Carol Burris, a principal of a high school in Long Island, New York, tells a sorry tale of a heavy handed effort by an official of the Néw York State Education Department to intimidate Peter DeWitt, an elementary school principal in upstate Néw York.
DeWitt has a regular blog hosted by Education Week. He ran a guest post by an author who wrote about “the testing bullies.” The post also said, erroneously, that Commissioner John King sends his own children to a private Montessori school that does not give the state tests.
DeWitt received a call from Tom Dunn, King’s communications director, who said that the school in question does give the state tests. DeWitt promptly removed the sentence, but the communications director warned that the State Education Department would continue to monitor his blog for comments offensive to Commissioner King.
As Burris wrote:
“DeWitt called Dunn back later, after he removed the sentence, and asked Dunn not to call him at his school again. DeWitt said that Dunn responded that if he printed anything that was not true, or if he printed anything that he (Dunn) did not like about John King, he would indeed call DeWitt again. DeWitt referred Dunn to the email address on the blog.
“On two occasions, I have heard Commissioner King complain of blogs and their “tone.” I am sure that he is not the only policymaker who is not pleased by the way social media has given voice and organization to those opposed to the current reform agenda. I would suggest that there is an alternative view of blogs — they can also serve as critical friends. As the commissioner for all of New York’s children, it is important that the State Education Department hear what parents, teachers and principals think, especially those who stand in opposition. Without buy-in, no reform can possibly be accomplished.”
It is a shame that King does not listen to critical voices, as Burris suggests. He has meager experience as a teacher or a principal, gained mainly in the charter sector, and King could learn by listening to people like Carol Burris and Peter DeWitt, who are far more knowledgeable and experienced than he is.
King should also remember that he is a public servant, not the boss of all educators. The State Education Department exists to meet the needs of districts, not to issue orders and mandates.
A touch of humility might help King gain the support of the many veteran educators in New York who could help him. Reform does not happen in the absence of trust and mutual respect.
The word reform has been perverted and destroyed by people like John King, who represents nothing but whatever it is he’s instructed to represent.
Well said
John King, whoever you are, you have no right to try to intimidate using your position on the State Board paid for by TAX PAYERS!!!!
Why do these DOE people even think community, parents, administrators, and teachers will stand by silently while the students are used as guinea pigs.
NO Way.
Carol is a brave soul..all schools need more people like her!
Okay, so similar to recent statements made by Arne Duncan here in CT which apparently are false (see link below), I would like to know what tests the Montessori school adminsters.
Is it a Montessori in Albany? Let’s find out more.
These self appointed “leaders” don’t always tell the whole story. The school his children attend took the same exact tests all New York students recently took? Is that what King is claiming?
See CT, Duncan, Malloy spin here:
Not to be outshone by Governor Malloy, Secretary Duncan agreed there should be balance and went on to claim that when he was CEO of Chicago Public Schools, “he cut the amount of standardized testing by 50 percent,” the CT Mirror reported.
Well I am no longer a teen, but my antennae still buzz when there’s a discrepancy between words and actions. And the policies that Duncan has presided over as U.S. Secretary of Education, like Reach to the Top and the Common Core Curriculum, place increased emphasis on standardized testing, and with higher stakes.
So I started doing some research.
http://www.ctnewsjunkie.com/ctnj.php/archives/entry/op-ed_an_open_letter_to_connecticut_students/
Enlightening!
Linda, Montessori education is self-directed learning in a supportive, multi-age community setting with a highly integrated curriculum where no grades are given.
Although it remains controversial in the Montessori community, public and charter Montessori schools administer the exams that they are required to give but they treat them as a necessary evil. Some private Montessori schools have also chosen to give state exams when their students will be entering public schools and they are required for entry.
It is interesting that once again a reformer like King chooses the very best educational setting for his own children. Montessori education is amazing and everything about it is diametrically opposed to the reformist programs. Dr. Montessori did her research and formulated her theories with poor urban children, many of whom were considered unteachable. Her success was beyond question.
Montessori graduates become very successful, confident adults who contribute to their communities because they were given the freedom to learn as children. King knows this or he wouldn’t send his children to such a school. His hypocrisy is glaring and disgusting. Why isn’t he advocating Montessori methods for all New York state children?
