Paul Thomas believes that the Common Core standards do not answer any of the most pressing problems in American education, most of which are economic and social, not pedagogical.
In this post, he commends Randi Weingarten for turning against VAM but worries that states will push ahead with it anyway. He expresses the hope that AFT will take the next logical step and recognize that the Common Core standards are not a great new idea but rather a continuation of the standards-based, test-based reform that characterizes NCLB and Race to the Top. These strategies always leave those with the least far behind. They never close the achievement gap. They reflect it.
He writes:
It is now time for leaders in education—including political leaders, union leaders, professional organization leaders—to acknowledge the historical record on standards-based accountability, the research base on standards-based accountability, and the real-world consequences related to standards-based accountability; and then, CC should be rejected, the real problems facing schools should be identified, and a new reform paradigm embraced.
AFT and Weingarten could offer a brave and powerful voice in that fight, and it would be welcomed.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
The only thing that might cause Randi to actually combat CCSS or any other part of the so-called reform agenda – rather than release public statements intended to pacify the membership, with no intention of pursuing them – would be a broad-based uprising among many AFT locals that would make her fear for her continued political viability.
NYC is key, since the UFT is the tail that wags the AFT dog; it’s no coincidence that, but for a brief caretaker administration after Sandy Feldman’s death, all AFT leaders have come from the UFT.
Unfortunately, New York City’s UFT is a one party state, controlled by the same Unity Caucus for over half a century, and with an intensely gerrymandered political system that, short of a literal rebellion among NYC educators, guarantees continued Unity Caucus control.
Also unfortunate is that high teacher turnover, so sought after by so-called reformers, also keeps the union leadership impervious to outside voices, since the workforce is constantly churning, limiting the number of people invested in teaching in the city for the long haul who might thus care more about union affairs.
While the union has many officers and staffers who are intelligent, hardworking and honorable, the straight jacket of single party rule – Unity Caucus members actually must sign a loyalty oath before joining – has led to a collapse of even the pretense of union democracy. The UFT/AFT functions all too often as a dues collection agency, and the leadership is happy to have a revolving, ever-changing workforce; yet another example of the overlapping interests of the so-called reformers and our union misleaders.
What we are for or against is becoming irrelevant. As I discovered in WI marching and shouting slogans will not stop or even slow the runaway freight. They will just say, oh it’s the union out for themselves. I don’t agree with this but that is the reality.
The only thing that will turn this around is “building a better mousetrap”. Develop a strong assessment that is real and holds teachers accountable on an even playing field might look like this http://savingstudents-caplee.blogspot.com/2013/12/accountability-with-honor-and-yes-we.html
The song of the concern troll:
“What we are for or against is becoming irrelevant
They will just say, oh it’s the union out for themselves”
Chorus:
“I don’t agree with this but that is the reality.”
We don’t need your own private accountability bus either, thank you Cap. No, we are becoming more and more relevant, and yes we are stopping their unstoppable assault.
“They” will say anything, and they’ll always have opportunists repeating it for them.
Weingarten should have plenty of brave and powerful moves left she hasn’t expended one yet. To date all she’s demonstrated is a willingness to sell teachers out and make concessions to Gates and anyone else who happens to want to destroy our profession for a profit. Now she’s against VAM huh ? Is she against merit pay here in NY from Cuomo but not in Jersey where she worked for Christie and Cerf to get it put into the contract in Newark ? Mimhas please. She has zero cred with any teacher I know who actually has a clue as to what’s going on. I would embrace a revolt among the locals especially one that ultimately drives her to her next gig at Pearson or the Gates Foundation whose special interests she spends a lot more time on than she does on her constituents.
Sadly, Sean, I think you’re right. Randi is young enough to care about her income after the AFT. The inexhaustible fountain of corporate reform money, from which she’s already earned her golden parachute, requires her to continue her collaboration with them to the bitter end, until she’s driven out of office or is presiding over the gutted carcass of the union. Her best strategy is to pursue some kind of academic or foundation appointment.
“A place at the table.” All the leaders at every level who have accepted the bribe face a similar existential dilemma. Yes, she is free to break with them, and denounce the rotten core of the “standards based accountability” hoax. The reward is a place in history, I think, but the personal price in cold cash might just be unacceptably high.
I’m an existentialist, in the actual Sartrian sense. Freedom is always there, whether we want it or not, and it defines us. We’re never truly trapped, even when we’re “trapped”.
So, on the deepest level, I’m rooting for Randi to accept Paul Thomas’ invitation. He’s laid it out perfectly, and I join him in his invitation. Come on over Randi, all of you, come all the way over and fight them with us, and we’ll welcome you. The angels will sing of it.
chemtchr,
you’ve made an interesting point…how many education “leaders,” that is, how many teacher organization leaders at the state and national levels have gone back to the classroom once their tenure as president ended?
and isn’t this problematic?
yes yes yes
I understand the politics, but how do we stop the runaway freight called common core? First we seperate the test from the CC. To do that we must formalize our own assessment, with students moving up the ladder with proficiencies demonstrated. Remember the kids? They must have an even playing field to allow them to display their genius.
Instead of focusing on kids, these discussion s focus on adults, leaving the perception that we are out for ourselves. Remember I said perception which is real to those who perceive.
I am waiting for those who say they have interest in kids to demonstrate that. What if science fairs were held at many levels and were assessed for learning. And students were held accountable to imporve their skills actually doing something. And teachers were held accountable for gains made compared to students past history, not a single standard for all. Pre and post assessments show what is done in your class, not how they came in from someone elses class.
And demonstrations of learning show what kids can actually do. And each student has their reachable goals to meet based on their history. And if those goals aren’t met, they can try again within a few days, weeks or years.
Why would anyone listen to those who do not have a better plan? As I have been saying for the past 20 years, If public schools don’t develop a better plan, they will perish, and they should perish. If finger pointing is your only answer and your comments don’t even mention kids, you’re lost and public schools will perish
This is my comment at TheChalkFace on Paul Thomas’s post:
Sigh. Randi Weingarten has already gone all-in on the Common Core. She’s taken Gates cash. She has not been, in any genuine meaning of the word. a real ‘leader’ in education. Paul Thomas says now that Wiengarten might offer ” a brave voice” in rejecting Common Core. But then she’d have to be, well, brave.