Jamaal Bowman, principal of the Cornerstone Academy for Social Action the Bronx in New York City, testifies to Governor Andrew Cuomo’s Common Core Commission on what his students need and why the Common Core does not meet their needs.
It is a short video. You should watch. Bowman is a rising star.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
KENTUCKY TEACHERS SENT GLOBAL EMAIL BY MATT BEVIN CAMPAIGN 1 DAY BEFORE ELECTION FOR GOVERNOR. STATE DEMOCRATIC COMMITTEE TO FILE ELECTION LAW COMPLAINT. ALL WONDERING WHO HACKED THE GLOBAL TEACHER EMAIL SYSTEM.
Randy Wieck
teacher, duPont Manual High
Louisville, KY
You forwarded this message on 11/2/2015 10:54 AM
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Dear Educator,
Most Kentuckians are aware of our state’s looming pension crisis. The crisis is so bad that, last month, Standard and Poor downgraded Kentucky’s credit rating because of “Kentucky’s substantially underfunded pension liabilities that are the result of chronic underfunding…”
For over a decade, Democrat leadership has refused to fully fund our public pensions, including the Kentucky Teacher’s Retirement System (KTRS). Instead, state government has been raiding public trusts to cover revenue shortfalls. Such transfers can harm necessary programs, raise fees and taxes, and continue to inappropriately push expenses down the road.
Consequently, in the last 15 years, KTRS has gone from about 96% funded to around 54% funded, raising our unfunded liabilities from $571 million to $14 billion.
If we continue down the road we are on, as my opponent would like, experts predict we are 3-4 years from pension collapse. That means that if you are retired and receiving a public pension, you could be 3-4 years from losing the benefits promised to you. Without action, the checks will not continue to clear the bank.
I am running for Governor to make sure this does not happen.
We have a moral and legal obligation to fulfill our pension promises to current employees and retirees. My opponent has spread lies throughout the state about my stance on our pension plans, including KTRS, despite the fact that I am the only one in this race who has a plan to save them.
I have been firm in my position that all public pensions, including KTRS, must be fully funded. If elected, I will not allow the raiding of our public trusts to cover shortages in the General Fund. I will end this practice of “robbing Peter to pay Paul” and ensure that if revenues are earmarked for a specific purpose, they will be used for that purpose.
In order to fulfill the financial commitment we have made to existing and future retirees, I have proposed moving away from the current plan structures and enrolling all new hires into a defined contribution plan. Demographic realities now, and into the future, afford us no other viable option.
However, let me be clear that this will not in any way affect the benefits of current teachers or retirees but, in fact, quite the opposite; it will safeguard that state’s ability to continue fulfilling the promises made to you.
Other inaccurate information being spread, in regards to moving the plans, is that there would not be enough people to cover the cost of those who retire if new hires are not part of the group retirement plan. However, our pension plans are not supposed to be pay-as-you-go systems with current employee contributions funding current retirees’ benefits. Our pension plans are supposed to be funded pension systems, where an employee contributes and those contributions are used to pay his or her benefits in the future. So, moving plans for new hires is not an issue for current teachers and retirees.
I have also proposed that we change the law to allow teachers to participate in Social Security. This will give current and future teachers a new source of income when they retire. We must ensure that all future teachers be allowed to participate in Social Security prior to moving from existing plans.
Career politicians have talked about, monitored and studied this issue long enough. Now is the time for action…Specific, bi-partisan and immediate action.
On November 3, please vote for the only person in this race who has a plan to protect the benefits you worked for. Continuing the trend with Democrat leaders will only make certain that state government will not be able to meet it’s obligations to you. Such a result is unacceptable.
Thank you for the generosity of your time in reading this letter.
Best regards,
Matt Bevin
Matt Bevin
Bevin TwitterBevin Facebook
Headquarters:
11902 Brinley Ave., Suite 101
Middletown, KY 40243
(502) 822 – 6806
http://www.mattbevin.com
Paid for by Matt Bevin for Kentucky
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Matt Bevin for Kentucky · PO Box 436374, Middletown, KY 40253, United States
This email was sent to randolph.wieck@jefferson.kyschools.us. To stop receiving emails, click here.
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I could not agree more with Mr. Bowman. However, much of iReady is not aligned to many of the CCSS. In my district, we are struggling with this diagnostic assessment. The “higher” the grade level, the less aligned. His point to develop the “whole child” is far more important.
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Thanks for this. Really articulate.
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I watched the video – very good! It shows that those of us who actually work with children know something! I’m sorry he chose Louisa Moats to quote because when it comes to early reading instruction her “approach” of first learn to identify the words THEN think about what they mean was peddled during the Reading First/NCLB decade. She and Sopris made a lot of money on her “programs” but the needle didn’t move and the gap didn’t close!
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Something unusual here and I am cautious about Jamaal. He is a NYC public school principal and would never attack Common Core head on to eliminate it, since it is NYC policy to support the Common Core. He has social justice luncheons in his school, no less with the Union proxies, and addresses every issue “except” the Common Core.