As you may be able to tell, I have been studying the work of Dr. Montessori (a medical doctor, by the way) and I am beginning studies to become a Montessori teacher so that I may escape the abuse of the edubullies and become the teacher my heart calls me to be.
Thank you Chris. I am aware of the philosophy. I wasn’t sure they adminster the NY state tests. I am sure it is not a tense atmosphere and I wonder if their teachers, those who teach his children, will be subject to the new evaluation system King is so proud of.
We need more people like DeWiitt .
DeWitt…run for office…you will most likely win!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Perhaps, in his heart of hearts, John King would like to listen to experienced educators like Burris and DeWitt and incorporate their suggestions but he just can’t. Too many federal dollars have been accepted in exchange for his loyalty, and the loyalty of other educational leaders, to Race to the Top and Common Core. Too many lucrative contracts have been signed with testing and school material corporations. It’s such a conundrum they find themselves in. If RttT and CCSS could be thrown out, we would all be freer to make authentic school improvement.
Or because he lacks experience in the classroom himself, he doesn’t really get it. It is difficult to understand the front line job when you never mastered it yourself. He has much in common with other pompous, know-it-all teaching drop outs: Rhee, Kopp, Huffman, White, etc..
King not getting it was a condition of employment.
100% agree with your comment!!
I don’t know King too well, but he reminds me a lot of Rahm from what I’ve read. Knowing Rahm and assuming King to be the same, I’m having a hard time wrapping my head around “in his heart of hearts”. I know Rahm doesn’t have a heart – he has whatever that gets replaced with when you get turned into a Borg.
re, you are being too nice!
Perhaps my snarkiness lacked clarity.
I’ll work on that. 🙂
I agree that our legislators and leaders are somewhat beholden to the national agenda which has been foisted upon us. I don’t, however, believe that Mr. King is an unwilling participant.
The top down military model is one of the hallmarks of the corporate structure. You don’t say “boo” unless it’s respectfully submitted to your immediate supervisor, who then may or may not decide to relay the information to the next in line, etc. If you get out of line…you’ll hear about it in no uncertain terms. If you continue to rock the boat, you’re gone.
The world of education is at this point being run according to that model. Bloomberg’s a big part of it. We let the fox run the chicken coop when we gave him full control. As such, the people who are put in charge (“elected”) are placed there according to their beliefs in that system. I don’t know Mr. King…but I suspect that he and Mr. Dunn see their responses as being legitimate, honorable, and necessary. And I doubt that they’ll stop there. Unless enough people tell them to.
The private sector is now controlling the public sector.
Cuomo made it very clear he wanted to crush teachers, probably for not supporting him or the Democrats years ago, and instead throwing their support behind the sitting Republican governor. He and other governors are appointing anti-public school commissioners. And that’s the only reason King couldn’t care less. The new evaluation system forced upon NYC teachers against their contract is proof enough. And on top of that, new sets of tests in other subject areas like gym and art will be forced upon our students in the next year or two starting at the kindergarten level. Clearly my state will have a school system that is completely devoted to testing and devoid of any creativity or real learning.
Tom Dunn will be hopping calling all of us tomorrow.
This is an excellent post, especially the concluding sentence. “Reform does not happen in the absence of trust and mutual respect.”
Interestingly, John King’s office didn’t contact you when said the same thing a month ago!
Seems to me, this could be personal… or more bullying.
King and his minions did not contact Ms. Ravitch because she is not part of the NYS public school system. But he can try to intimidate those who work in the system. Much fear emanates from Albany making superintendents, principals, and teachers fall in line. NYSED will attempt to scare those who dare speak up.
Bully tactics. Focusing on one tiny detail as a way of deflecting attention from the real issue at hand. Keep fighting the good fight, man.
Exactly…also a sign of weakness.
So where are the Supt..? Kudos to Dr. Crawford! BOCES supposed to be the Captains for SED, I get that after working there for several years. However, don’t the BOCES supt. also serve as the voice of the field?
Phil, thank you for the wonderful blog!
As a P.S. but certainly not an afterthought, Peter DeWitt is extraordinary principal, and yes, he does have an agenda: He puts the interests of children above all else.
