Cuomo Blames Regents For Problems He Caused

Cuomo's just throwing everybody under the bus these days - this time it's the Board of Regents (following on his former aides, Percoco and Howe, and SUNY Poly head Alain Kaloyeros, all of whom are under federal investigation for corruption):

HIGHLAND - Gov. Andrew Cuomo had harsh words Monday for the Board of Regents as the state science tests wrapped up.

Many parents across the state are continuing to refuse to let their children take the Common Core-based tests.

"The problem is the state Education Department, which is the the Board of Regents," said Cuomo, who was in the mid-Hudson for an event at the Walkway Over the Hudson.

"It did a terrible job in implementing Common Core," Cuomo said. "Now, state Education Department people say, 'Well, that's you, governor, you're the state.' Actually, no. I have no role in selecting the Board of Regents," he added, noting that the Regents are elected by the state Assembly. 

... 

Cuomo said the 17-member Board of Regents must "change their perspective and their level of competence." 

"They lost the faith and trust of the parents of this state, and they're going to have to remedy that," said Cuomo. 

"It's not that the parents are irrational. The parents are rational. The system was implemented poorly and it did a lot of harm," he added.

A big part of the reason parents have lost "faith and trust" in the system is because of the education policies Cuomo has pushed - including the draconian education law that made test scores 50% of a teacher's evaluation.

Cuomo likes to make as if he has no power over education, but he's used his budgetary powers numerous times as governor to impose his own desires on the education system, whether it be tying teachers to 50% of their students' test scores or forcing New York City to pick up the tab for charter school rents.

This is just another example of Cuomo causing problems, then trying to pass the blame off elsewhere.

Are the Board of Regents to blame for some of this mess?

Absolutely - the Merryl Tisch Board of Regents certainly was to blame.

Same goes for the David Steiner and John King NYSED.

But Cuomo's got lots of blame for this mess too - and parents around this state know this.

Just witness his polling on education - it's in the toilet, along with the rest of his administration.

Preet Bharara can't cart this criminal out fast enough.

Come on, Preet - when's Preetmas?