Some legislators have suggested ditching the Common Core standards altogether. King defended their educational value, descibring that they push students to improve in writing, comprehensive reading and mathematical problem solving.
But, ultimately, it wasn't the Legislature's decision to adopt the Common Core, and it won't be in their power to scrap it, King said.
“To the extent that we're talking about the standards and teaching and learning, that's obviously in the purview of the Board of Regents and the State Education Department,” he said.
King, perhaps buoyed by his education reform allies in the private sector backing him up and telling him they'll go to the mattresses for him, really thinks he shares unlimited power, along with the Regents, to do what he wants in education policy.
Can there be any stronger evidence to suggest we have transitioned from a representative democracy in the State of New York to a plutocracy in which wealthy business interests put functionaries like King into place and impose their own agenda regardless of how the rest of the people in this state feels about that agenda than this statement?
The Legislature had better disabuse this little autocrat king of his arrogant conviction that he is unaccountable to the people of this state or their elected representatives in the Legislature for the education policies he imposes with the aid of the Board of Regents.
Simply an outrageous statement by NYSED Commissioner King and, I believe, one that is worthy of his dismissal.
Because if he is not stripped of his power and sent packing, he simply is going to continue unimpeded with his education reform agenda.
I just called my state senator to ask if this is in fact true. His secretary did not know but promised me a call back to answer. I reminded her that even if it is true the state legislature does have the ability to change the Board of Regents, including the plutocrat pulling the puppet strings. And therefore through that channel they can remove this puppet John King as well.
ReplyDeleteYes, change can be forced through the oversight of the Board of Regents. Unless John King truly is "king" - in which case he gets to do what he wants no matter what. Apparently he is convinced of that himself.
DeleteI emailed my senator and assemblyman. I want it out there we're pissed.
ReplyDeleteThey should be pissed too. He essentially told them he is unaccountable to them.
DeleteKing is just like all the arrogant Leadership Academy principals who think they aren't accountable to the people they serve. They are only accountable to the people who they believe will advance their careers.
ReplyDeleteWhat King doesn't realize is that he is a fall guy. That's the corporate model. As soon as they are done with him, they will drop him. He's just doing their bidding for as long as he can.
What they didn't realize was that he is a poor speaker, does a poor job defending CC and comes across as someone who is untrustworthy.
Lots of meetings going on behind the scenes I bet.
He has been a loyal soldier and while I agree with you that the corporatists dispense with their lackeys when they no longer need them, I think King will be rewarded w/ some hedge fundie-funded or Gates Foundation-funded wingnut welfare when all is said and done. He has held the line on the reform agenda against increasing pressure. They will reward that in the end - just as the DC union guy was rewarded w/ a Students First gig, just as Rhee has been rewarded w/ hedge fundie and corporate largesse.
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