Right on. I’m tagging all future posts with a “Commissioner King, Suck It!” tag.
Ah, Mr. King. Why would you send your kids to a Montessori school that “gives” state tests? It invites criticism, so accept it. Taxpayers know you live in their district, but keep your little ones away from those horrid public school kids, teachers, and principals. Yet you want everyone to embrace your “practice.” You are “the” commissioner of education for the state of New York, and don’t send your children to a public school. Even Arne Duncan sends his kids to public school in Arlington, VA! Why do you believe that ALL principals and teachers in public New York schools are inferior? Why send your henchmen to intimidate if you are superior? Do you truly believe that ALL NYS public schools, teachers, principals, parents and students are inferior? I don’t believe for a minute that in his “heart of hearts” Mr. King would listen to experienced teachers, principals, or parents. It’s called hubris. MLK might question exactly what “civil rights” issue John King is promoting, because it is certainly different from MLKs.
Diane, Thank you for these very important words. Threats, intimidation and bullying do not belong in education.
Dr. Burris and Peter DeWitt, keep voicing your concerns. You are life long educators, and I, as a taxpayer, strongly feel your voices need to be heard. Freedom of speech is a right that can never be taken for granted. Just because one is named King, does not allow him the right to silence those carrying out the important work of educating students.
Lately, I’ve been pondering the nature of evil. It occurred to me that evil can happen when well intentioned people quit listening to those who are “under” them. Of course then there are those who arent so well intentioned but rhe prerend to be. Hmmm… back to Yertle the Turtle.
Dang auto correct! But 2nd time, a Freudian text that looks like Rhee !
“King should also remember that he is a public servant, not the boss of all educators.”
With their top-down, authoritarian approach to what lamely is called “leadership,” reformers tend to forget the “public servant” piece.
Thank you for posting this Diane. I was surprised to receive the phone call last week but knowing you and Carol support me means a great deal. I will not stop writing about my view of education reform.
Too many good comments to single someone out: I thank you all for reaffirming something the edubullies consider hopelessly old-fashioned in this most EduExcellent Achievement-Gap Busting 21st Century of $tudent $ucce$$:
“You will never do anything in this world without courage. It is the greatest quality of the mind next to honor.” [Aristotle]
Let the edufrauds ‘corner the market’ on thin-skinned outrage, mutant statistics, and VAManiacal mandated failure. We’re too busy enlisting courage and honor in the service of securing a “better education for all.”
Most Krazy props to Peter DeWitt and Carol Corbett Burris.
🙂
BREAKING–Reformy John King, with ultimate power over time, space, and UFT contract, changes name to King Reformy John.
You will be getting a phone call tomorrow, Arthur.
Lol! You’re probably right Linda!
“He has meager experience as a teacher or a principal, gained mainly in the charter sector, and King could learn by listening to people like Carol Burris and Peter DeWitt, who are far more knowledgeable and experienced than he is.”
Here’s an idea. What if, instead of an education commissioner with “meager experience as a teacher or a principal” we had people who were “knowledgeable and experienced”, such as Carol Burris and Peter DeWitt, developing and implementing education policy in New York State?
John King uses social media as a PR tool. He posts outrageous statements, claiming questionable successes, while at the same time he outright refuses to engage in any public dialogue in the same media. Cowardly lion.
Maybe our communications director should be calling King/Dunn asking them to clarify and restate false claims.
King and Dunn…we are watching you!
He won’t let anyone in Buffalo know when he’s coming either. He sneaks into B-lo like Bush visiting Baghdad. Does he think we still have snowballs to throw at him?
Thank you, thank you Mr. DeWitt and Ms. Burris. I wish there were more administrators that had your courage. I have witnessed only those who bully and threaten if teachers do not fall in line. Can we clone you?:):)
King doesn’t consort with such riff raff as teachers and building administrators. He sits on Regent Bob Bennett’s knee and you can just barely see Bennett’s lips moving as King speaks.
It’s not King who is running the department, nor Regent Bennett. It’s Chancellor Tisch through her philanthropic Regents Research Fellows. They are the ones calling all the policy shots now, and are not even beholden to the Board of Regents itself. The NYT had an article about their influence a while ago:
As in chess, it’s the Queen whose more powerful than the King.
