Anger in the Heartland Over Unfair Teacher Tests
by Alan Singer
Cortland, New York is dairy country. The town and the State University of New York campus in Cortland are surrounded by dairy farms. Many of the students at the college come from the local area. This is where they grew up and this is where they want to stay. Many plan to become teachers in the local schools. But there is anger brewing in this heartland community over unfair new teacher tests.
On October 1 and 2, I visited SUNY-Cortland and nearby SUNY-Oneonta where I was invited to discuss corporate influence over education policy in the United States, the new teacher certifications, and the implications of common core standards for classroom practice. At both campuses I spoke with packed crowds and as is usually the case, I think I learned more from them than they learned from me.
At Cortland the opposition to unfair teaching tests was more pronounced and better organized. Students are outraged at the attitude of the governor toward public school students and teachers. Instead of providing money and support to struggling schools and
