NYSUT President Karen Magee counts the scuttling of the education tax credit as well as changes in the Board of Regents and installation of a new education commissioner as victories for the statewide teachers union.
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NYSUT didn’t get everything it wanted this year. Gov. Andrew Cuomo successfully pushed through changes to the state’s teacher evaluation law that link the performance reviews to testing and in-classroom observation as well as a stronger tie to tenure, which is now harder to obtain.
Teachers deemed to be poor performing over several years can be fired, regardless of tenure, under the changes.
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At the same time, Magee touted “shifts” in the membership of the Board of Regents – ostensibly appointed by the Democratic-led Assembly – as well as the state’s education commissioner. Mary Ellen Elia this month officially took over for John King, a charter school supporter who went to work for the Obama administration. Yesterday was her first day on the job.
“Those are positives, because we look forward to having real conversations about education,” Magee said.
Ah, yes - the Elia appointment to replace John King is a victory despite Elia's rep as a thin-skinned, vindictive boss who set up a "culture of fear" in her last position, developed a teacher evaluation system that looked to fire 5% of teachers every year, and refused to take responsibility for the deaths of students under watch is a positive
God help us.
Other victories that Magee might "celebrate"...
ReplyDelete1) the Bubonic Plague...it made people appreciate life
2) the sinking of the Titanic...it made people appreciate technology
3) Trench warfare...it taught people to think to plan
4) the Blitzkrieg on Poland...it led to the downfall of Nazi Germany
5) Pearl Harbor...it brought the U.S. Into WW II
6) The Cuban Revolution...made us realize communism was real and at our doorstop
7) the Gas Crisis of the 1970s...made us appreciate the value of energy
8) the Iranian Revolution...made us aware of a new challenge in the world
If Magee was to get stung by a wasp, she might thank it....for allowing her to have feeling in the area affected
I have one question for Ms Magee...
...What kind of a person are you???
Perhaps she should resign her position and save the union the aggravation and fake leadership and embarrassment that she brings to the world of public education...
...Then she could add her resignation to the list of "victories" she always cites.
As a public school teacher and parent of children in New York...I would call a Magee resignation a victory not just for my family, but for all of New York.
The Magee Doctrine...
ReplyDelete"When public school teachers are attacked, public schools are in danger of being closed for the privatization vultures, and our children are subjected to an "education commissioner" from Team Reformer that puts hedgefunders and oligarchs first, and students as their customers...always say thank you...it could have been worse."
Elia...your "tenure" will be a short one...in the cross-fire of Cuomo who blames everyone but himself, Tisch, who stares in the mirror and marvels at the sight she sees, the Board of Regents, half of which are sell-outs while the other half tries to do right by children, and parents all across New York who will be calling for your political head...from Long Island, Manhattan, Westchester, and all counties...that will prevail over you.
Then you can dance back home along the Yellow Brick Road, and follow your predecessor, the New York Sate King Ding-Ling.
We are witnessing, and living through the days when Public Education is mocked and attacked...as the Privatization movement experiences an "education"in theft of the public's money and our children's future.
I think you sum it all up pretty well. One has to wonder whether Elia needed a gig so badly that she just took the first thing offered to her. There was an article yesterday that described 30+ NYSED programs funded by RTTP that ran out of money on June 30--what she does with them and their staff, who knows? The Regents Scholars have been defunded and all sent back to whatever think-tank Gates and Broad found them to begin with. All the "Kingsters" are jumping ship, thank God, and at least a third of the Regents were only tangentially involved in her appointment and have very little "investment" in her when she starts taking arrows from Cuomo's staff and from the Legislature.
DeleteI'd be willing to give the woman six months to see what happens. She probably is not a complete fool and recognizes that she'll need to develop at least some reliable allies wherever she can find them. She may recognize that she needs to change her style in order to accomplish anything here in NYS. Who knows, she may have a "conversion on the Damascus Road" and start leading opt-outers on their next pilgrimage to Albany...we just don't know.
If she can't do any of the above she'll be run out of town in a year. If she can do some of it we may be more than a little surprised at what she comes up with. I have little hope but I do have some.
A great success...
ReplyDeleteBorat
Karen, you are a moron. Resign. NYSUT got routed in Albany. The people you endorsed and contributed millions to in the Assembly sold us out. You do not have to face the new APPR system, but those of us in a classroom do. You make a fool of yourself every time you open your mouth. Please go away and take your fellow officers with you.
ReplyDelete