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Parents and Educators Outraged by Regents Unwillingness
to Assume Responsibility and Change Course
The leaders of the
NYS Allies for Public Education (NYSAPE), a coalition of more than 45 parent
and educator groups from throughout the state, expressed extreme disappointment
that the NYS Regent Common Core Taskforce refused to address the real issues
undermining education in this state and made only minor tweaks to current
policies. The report is quite clear that the Regents continue to ignore
the deep flaws in the Common Core Learning Standards (CCLS), excessive high
stakes state testing and student data sharing. The recommendations can be
viewed here: http://www.regents.nysed.gov/meetings/2014/February2014/214p12hea3.pdf
Tim Farley, a
parent of four public school children and the Principal of Ichabod Crane
Elementary/Middle School said, “Today's recommendations from Commissioner
King and the Regents task force reveal just how out of touch they are
and how obsessive their appetite is for excessive state tests. The
fact that they refuse to subject their own children to these excessive testing
and data policies is very telling. The parents and educators of New York
have been paying attention, and they are justifiably outraged."
“The need to
replace the four incumbent Regents members is more important than ever,” said
Eric Mihelbergel, Ken-Ton public school parent and founding member of
NYSAPE. The Regents Taskforce failed to address the real concerns of
parents and again has displayed disconnect from their constituents. Their
recommendations today tell me the State is full steam ahead with this failed
reform agenda.”
Carol Burris, South
Side High Principal and 2013 Principal of the Year stated, “For a deliberative
body that is so insistent that students, schools and educators be held
accountable, their unwillingness to assume responsibility for their blunders
and respond by correcting course is breathtaking. For example, they shift
the review of the New York State Common Core standards to the National
Governors Association, rather than assume that responsibility themselves. At
nearly every turn they “advocate”, or “encourage” others to take action, rather
than earnestly respond to what they heard. Developing a “teacher portal”
and more low quality materials, is hardly the response our parents
expected. The tinkering with dates and semantics about college ready
scores at the high school level provides no relief for our K-8 students from
testing or from the implementation of flawed curriculum. ”
“Instead of simply
calling for a delay in the uploading of private student data onto an insecure
data cloud, and pass the responsibility to deal with this issue to the Legislature,
the Regents should have insisted that the inBloom contract be cancelled, as
every other state has done. Why should New York continue to be the worst
place in the country when it comes to student privacy?” asked Leonie Haimson,
Executive Director of Class Size Matters.
“The notion that more time to phase in standards or train teachers will somehow cure the ills of a deficient curriculum and inappropriate tests is misguided. Just as troubling is the suggestion that teachers should continue to be evaluated on the basis of a system no one believes in, and that if they are threatened with losing their jobs, they should “raise an alleged failure” of their districts to properly implement the Common Core – when the fault lies with the state. There is no need for more money to 'engage' parents with implementation of CCLS. Parents have made their voices perfectly clear in demanding that these destructive policies be brought to an immediate halt,” said Jessica McNair, New Hartford public school parent.
"The Regents
appear not to understand that the actual time spent on testing per day,
multiplied out over six days of the state assessments, is inappropriate for all
students despite the misleading statistics quoted in recommendations," stated
Chris Cerrone, Western New York public school parent of two elementary-aged
children.
“Our state
education system remains in turmoil, yet the recommendations of this task
force do nothing to address the profound problems associated with the standards
and excessive high stakes testing. They simply echo the false sentiments
of Chancellor Tisch and Commissioner King, by providing nothing more than
superficial suggestions in an attempt to pacify the public. Parents will not be
so easily assuaged,” said Jeanette Deutermann, Bellmore public school parent
and founder of Long Island Opt-Out.
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