Open Letter to NY Ed Commissioner John King: Thank You!
Dr. King,
Thank you for mobilizing the parents and students of New York State!
As one of my good friends said earlier this week, the two most important people behind the New York testing revolt are Dr. John King and Gov. Andrew Cuomo. If you’re sitting in your office today, wondering how this all came to be, I’d be happy to explain it.
It’s been a long couple of months for most of us. Thanks to some very dedicated and well-read parents, we have become better educated and more in tune with our schools this year than we probably have been in a long time. You know what we found? We found that our proud and excellent New York public schools (and even our private schools) have changed–and not in the way that makes us feel excited or progressive or prepared for the future. This change feels wrong.
So, we researched. We made phone calls. We gathered together to ask tough questions. Some of us even wrote to you, Dr. King, only to receive the same tired letter telling us that you’ve already figured this out for us and we need to just watch your videos and visit your website and be happy about it. But, you know what? We weren’t happy about it. Not at all.
Teachers already know that our kids test too much. Kids already know it too. Parents have been going through this year with a knot in the pits of their stomachs, knowing something wasn’t right at school. When we realize that our bright, creative, and curious children are increasingly hating school because they aren’t given the time or the room to be bright, and creative, and curious, we start to look a little closer. When something seems to be hurting our children, parents get very defensive.
That’s why today, and the two weeks following, will probably be the largest refusal event this country has yet seen. Because parents and kids have learned a thing or two about you.
Dr. King, the policies that you, Governor Cuomo, and your department have put into place are hurting our kids. You know what parents do when their kids are being hurt? They act. And they act quickly.
Despite your attempts to propagandize the adoption of the Common Core State Standards and the outrageous numbers of tests–the two things that are currently squeezing any hint of real learning from the school curricula–we learned from each other and others that you really have no idea what’s good for our kids. Sure, New York educational leaders were wooed and coddled by StudentsFirst in October of last year. Sure, David Coleman somehow convinced you that he had any idea what education looks like. I’m sure the Race to the Top competition was something that you just had to win. I’m sure you made your friends at the top very proud.
But you forgot someone: the more than two and a half million public school children and their families in New York State who want to see a bright future that comes from real learning. We’ve read between the lines and we’ve seen the fine print. No need to try to convince us that testing, contracts with Pearson and inBloom are good for us. We’re too smart. It’s time you treated us that way.
You’ve chosen to ignore us to this point. I’ve not heard of a single instance where you spoke to a parent or a group of parents or students, or debated with real education experts publicly. You’ve chosen instead to send notices and statements to districts, with the intent of intimidating and threatening parents who are doing what’s best for our children. You’ve chosen to refuse to listen, so we took action. We boycotted your tests, and we will continue to boycott your tests. We will also be rallying against the Common Core, which is the foundation of the end of fair and effective public education for all.
And despite your attempts to get teachers and principals to do your dirty work, almost all of them support our efforts and have helped us make these actions easier.
We’re going to get our schools back. We’re going to remove ourselves from Federal control and stricture and we’re going to make sure that the offices of NYSED are populated with people who care more about kids and their teachers than they do about selling our souls to the profit machines that hover around us.
It takes real courage and vision to lead a department of education in a state this size. You have failed to provide either one. Common Core isn’t the answer. High-stakes testing isn’t even an option. I think I speak for many parents of New York State when I say, with due respect, please stand down. It’s time to replace you with someone who can lead without bullying, lying, and bowing before the corporations who are looking to commodify our kids.
–
Kris L. Nielsen
Author, Children of the Core
Education Advocate and Blogger
Thank you for mobilizing the parents and students of New York State!
As one of my good friends said earlier this week, the two most important people behind the New York testing revolt are Dr. John King and Gov. Andrew Cuomo. If you’re sitting in your office today, wondering how this all came to be, I’d be happy to explain it.
It’s been a long couple of months for most of us. Thanks to some very dedicated and well-read parents, we have become better educated and more in tune with our schools this year than we probably have been in a long time. You know what we found? We found that our proud and excellent New York public schools (and even our private schools) have changed–and not in the way that makes us feel excited or progressive or prepared for the future. This change feels wrong.
So, we researched. We made phone calls. We gathered together to ask tough questions. Some of us even wrote to you, Dr. King, only to receive the same tired letter telling us that you’ve already figured this out for us and we need to just watch your videos and visit your website and be happy about it. But, you know what? We weren’t happy about it. Not at all.
Teachers already know that our kids test too much. Kids already know it too. Parents have been going through this year with a knot in the pits of their stomachs, knowing something wasn’t right at school. When we realize that our bright, creative, and curious children are increasingly hating school because they aren’t given the time or the room to be bright, and creative, and curious, we start to look a little closer. When something seems to be hurting our children, parents get very defensive.
That’s why today, and the two weeks following, will probably be the largest refusal event this country has yet seen. Because parents and kids have learned a thing or two about you.
Dr. King, the policies that you, Governor Cuomo, and your department have put into place are hurting our kids. You know what parents do when their kids are being hurt? They act. And they act quickly.
Despite your attempts to propagandize the adoption of the Common Core State Standards and the outrageous numbers of tests–the two things that are currently squeezing any hint of real learning from the school curricula–we learned from each other and others that you really have no idea what’s good for our kids. Sure, New York educational leaders were wooed and coddled by StudentsFirst in October of last year. Sure, David Coleman somehow convinced you that he had any idea what education looks like. I’m sure the Race to the Top competition was something that you just had to win. I’m sure you made your friends at the top very proud.
You’ve chosen to ignore us to this point. I’ve not heard of a single instance where you spoke to a parent or a group of parents or students, or debated with real education experts publicly. You’ve chosen instead to send notices and statements to districts, with the intent of intimidating and threatening parents who are doing what’s best for our children. You’ve chosen to refuse to listen, so we took action. We boycotted your tests, and we will continue to boycott your tests. We will also be rallying against the Common Core, which is the foundation of the end of fair and effective public education for all.
And despite your attempts to get teachers and principals to do your dirty work, almost all of them support our efforts and have helped us make these actions easier.
We’re going to get our schools back. We’re going to remove ourselves from Federal control and stricture and we’re going to make sure that the offices of NYSED are populated with people who care more about kids and their teachers than they do about selling our souls to the profit machines that hover around us.
It takes real courage and vision to lead a department of education in a state this size. You have failed to provide either one. Common Core isn’t the answer. High-stakes testing isn’t even an option. I think I speak for many parents of New York State when I say, with due respect, please stand down. It’s time to replace you with someone who can lead without bullying, lying, and bowing before the corporations who are looking to commodify our kids.
–
Kris L. Nielsen
Author, Children of the Core
Education Advocate and Blogger