I confronted him on it as my last post to Long Island Opt Out, about distracting parents away from Common Core and towards a garden variety of “social justice” issues. He said that the Common Core can be a part of the discussion about testing, when it should stand alone. Parents are taking the bait.
He could be a stooge for Cuomo’s “fixing” the Common Core. Also Louisa Moats was instrumental in creating the horrible Reading First Program with Reid Lyons, bought and sold by the publishers, and Moats is undone by Denny Taylor’s critical book the “Reading and the Spin Doctors of Science”.
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Who are you? You confronted me with what? What are you talking about? Don’t be twisting my words. If you’re on Facebook “confront” me again right now so I can address any concerns publicly for all to see.
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Jammai, you are a powerhouse.
Joseph, are you working for the billionaires?
My only considerations is this:
Ed tech
Keeping Data Local
Whether it’s something like what Mark Zuckerberg is piloting in CA in Summit Charter Schools which employs teacher input to devise customized lessons, or some alternative iteration guarding against what appears to be their ultimate goals
*Subversive elimination of the teaching profession by 2050
*So-called Stakeholder data mapping of each and every child
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2015/09/16/facebook-moves-into-personalized-learning-with-charter.html
Broad and other billionaires are doing everything possible to ensure this and get taxpayers to supplement it too. These billionaires invest in Charter school and Ed Tech so they will eventually own prime real estate currently held by Public Schools. Financial Deprivation is the goal to underpinning Public Ed. (see Land Grab on Diane’s Blog)
Here’s what one diligent public school parent leaned in the early 90’s about data collection and testing of our public school children: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ErL9zPHdH4A
Tracking back in time to the how/where/why/who of public school data collection beginning around 85 yrs ago.
Part 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9GwWJQPGvaY
Part 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLloeoPxTMQ
Why Deidentificaion Methods don’t really work.
Click to access thesis.pdf
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Joseph, whats “garden variety social justice”? is that run of the mill stuff? I dont understand. Is it weak and bland, as in fake or half-hearted? Because my suspicion is raised whenever someone takes significant social issues, and makes an unsubstantiated accusation that its feigned. It implies motive. Are you certain the social justice curriculum at Mr Bowen’s Middle School is weak or fake? Have you been there? Or could this a “purity” type litmus test, where if a principal makes use of the CCSS structure in an interesting way, he’s deemed a “stooge” because he used an evil “tool”. Full disclosure I shot the video Mr Bowen is in and I have been to CASA Middle School on many occasions. As far as Moats, are you saying her remarks regarding the misuse of CCSS and its Testing components are wrong? Seems like there are an awful lot of judgements in your comments that are fabricated or based on ….. speculation, not facts.
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This is the brochure Ohio schools are supposed to hand out to “explain” the 2014-15 Common Core tests. Please note the prominent placement of what could be the official “logo” for ed reform- kids sitting staring at a screen taking a test. I’m not clear why the ed reform marketing crew loves this image so much, or why they think it’s a selling point but they use variations of that image in every marketing effort.
http://education.ohio.gov/getattachment/Topics/Testing/Testing-Results/2014_2015-Ohio_s-State-Test-Results/Parent_State_Tests_Overview.pdf.aspx
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got it. ravitch comes thru
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Parents need to be discerning and keeping their eye on the prize of stopping and “eliminating” Common Core. Proxy organizations of the Union can distract these efforts. Common Core is not going to roll over for a Blue Ribbon Committee.
Challenging social justice issues is honorable since they have been with us since the beginning of time. Change is only going to come from parents themselves even their perceived leaders are seduced. Organizing solely around stopping Common Core
will be a step in addressing those other issues. The solution will not come from within the educational system and those who are dependent upon it.
The Governors committee and its work is a fraud to keep one thinking that there is an open forum. We are all subject to the seduction, even myself, not looking to hurt anyone’s feelings.
In her book, Indian author, Arundahti Roy, says:
“Armed with their billions, these NGOs (Non Governmental Organizations)
have waded into the world, turning potential revolutionaries into salaried activists, funding artists, intellectuals, and film makers, gently luring them away from radical confrontation, ushering them in the direction of multiculturalism, gender equity, community development- the discourse couched in the language of identity politics and human rights.”
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“Passionate and free thinking women have never been appreciated by the great religions of the world. Because passionate and free thinking women raise passionate and free thinking children. And passionate and free thinking children become passionate and free thinking adults. And passionate and free thinking adults are very difficult to manipulate and nearly impossible to control.”
-Marianne Williamson
In this case, I would change the word “religions” and insert “policy makers” or “billionaire boys”
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-halstead/parliament-world-religions_b_8353546.html
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Question:
Does CCSS exist in isolation anywhere? I mean, have any states just taken the standards (which might have been similar to what they would have written anyway) and just proceeded as they had before RttT (even with RttT)?
Does CCSS always have strings attached? What about for the states not in testing consortiums?
Also, does the NEA still get money for promoting CCSS?
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