Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Politicians Start To Question John King's Act

The gist from the Times Union article - politicians are starting to openly question John King's reforms and his handling of parent concerns:

With so many failing, Assemblywoman Patricia Fahy, D-Albany, a former Albany school board president, said she worries about the "self-esteem of kids." Her two teens attend Albany High School, which scored poorly, she said, and Fahy called King's decision to cancel the public forums about his new policies "rather shocking."

Fahy said King's statement is confusing. "I was left wondering 'Who are these special interests?' As best I could tell, they were parents."

...
State Sen. Cecilia Tkaczyk, D-Duanesburg, said she planned to attend the forum at Shenendehowa after many constituents contacted her with concerns about Common Core.

"I want us to raise the standards, but this test doesn't make sense," Tkaczyk said. "It's disappointing. I think a dialogue with the commissioner is sorely needed."

King is damaged goods.

I have yet to see any prominent reformer defend him post-Poughkeepsie.

Now politicians are openly questioning his reforms and his actions.

I think he is not long for power.

But even if he is eased out soon, the reforms themselves, and the privatization agenda behind them, remain.

Alas, it will take more than ridding ourselves of Commissioner John King to rid ourselves of the reform and privatization agenda he promotes.

2 comments:

  1. I think King will certainly be fired soon. He has embarrassed and disgraced the plutocrats too much for them to let him languish in his position as waterboy for their Ed Deform team. Their silence speaks volumes. Too many parents now see him as the face of all that is wrong with education. Which is obviously a great thing. But as you have pointed out, a fired John King doesn't change anything. We are still left with a gotcha teacher evaluation plan based on junk science. We are still left with high stakes testing. We still have school closings, a crippling tax cap, and data mining. Most importantly the money funding all of this is not going away. As long as we have Cuomo with his presidential aspirations, plutocrats looking to further line their pockets, and a state legislature all too willing to do their bidding we are stuck in the same place. So a King firing doesn't change anything. But it can serve as a rallying cry. A moment that emboldens teachers and parents in opposition to the reform movement. 2014 is an election year. It's time to ratchet up the noise and the civil disobedience. Let's take down Cuomo and the state legislators who stand in the way of any meaningful change.

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    1. Brian, I agree with everything you wrote. You're right about the rallying cry - first the "King," then the chancellor, then the governor.

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