Wow, that is scary reading.
Which speaks to her influence over the new NYC evaluation plan. And I am sure Thompson was “in on it” although he is now claiming he sees problems with it. Oh please spare me. You can’t have a campaign manager who is totally opposed to your vision.
I feel left out and ignored.
How come I have not received any phone calls from Dr. King? I’ve been just as objectionable in my blog as DeWitt was in his.
I’d like to speak to King.
I have SO much to tell him.
It’s not fair that Mr. DeWitt got to speak to King’s communication director, and all I get are those lousy e-mail’s from Dr. King’s list serve.
If Dr. King et al are going to threaten our right of free speech, the least he can do is reach out, call us, and suppress our rights one-on-one.
It would be in that forum that I could talk his ear off.
Will he listen?
Dr. King, are you reading this? Please contact me at artwork88@aol.com and leave a number I can reach you at. I promise I’ll call.
I’m a teacher in a public school . . . .
Oh Robert, Robert…you will not receive a personal call from Dr. King, but from his henchman, Tom Dunn. Dr. King is simply too important and too busy (trying to figure out what he is supposed to be doing) to call mere mortals as yourself…
Well, if the Commissioner of NYSED is not going to call me – or his director of communication – then I feel extremely rejected, neglected, and marginalized.
I too want to be harrassed and treated with 1st Amendment threats.
This is discrimination, plain and simple.
Where do I file my suit?
If he were to think what I say in my blog has the wrong tone, can you imagine if he were to discover what I say in private about Dr. King?
Oh, c’mon, Tom Dunn: pick me, pick me!
I am not surprised by the level of intimidation. First a “friendly” phone call. But what’s next? We all know how vindictive people like Bloomberg, Cuomo and Emanuel are.
But what about teachers?? They are so berated that any attempt to speak up will have serious consequences. We have to thank our lucky stars for people like Carol and Peter.
School Gal,
You’re always on the mark. But we must all become the “Carols, Peters, and Dianes” of this movement . . . .
Agreed. And God knows I am trying to light that fire. But I get more Likes and Shares over an Ed cartoon than a very serious education post. Like we say in Brooklyn, “Go figure!!”
http://thedailybanter.com/2012/05/exclusive-failing-up-with-dick-parsons/
Don’t know if anyone has seen this, but Dick Parsons is the “education czar” for education reform (whatever that means) in NYS. As the article states, “the fix is in”.
That’s beyond the pale. How can this be allowed to happen?
I am speechless……Maybe being corrupt is the only way to the top. But it is true that no one was prosecuted for the subprime mortgage scandal. The days of Charles Keating and the Keating Five Savings and Loan Scandal are over. Now bankers can rob you blind and not a hair of their head is messed up. The fact Obama almost appointed him Treasury Secretary is scary enough.
Thanks for the link. That was very enlightening. What a wonderful role model for New York’s children! It gets better. In addition to the activities mentioned in your linked article, according to the New York Daily News, our “education czar” fathered a love child with philanthropist model MacDella Cooper while married to his wife of 31 years Laura Bush Parsons. Perhaps our esteemed governor could appoint Mr. Parsons to a subcommittee overseeing character education. The curriculum should include standardized tests on ethics and safe sex.
hrh88 – Be careful what you wish for. I think those standardized tests will be here soon. There are many NY politicians as well as Presidents that have been caught with their pants down. Seems like those men get promotions.
School Gal – totally agree with your comments – very scary.
My question is what does an “education czar” do?? Will he try to pillage NYS pension system? Pillage school budgets?? Seems to me he is going to make it easy for billionaires to destroy and walk away without jail time. SSDD.
First I found that article from another comment. I hope Diane makes it part of her daily post because his background is despicable.
I would expect since he knows who is getting what contracts, he will invest heavily. It’s always been about his personal net growth. I also have a feeling he knows what skeletons are located in very powerful closets. He just seems like that type of guy.
The fact that his own education is questionable, and how he helped bring the economy down, makes me wonder if this was the major requirement for this position–to destroy public ed like he did my beloved Dime Savings Bank. When I was in elementary school, all the students opened up an account there with our dimes and pennies.