A music teacher in Meriden, Connecticut, wrote this comment about Miguel Cardona on Facebook. The teacher is a BAT (BadAss Teachers Association). Jake Jacobs, co-administrator of the BATS, circulated this post.
I can tell you this much–he was my principal and evaluator for one year, during a low point in my career. Of the nine principals (and couple dozen assistants) I have worked under, he is the only one who has ever had a conversation with me about my teaching. His is the only formal observation I have ever had that was conducted in a way where the goal was to help me be a better teacher. When I needed something, he did his best to provide it. When he had to say no, he explained why honestly and respectfully. When he moved to central office, he focused on teacher evaluation and had frank and honest discussions with teachers about the state of teacher eval and the different issues and potential pitfalls of different systems. He is thoughtful, open, and kind, and treats everyone with respect and compassion. Most important, while he is ambitious–he made no secret as principal that he got his Ed. D. with an eye toward being a superintendent–he is someone who is more interested in getting things right and in making true improvements than he is in seeing his name in lights. He acts like someone who wants to be in positions where he can make a difference for the benefit of others, not for his own aggrandizement. I can’t speak on his positions on this or that issue. We’re not friends, just former colleagues, and I’ve not said more than “hello” to him in over seven years. But there is no one I’ve dealt with in administration whom I respect more. I am confident that he will approach this job with all the qualities that made him a success at every level along the way.”
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Reblogged this on dean ramser.
This says a lot about Mr. Cardona’s intentions. It sounds like he is coming from a place of understanding the teaching profession and wants to be in leadership for the right reasons. Keeping my fingers crossed that he stays true to his roots.
And I hope he deeply understands that ….it’s not all about teacher accountability and teacher evaluations – it’s the overall larger system that you build that is important. If we build intentionally designed schools (physically and pedagogically), with the right learning culture and system in mind, and hire enough dedicated, nurturing, knowledgable staff . . . the rest will work itself out. A reasonable amount of monitoring and evaluations can be part of a well designed system – but not the driver of it.
Happy to read this. That alone puts him ahead of Secretary Duncan, in my eyes. (But still very concerned.)
Well I was happy to hear from a REAL teacher who worked with Mr. Cardona, even if it was for only 1year, and a BAT at that! This to me is more meaningful and honest than any speech he gives, regardless who might have written it.
Now we will see if his position as Secretary Of Education matches his manner, decisions, beliefs and leadership as a principal.
One of my good friends recently retired from teaching in a community college in Connecticut. One of her friend’s children had had Dr Cardona in elementary school when he was still a teacher in Meriden. Her comment was that Dr. Cardona was an excellent, caring teacher, and her children had a great year with him.
” His is the only formal observation I have ever had that was conducted in a way where the goal was to help me be a better teacher. ”
Maybe part of reimagining education is to better select and train administrators. Instead of being useless bureaucrats, administrators should always be working with teachers and parents to help them in all ways possible. Some of them act like an impediment instead of a facilitator.
I think this is key.
We’ve all seen our share of bureaucrats and politicians masquerading as teachers. Your piece about Cardona slightly assuages my fear, but still there remains the danger of a bureaucrat and politician making policy for practitioners. If Hattie’s work tell us anything it is that teachers are doing amazing work, despite what the charter school naysayers with deep pockets and big bullhorns have to say. This was a nice read and I appreciate your candor. Color me cautious.
Do I dare hold my breathe for a visionary capable of speaking truth to swine about the inane culture of testing and the corporate takeover of curriculum? Perchance to dream. I am at least hopeful this pick for Secretary of Education proves better than the freshly pardoned and convicted murderer’s sister currently using the position to funnel money to her privatizing pals nationwide.
This is a refreshing statement to hear about a nominee for Secretary of Education.
It is indeed!
Time will tell . . . wait and watch . . . On verra! . . .
Meantime, never give up advocating and pushing. . . .
Out of a dozen or so principals in thirty years of teaching (1975 – 2005), I had one that sounds like Cardona, and the name of that one principal is the only one I remember or should I say that “I want to remember.” His name was Ralph Pagan, and that was back in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Of the dozen or so, a couple was good, a few were OK. Some were monsters right up there with Donald Trump and Betsy DeVos. One even had a blacklist of teachers to get rid of, and if you were an outspoken teacher that criticized poor decisions by district admin, you were on that list.
I had a principal who had a Napoleon complex, if you didn’t genuflect every time he appeared in the halls or the room, then you were not on the A list. I felt that all I owed him was a professional relationship not being a toady or yes-man. That put me on the D list. The man wanted complete obeisance and some teachers would comply with his arrogance while many others wouldn’t. The sycophants got rewarded while the rest of us would get classes stacked with discipline problems and the kids much more difficult to educate not to mention the less desirable schedules.
A truly significant and substantive comment. Thx for publishing.
I agree that this anecdote speaks well of Cardona, AND I appreciate that he has been a teacher, an administrator, a superintendent, etc. One concern I do have is that much of his time was spent in CT, which in general is a wealthier state. I believe his immigrant background will help him consider all perspectives, but it’s something that I do think about.
This post says a lot. I trust teachers who worked under the man more than anyone else.
I sure would like to know how Cardona handled evaluations of teachers in tested subjects, ELA and math, and his opinions about edutech. It’s different when test scores and data enter the picture.
This is a really good point.
This speaks so very well of Mr. Cardona. There are many folks who are so pleasant and respectful to those higher up but can be awful to those who are not in a position to reward them.
Teacher evaluations are a true test of administrators. The only thing that permits and protects an incompetent or ineffective teacher is an incompetent or ineffective administrator. Too many principals were promoted to the position for reasons other than being an excellent educator or one who inspires excellence in individuals as well as the staff collectively. It sounds like Mr. Cardona was one who did both and well.
I wish him well in his new position, and hope he inspires a whole new approach to help teachers teach and students learn.
Power does strange things to people. We’ll see..
Sounds like a good man for the job.
Still very concerned after reading this. I’ve seen time and again how personal will and class will are heavily confused in the U.S. There seems to be tremendous difficulty discerning the two.