Responding to the PARCC and Common Core (Modified)
Last spring, when I was teaching at a small school in the Bronx, I caused an unnecessary ruckus by posting my thoughts about a presentation my staff received on the looming impacts of PARCC and Common Core implementation. The post was shared by Gotham Schools, in the Digest for Grassroots Education, and was disseminated to many UFT chapter leaders. I discovered soon afterward that my words were seriously concerning to a number of senior DOE employees, including, apparently, Chancellor Walcott and Deputy Chancellor Suransky.
Disciplinary action was taken against me, and I was threatened with a lawsuit if I didn’t take the post down. The reason I believe I ruffled so many feathers was because I was a DOE employee publicly admonishing policies supported by top DOE officials. However, the reason I made myself vulnerable to retaliation was because I inadvertently worded my post as if it were as much of an attack on the presenter (which I certainly did not intend)
Disciplinary action was taken against me, and I was threatened with a lawsuit if I didn’t take the post down. The reason I believe I ruffled so many feathers was because I was a DOE employee publicly admonishing policies supported by top DOE officials. However, the reason I made myself vulnerable to retaliation was because I inadvertently worded my post as if it were as much of an attack on the presenter (which I certainly did not intend)
