by York show you exactly what he thinks about both unions and unionzed workers.
And it's exactly what a member of the GOP like Mitt Romney thinks.
Today the UFT’s Delegate Assembly overwhelmingly approved a resolution calling for a moratorium on high-stakes consequences for New York’s new Common Core state tests.
ReplyDeleteThe union will now work toward achieving this moratorium as the only fair and educationally sound solution to the serious problems with New York City’s implementation of the Common Core Learning Standards.
Under a moratorium, the state would administer the tests this spring as planned.
But the results on state tests would not be used for any high-stakes decisions, such as on student promotion, teacher evaluation or school closures.
This is the only fair thing to do for our kids, our members and our schools. A moratorium is necessary so that all stakeholders—including educators and parents—have time to examine how well the new state tests, the new curricula and new professional development align with each other and with the Common Core standards.
All key decision-makers on education policy affecting New York State would need to be involved in this examination—including the state Legislature, members of Congress, the state Commissioner of Education, the Board of Regents and the Panel for Educational Policy.
We believe that the Common Core standards present a great opportunity to ensure that all children are learning the skills necessary for achievement in today’s competitive world.
But we have known from the start that implementing these new standards would be a challenge. And, the problems here in New York City have made a smooth and fair implementation impossible.
First, there is the problem of the city Department of Education failing to provide new Common Core curricula to schools on time. Teachers should have received new curricula aligned to the Common Core last school year, as the UFT repeatedly demanded.
That didn’t happen. Then the DOE promised that schools would have new curriculum materials including new textbooks by the first day of school. But, today, nearly five weeks into the school year, many schools that ordered new curricula have still only received partial shipments. I know that some teachers have been spending lots of time at copy machines duplicating for their classes whatever materials their schools have received.
Then there is another serious problem. As you know, in a school district as large as New York City’s, the differences between the administrations at different schools can be stark. We are seeing those differences in the transition to the Common Core.
Teachers at some schools have gotten the support and professional development they need for the change. But at other schools, no new curricula were ordered. Or the materials ordered have turned out to be poorly aligned to the new standards. Or the schools didn’t arrange professional development for their teaching staff on the Common Core. At these schools, teachers and students are at a clear disadvantage in shifting over to the new learning standards.
My question is, how is that fair?
For teachers under the new evaluation system, the state tests will account for 20 percent of the year-end rating. The rest will be multiple measures, and the union is working to ensure an increase in the number of available measures.
But for kids, the results on state tests can change their lives forever. Unlike teachers, whose 20 percent will be measured on the growth in scores from one year to the next, students will get judged on an absolute score based on whether they made the cutoff for proficiency. That score can determine whether a student is promoted to the next grade.
Why should our children get harmed because their school system failed to manage the implementation of Common Core standards? The only ones who should be held to account are the DOE.
We need a moratorium on high-stakes consequences for these tests until parents, educators and policymakers are assured that implementation of the Common Core is working as it should at all schools to give our children the world-class education they deserve.
Sincerely,
Michael Mulgrew
The Great Impostor actually reveals a bit of his true self...
ReplyDeleteAnd as Obamacare rolls out, part time workers at Trader Joe's were told they had to increase their hours to 30+ hours per week or lose their health benefits. Surprise that Trader Joe's stepped up to the plate to give their workers the additional hours. Unlike Penny Pritzker, Obama's fairy godmother Secretary of Commerce. She had all of of the housekeepers at her Hyatt Hotels fired and replaced by new part time workers. Obamacare must tax employers who provide benefits to part timers. You go Obama, wipe the floor with the middle class.
ReplyDeleteI beg to differ Mr. Mulgrew. The Common Core Standards are a business to promote a one size fits all curriculum that is not appropriate for English language learners and special education students. The standards create demand for untested products. It is capitalism at its finest.
ReplyDelete