ALBANY—American Federation of Teachers president Randi Weingarten said Republican gubernatorial candidate Rob Astorino is using an anti-Common Core campaign to “cloak” his other positions on education issues that would be far less palatable to public school advocates.
Weingarten, the former president of New York City's United Federation of Teachers, said during a telephone briefing with reporters on Friday that Astorino's proposal to run on a “Stop Common Core” ballot line in the November's election might appeal to some teachers who also oppose the standards, but his other positions likely wouldn't.
“I'm sure that he's intending it to cloak his other positions, like less funding in an already underfunded system of education in New York state, and his other positions about getting rid of due process and his very Wisconsin Walker-like positions about collective bargaining,” Weingarten said. “I'm sure he wants to try to cloak those positions by using this new line. I suspect you're going to see a whole lot of people make sure there is a real education campaign about who Rob Astorino really is.”
Is Astorino cloaking his true intentions with the "Stop Common Core" ballot line, trying to get some lefties opposed to the Common Core to vote for him despite some of his other anti-public education and anti-union stances?
Perhaps.
But Weingarten and her AFT/UFT minions cloaked their true intentions over the future of Common Core last weekend at the AFT convention by saying they were going to allow a full and fair debate about the AFT's support for Common Core, then by rigging that debate in committee to ensure that the leadership's pro-CCSS resolution passed (see here and here.)
So if anybody knows about cloaking their true intentions with jive, it's Randi Weingarten and the AFT leadership.
No wonder she could call Astorino out on his "Stop Common Core" jive.
She's full of it herself.
Rob Astorino's wife is a special education public school teacher. His children go to public schools.
ReplyDeleteHe believes in standards but doesn't believe in Common Core standards. He thinks standards should be created by educators at the state and local level.
So far that sounds just terrible doesn't it???
Mary
He is pro-charter school and wants to expand them in NY. That sounds pretty terrible to me.
DeleteIndeed:
Deletehttp://auburnpub.com/blogs/eye_on_ny/six-things-republican-candidate-for-governor-rob-astorino-said-about/article_984bb0f2-a48a-11e3-a615-0019bb2963f4.html
I trust Astorino more than Weingarten. By the way, I am a Democrat.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't trust either of them.
DeleteI agree.
DeleteWeingarten's point is that Astorino's not disclosing his other public education and union positions which you might not find so palatable.
ReplyDeleteAsk Rob next time you see him what he plans for "pension reform."
He says it is one of the most important things he wants to address as governor.
Does he plan to do to us what Christie did to NJ state workers?
Also, ask him about his support for charters.
Also, ask him about his support for and from Scott Walker.
Common Core is an important issue to me.
But so are these other issues.
And I cannot and will not support any candidate who is anti-union and pro-charter.
That means I cannot support Rob Astorino.
I respect your stance currently, but this is a comment I just cut and paste from a Stop Common Core Facebook page. Again, not me....someone else's experience.
ReplyDeleteI am hoping we can continue to move him in the correct direction on unions and charters. Heck, I would take an honest stance on unions from Astorino then pandering and bs from Cuomo.
Quote below:
Last night at the meet the candidate night in Greenlawn, NY, Rob Astorino was asked about his position on charter schools by a NYC public school teacher. Rob stated that he is in favor of them in theory and has become more educated about them so he is willing to listen, learn, and evolve on his stance. I have much respect for a candidate that has shown that he is listening, learning, and evolving on an issue rather than pull a "flip-flop" which would make him seem disingenuous. Rob believes that for-profit charters that siphon money from public schools are NOT GOOD. He also strongly believes that charter schools are in desperate need of oversight (currently there is none) and regulations. Rob believes in returning public school policies back to local governmental control. Rob is the product of public schools, has 3 children in the public school system, and is married to a special education teacher.....to say that he is AGAINST public schools is just not true. I trust Rob will continue to evolve on the charter school issue....and I trust that if elected Governor, he will be sure that strict oversight and regulations of charter schools are put into place and that they will not be replacing public education. I trust Rob Astorino. I hope many others will too.
He's misleading people about his charter school stance.
DeleteHere's what he said about charter schools in March of this year:
"And for you charter school parents whose classrooms are being shut down, I'll have your back. We need more charter schools in New York, not fewer."
Those are concerning words if you're somebody who wants to see resources stop going from public schools and being given to charters.
LINK: http://auburnpub.com/blogs/eye_on_ny/six-things-republican-candidate-for-governor-rob-astorino-said-about/article_984bb0f2-a48a-11e3-a615-0019bb2963f4.html
It was not too long ago that I felt the same way about Charters, but I was thinking of Charters as they were supposed to be circa 1995, not what they have become.
DeleteI absolutely respect your doubts about him. We do need to challenge him on these topics. Heck, if Zephyr Teachout does beat Cuomo in the primary, I will be the first to do a happy dance.
But, I also believe we need to plan for all contingencies.
I hope you're right, that he is evolving on these issues as he learns more. You raise a great point when you speak of your own evolution on charters. People certainly do change their positions on things and I respect those who can shift and evolve, so long as it is not just for political reasons. I guess Ravitch would be the best example of somebody who has shifted and evolved over the years and been very outspoken in how that shift and evolution came about.
DeleteI don't think he's misleading people. I think he admitted that since he was first questioned on charters he has been learning more about them and has evolved in his thinking of them. I have respect for a candidate that admits he's learning and evolving...more respect than if he just came out tomorrow and made a statement like: "I will close all charter schools the day after I get into office." (which of course would be a gigantic stretch of the truth, if not an outright lie). Many people, even many democrats and independents, are looking at Rob with renewed interest. Hold his feet to the fire. Attend a meet the candidate event and ask him yourself about charter schools. He also welcomes questions via email at info@robastorino.com. Never take some else's word for it. Go straight to the source.
ReplyDeleteI think it depends on how much you believe in his evolution on the education issue and if you believe he's genuine about it.
DeleteI'm not buying that, only because he was squarely pro-charter and pro-testing BEFORE it became apparent that being anti-CCSS and anti-testing was going to be a political advantage.
Please see my blog post on Astorino and testing from January:
http://perdidostreetschool.blogspot.com/2014/01/rob-astorino-does-not-seem-to.html
Is his evolution on the testing since then genuine?
Clearly some people out there think it is.
I, however, don't.
If he was pro-testing, then why did he so publicly have his own children refuse testing?
DeleteI am going to e-mail Astorino. Let's see if I get a response.
ReplyDeleteGo for it. Ask him about his stance on standardized testing back in January when he said it was "a good thing."
Deletehttp://perdidostreetschool.blogspot.com/2014/01/rob-astorino-does-not-seem-to.html
One way to solve this problem is to have Randi and Mike teach a class where they are subject to Common Core, Danielson, and VAM. Until I see them in the classroom delivering instruction to students both will continue to lack credibility. They are not subject to what they negotiate.
ReplyDeleteI think I'll be building a post around your comment. You're absolutely right.
DeleteRandi spent very little time in the classroom (perhaps a couple of years). I believe most of her teaching experience was as a per diem sub (which means little or no lesson planning). I am surprised she has not been questioned about this. How can she be head of the AFT (and the UFT before that) when she BARELY taught. She is a lawyer/bureaucrat and NOT an educator.
ReplyDelete