New York Commissioner of Education has warned New York City that if the union and the mayor don’t reach a deal on teacher evaluation, he will withhold over $1 billion, in addition to the $250 million already at stake in Race to the Top funding.
He is holding the children and their education hostage unless the parties submit to his will.
With his long (two year) history in a charter school, he knows all there is to know about how to evaluate teachers. His Uncommon Schools charter is known for incredible suspension rates. Does that affect evaluations? He doesn’t say.
How dare he cripple the education of 1.1 million students unless the teachers do as he tells them. Revolutions have happened for less.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
A real educator would never hold a child’s education hostage
My thoughts, precisely.
John King told a friend of mine’s husband that Cuomo has a long range plan to get rid of all school boards in NY State and create large regional districts that he would undoubtedly control. This would remove the pesky issue of local control and community sensibilities, subdue recalcitrant superintendents, increase the number of patronage jobs, and ease access for charters that could be put in where ever and whenever. It’s a land grab and the public is still so unconscious.
I often wonder if there are real true believers in the TFA leadership pool or TFA is primarily a tool of self interest. From one point of view, it seems like increasingly problematic evolution of both. The people who are in place all over this country out of TFA are trained to think that they are naturally superior to the people in schools already (toxic self regard) and then they are placed for two to three years in the worst schools possible (creating a skewed perspective on American schools and reinforcing their own self regard) . Their ego gratifying training and their limited experience reinforce each other and their speedy career trajectory links their self interest to maintaining that perspective even in the face of massive opposing evidence.
It’s worrisome.
I believe the same scenario is happening in dc and Chicago.
Time to charter buses to follow and harass Lord Cuomo in NH in 2015
John King told a friend of mine’s husband that Cuomo has a long range plan to get rid of all school boards in NY State and create large regional districts that he would undoubtedly control. This would remove the pesky issue of local control and community sensibilities, subdue recalcitrant superintendents, increase the number of patronage jobs, and ease access for charters that could be put in where ever and whenever. It’s a land grab and the public is still so unconscious.
I often wonder if there are real true believers in the TFA leadership pool or TFA is primarily a tool of self interest. From one point of view, it seems like increasingly problematic evolution of both. The people who are in place all over this country out of TFA are trained to think that they are naturally superior to the people in schools already (toxic self regard) and then they are placed for two to three years in the worst schools possible (creating a skewed perspective on American schools and reinforcing their own self regard) . Their ego gratifying training and their limited experience reinforce each other and their speedy career trajectory links their self interest to maintaining that perspective even in the face of massive opposing evidence.
It’s worrisome.
Well then, King Cuomo can take the word public out of the NY school system. His father should be ashamed of him. Is he still alive?
as a public school teacher of a Bronx Middle school I am more concerned that New Yorkers are not visibly outraged by this. I am not advocating strikes, boycotts, nor a revolution (even though I am not opposed to it), however, educators must be given the resources, and most of all the RESPECT that we deserve. Something must be done and we need the public awareness and action to rise above this crippling system.
When you have no conscience, you can’t feel shame. His ego destroyed any conscience he used to have, and his political aspirations put the final touch on its demise.
Call King’s bluff.
If you or I pull what Commissioner King and Governor Cuomo are trying to pull we get brought up on extortion and conspiracy charges. Why is a criminal enterprise acceptable when it is the government doing the extorting?
He is taking a page from the bully reformers. The same thing was done to Nashville schools as punishment for voting down a charter.
And remember that King was slapped down by the courts when he flouted State statute and issued regulations eviscerating the 20% district-based “other” measure of student achievement by double-counting discredited State standardized test scores.
And remember that King had to be slapped down by the courts when he flouted State statute by issuing regulations that eviscerated the 20% district-based “other” measure of student achievement, substituting a double-count of discredited State standardized test scores.
And remember that King had to be slapped down by the courts when he flouted the already misguided State teacher evaluation statute by issuing regulations that eviscerated the 20% district-based “other” category of student achievement, substituting a double-count of discredited State standardized test scores.
I hope the NYC teachers & Mayor Bloomberg can reach a deal where they opt out of the state tests. Wouldn’t that be something.
Never happen. Too much money to be made from testing.
This is what you get with a semi-fascist government. We know better than you and you are for sale for my benefit. Just look at the previous blog on Gates and the student information. What does that tell you about the government and their concern for you or for the largest corporations who already own almost everything?
John King is a bully. Someone fill out a DASA report!
Is there an entity which could provide legal oversight and pushback when these politicians bully to get their way? It certainly appears to be unethical, at the very least. Where are the checks and balances?
And how much more are NYC teachers going to stand for? We’re waiting to see the reaction.
I’m done being polite about this man. That is scumbag behavior, transparent and worse than his threats a few yrs ago when he was coercing for agreements to test based eval agreements (districts better do this or else-type stuff)-before he later admitted that the state tests (pineapple-gate???) were a crappy work in progress and WE should all be patient (even the teachers whose careers are sacrificed to his foolishness?) while our SED subjected our public schools to Coleman, Klein, Murdoch…and now this? This man is spoiled, petulant and uncooperative. No model for our children, our education system, our society. We need to take back our schools, our communities and our government from these spoiled wealthy pouty-pusses who don’t realize they need to share the sandbox and play nice.
Let us keep in mind, the man has little classroom experience and credibility. He has a fine degree and I respect the office he holds but at the end of the day like ALL administrators… he is is support staff! He is there to support what I do in the classroom, point,set, match! I had this little quirk when I was teaching in the public schools… you are welcome in my class anytime,unannounced, I don’t care because every minute of every period, everyday, I was teaching! If you cannot do what I do you have no business telling me how or why I should do it your way! So this bully at the Education department should lead , follow or get out of the way! I AM A TEACHER !
Sorry, I hit send before I could put in the attachment. Here it is….
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Mea Culpa… My comments were directed at Mr King. I have worked with and for some outstanding administrators during my career. They lead by example and were
outstanding educators in the classroom and in the “front office”. i know that there are many adminstrators that work long and tirelessly to help children and the staff each and every day .
Cuomo is not a nice guy. People from NYC seem to pick this sort of politician and they have their benefits but in education, this is just wrong and these men, Cuomo and Bloomberg have little knowledge or care about the public school system whether it is K-12 or the SUNY system. They are simply beneath them.
So, the politicians and the billionaires care about the kids, but the teachers who devote and sometimes risk their lives to serve the (mostly) poor kids do not?
As a former NYC teacher (of 6 years –more classroom experience than most reformers!) who still teaches in an urban environment, I admire the stand taken by the UFT. I just hope the leadership doesn’t knuckle under, sell out, . . . give up.
Would any know if NYC is using the Danielson eval. model?
No wonder former state commissioner David M. Steiner left…he is too decent and has too much respect for NYS teachers to be used to implement an agenda whose ultimate aim is the destruction of public education. Apparently King, not being an educator, (to be an educator a person has to understand what the term means and what it stands for) has no problem being used. Men of little character are easily bought.
Scary, how Cuomo, Bloomberg, King…think they are above the law.