I Already Knew This: Cuomo is Dangerous for Our Children

Sometimes there is no reason to state what has already been said eloquently. I can totally say these are my words but why plagiarize. 

I came across the NYSAPE page and read the article The Message of 220,000 Opt-Outs Has Not Been Heard:  Elia Calls Opt-Out Parents “Unreasonable” and Cuomo Continues Trampling on the NYS Constitution. The following is an excerpt.

"Parents know that Andrew Cuomo is not part of the solution.  Cuomo is the problem. 
It is Cuomo who forced his unproven teacher evaluation system down parents’ throats.  
It is Cuomo who slashed and underfunded the State Education Department staffing.   
It is Cuomo who accepted 'Big Donor' campaign money and enabled the build-up of a privatized, unaccountable shadow government within the State Education Department –The Regents Research Fellows—who created the “Implementation” mess Cuomo now blames.
It is Cuomo who repeatedly tramples on the New York State Constitution--which gives a NY Governor NO authority over education policy—with his serial habit of forming pro-corporate education reform stacked panels, complete with Washington lobbyists salivating to eliminate parental consent for data profiling of children."

This is in response to Cuomo's latest press release where he states, "I believe the implementation (Common Core) by the State Education Department (SED) has been deeply flawed. The more time goes on, the more I am convinced of this position."

Really? How is that possible? You have berated teachers, put students through excessive test taking, called on parents to not opt out of these tests and now you believe the CC is flawed. I could have told you that a long time ago.

While I am not against the Common Core as standards, I am against a system that expects teachers and students to strictly abide by them. There is the flaw! I know my students and I know when the standards are appropriate or when I need to tweak to help the students meet them.

However, because the CC is coupled with the Danielson Rubric, which in it of itself does not allow for creativity, this is a match made in hell.

Add to this, evaluators (principals and APs) that use them to fulfill their own agendas. It is a recipe for disaster; not a vehicle for the betterment of education here in New York. 

Now, of course, I'm speaking from my own experience. 

I was thrown into this without any professional development. (I sought it on my own!) 

I have a vindictive administrator. (Used Danielson and the Core verbatim and did not leave any room for creativity.) 

It isn't like this everywhere, for sure.

I spent four weeks working in a different school this summer. The administrator basically said, "Do what you need to do. I want them to write. Whatever it takes."

Let me tell you, this experience was a vindication of sorts, one that I truly needed to get my self esteem back.

The kids who came regularly to class all passed the English Regents. Some even passed the Common Core as well. My face hurt from smiling. My body was numb from all the hugs and pats on the back I received when the REDS came in. Oh, and these were English Language learners.

So, this is testimony that as long as a teacher is allowed to be creative and use her own personal library of ideas and strategies, students do learn and meet the Standards.

This experience will also look great when I sue the pants of the DOE and my administrator for the Ineffective I received after 28 years.