Andrew Cuomo is once again revealing his marked disdain for K-12 education in New York.
He created a task force with 116 members that includes a broad cross-section of people from across the state, including at least 10 from higher education, but also big wheels in the real estate industry, the financial sector, sports teams, and leaders of commerce. The only significant group not represented on his vast task force is K-12, unless you consider Bloomberg’s chancellor from a decade ago (Dennis Walcott) to be a representative of a sector in which he is no longer active.
This article about the representatives from western New York includes a full list of task force members.
The task force includes the chair of the board of the City University of New York, William Thompson, and the chair of the board of the State University of New York, Merryl Tisch, but does not include Betty Rosa, the chancellor of the New York State Board of Regents, which is responsible for all of K-12 and higher education and the certification in professions in the state. Nor is any other member of the Board of Regents included, nor is any member of a teachers’ union, nor anyone from an elected school board, nor any teacher or parent advocate.
It is as though the entire K-12 school system, the largest entity in the state, which enroll 2.5 million students, does not exist. Cuomo didn’t think it necessary to name anyone familiar with the issues of schools today or the problems of reopening them.
In response, Chancellor Betty Rosa has announced that she will establish a statewide task force of informed stakeholders to plan for the reopening of the state’s schools. They will communicate with the Governor’s task force. Dr. Rosa has been a teacher, principal, and superintendent.
Governor Cuomo, meet Chancellor Rosa. Talk to her. She knows more about K-12 schools than anyone on your task force. She will offer wise counsel.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
I think that state officials are not taking into account that local districts have a monetary interest in any policies. This is not just a New York problem.
Layoffs of public sector workers are happening all over, and they are not getting any more relief than state governments are.
Public education is funded, on average in about equal measure from local and state funds, with federal funds under DeVos not helping public schools nearly as much as contract/charter schools and franchises (management organizations for charters), many of these from out of state.
Moscow Mitch thinks it would be fine if states went bankrupt, thinking that would clear underfunded public sector pension liabilities. I think he may have tempered that casual opinion after realizing Kentucky is one of the worst states for underfunded public sector pensions and school funding.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2020/04/29/cities-states-layoffs-furloughs-coronavirus/
Peter Greene, once again, hits this topic out of the park!
http://curmudgucation.blogspot.com/2020/04/this-is-not-what-school-will-look-like.html
Greene actually understands what happens in schools so his perspective is based on the realities of student needs and behavior. Politicians are clueless, but they won’t really talk to educators.
so many outsider “experts” who will now be deciding what schools/teachers/students must do with zero experience with schools, teachers and students
When it comes to voters, Cuomo is a better communicator than Trump, and that is an understatement.
Trump only communicates to his deplorable base, because “they” feed Trump’s voracious ego.
Cuomo’s public face is for everyone, not just a segment of the voting population. Cuomo understands that he cannot afford to insult and ignore the majority of Americans like Trump does every single day.
In the end, Cuomo and Trump are both disrupters and destructors when it comes to supporting the public sector.
Peter Greene has hit this one out of the park. I agree. His calculations show how ridicule-worthy the opening of schools would be if social distancing was require, and that does not take into consideration other pre-cautions such as washing hands.
If students had to stay six feet apart at all times, how many would fit in a regular classroom?
The 6 foot social distancing rule creates some interesting use of school floor space. Ha! I love his example of 100 students forming a lunch line the length of two football fields! Class sizes of 15 students becomes new 30. Re-opening schools may be the ultimate in. “easier said than done”.
My classes in Utah are routinely 40. We can barely fit in the room now. They sit at “buddy tables” of two a piece. HOW do I distance them? Especially as education is cut to ribbons as the economy collapses.
“Easier said when dumb” is the politician’s motto
Cuomo is summoning those he knows he has to negotiate with. Public K12 is a negotiation, too– with unions– but his opening move is to assert silently (by excluding them) that he owns their ass & will tell them when to open. Next move is theirs, & it’s de facto a defensive one.
Strike. It’s only in the military that they pay you to die. Wouldn’t you know it, they are underpaid, too, even if they are doing it for “God and country.” They really stick it to ya with that public service label.
Sorry first responders. You, too put your lives on the line. If I missed some others whose job typically demand running into dangerous situations, I apologize.
Iowa is reopening 77 counties subject to restrictions… against Iowa healthcare group recommendations… even religious leaders are calling on churches to avoid gatherings despite state relaxation… & GET THIS: “Iowa said furloughed employees who refuse to return to work would lose their unemployment benefits — and Gov. Kim Reynolds said it could disqualify them from future unemployment benefits.” (Business Insider)
Schools won’t be far behind, & will employees will no doubt get same admonition. !!?!
Strike is right.
Several major meat processing plants have closed down in Iowa because so many of their workers have the virus.
Tyson, Smithfield, etc.
Are sick workers expected to report to work?
Nebraska has made the same threat. Report to work or lose your benefits.
Better go vegan until this is over.
Luckily hubby & I eat rather low meat content per typical Italian druthers [& cuz we raised a vegetarian] – still using up frozen meats from a few months ago. I’d advise others to check out southern Italian diet if they must have some meat; consult Diet for a Small Planet (or google legume/ grain/ potato: dairy proportions for meat-equiv whole proteins) to enjoy non-meat meals for 4/7 meals…
If the sick workers in meat processing plants are forced to return and sneeze on the pork, beef, and chickens, then we should all go vegan
A few months after dropping meat, vegan isn’t that bad. Vegan becomes the new normal. I transitioned away from meat and a lot of other unhealthy junk back in 1982, and as a vegan for about 38 years, I have maintained my weight at a fairly consistent number.
Going vegan is also better for the planet.
Since Reagan it has been fashionable among a “certain group” to over-represent business (business leaders are over half the list), but that “certain group” is usually republicans.
It’s interesting how many Democratic politicians today either used to be or still are essentially Republicans.
Cuomo forms Attacks Force
Cuomo forms attacks force
To do his dirty deeds
VAM and tests and Common Cores
Attacks force for his needs
I posted this on another story, but it is actually more applicable to this post. It looks like New York is not much different from Florida with the task force thing, though Florida conservatives are just loving the fact that NY and more specifically NYC has so many more cases.
The Florida Education Association (AFT/NEA affiliate) expressed concern because there are few if any educators on the governor’s reopening committee or whatever it is called. But then I see this article in the Orlando Sentinel, and the CEO of Charter Schools USA is on that committee? What a shame!
https://www.orlandosentinel.com/coronavirus/os-ne-coronavirus-private-schools-florida-20200428-pwc7es3uxnashain5mlo6kglli-story.html
Article about FEA
https://www.tampabay.com/news/gradebook/2020/04/28/teachers-union-calls-for-experts-to-guide-floridas-school-reopening/