Cuomo said his decision to tie state funding to the evaluations furthered accountability in schools where it had been resisted.
“The system, while it has been asking for more money, has steadfastly refused any evaluation, which is really an interesting confluence,” he said. “Look at what Albany does: It gives them more money, because their lobbyists are good. Their lobbyists support the political system, so they get funding increases, and they don't have to put in the teacher evaluation system, even though they promised the federal government they would years before.
“We reversed that,” he continued. “We actually have a teacher evaluation system in place. I believe the teacher evaluation system is very important for everyone, primarily the students, frankly. But it's also good for the teachers, because those who need help should get the help they need. So I think the teacher evaluation system is very important. It's still opposed by the teaching establishment, if you will, that doesn't want to be evaluated. But I think it's very important.”
In short, Sheriff Andy is saying anybody who is opposed to his APPR teacher evaluation system is opposed to accountability.
That's a straw man argument.
Cuomo put an unproven, unpiloted teacher evaluation system into place.
It is a mess - it mandates lots of extra testing, costs a lot of money, forces teachers and administrators to spend more time on compliance work than their actual jobs (you know, teaching and administrating) and has already hurt good teachers.
On top of that, the system is connected to Common Core tests that themselves have been problematic, a Common Core curriculum that has yet to be fully completed, and growth measurements that are error-riddled.
Teachers don't have a problem with being evaluated or held accountable, Sheriff Andy.
They simply want a fair, just and competent system to evaluate them - and APPR is none of those.
If you want to have a debate over evaluations, Governor, leave the straw man at home.
The last thing Cuomo wants is a debate with teachers on the front lines.
ReplyDeleteHe doesn't want to debate any opponents or critics. He uses radio and the few media lackeys he has left to dish dirt on and attack critics and opponents. He is a true coward - loud and blustery when safe from counterattack.
DeleteHe is going to have to cave or succumb at some point. The parents are not budging, and the parent revolution will only get stronger in months to come.. especially with test prep and tests coming REALLY SOON.
ReplyDeleteThat's right - test prep and testing season leads right into the height of campaign season. The key is to have parents confront him at EVERY campaign stop over CCSS, inBloom, testing and APPR. He will try and deflect, say protesters are "lobbyists" or whatever, but it will be obvious who is on the lobbyist payroll and who isn't when parents are the one's confronting him publicly again and again and again...
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