Perdido Street School:
NYSUT Issues "No Confidence" Vote On SED Commissioner King, Withdraws Support For Common Core Until "Course Corrections" Are Made
Perdido Street School Week
NYSUT Issues "No Confidence" Vote On SED Commissioner King, Withdraws Support For Common Core Until "Course Corrections" Are Made
From the Times Union:The state’s largest and most powerful teacher’s union on Saturday issued a declaration of “no confidence” in state Education Commissioner John King, a symbolic but unprecedented gesture calling for King’s removal from his post by the state Board of Regents. New York State United Teachers’ 80-member board of directors unanimously approved the resolution Saturday during the boa
One Final Bloomberg Boondoggle
From the Daily News: In one of its final acts, the Bloomberg administration pushed through a costly contract to modernize the city's 311 call system — hiring the same company fired by the feds for the botched rollout of the Obamacare website. The city’s Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications, known as DoITT, awarded the contract to the Montreal-based company CGI on Dec. 31, ho
Who Made The NYSED Commissioner King?
As I posted yesterday, NYSED Commissioner John King told members of the New York State Senate Education Committee that the Legislature does not have the power to pull the state out of the Common Core.The exchange showed up in a Capital NY piece by Jessica Bakeman:Some legislators have suggested ditching the Common Core standards altogether. King defended their educational value, describing that th
YESTERDAY
Cuomo Takes Home $600,000 In Cash Bribes From Hollywood
From the Hollywood Reporter:A high-wattage gathering of Hollywood moguls feted New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo in Brentwood on Thursday night, raising nearly $600,000 for his reelection campaign and quietly discussing their hope that Cuomo will seek presidency, if Hillary Clinton decides not to run.Behind Hillary, he's the second pick," said one attendee at the evening gathering, held at the Spani
If Common Core "Roll-Out" Flawed, Why Are CCSS Tests Still Scheduled This Year?
Chris Cerrone on the Twitter:If the Common Core roll out in NYS is flawed, why are we giving the CC aligned state assessments this year? @senatormaziarz @AlGrafNY— Chris Cerrone (@Stoptesting15) January 24, 2014That's a good question.NYSED Commissioner King heard from many State Senators yesterday who told him that the state's implementation of the new Common Core State Standards has been horrendo
NYSED Commissioner John King Says New York Legislature Doesn't Have Power To Pull State Out Of Common Core
I know, sounds crazy, but he said it:Some legislators have suggested ditching the Common Core standards altogether. King defended their educational value, descibring that they push students to improve in writing, comprehensive reading and mathematical problem solving.But, ultimately, it wasn't the Legislature's decision to adopt the Common Core, and it won't be in their power to scrap it, King sai
Common Core Criticism Rises To A Crescendo Across The State
Newsday reported that Cuomo's call for a Common Core commission to look at the CCSS roll-out isn't going over so well with critics: Long Island educators and parents Wednesday denounced Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo's proposed panel to review the rollout of the Common Core academic standards, repeating calls for an immediate moratorium and saying the state's schoolchildren are being harmed by a hasty, flaw
Rob Astorino Does Not Seem To Understand The Problems With Common Core
Jessica Bakeman at Capital NY:ALBANY—Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino, the closest thing there is to a plausible Republican challenger to New York's Democratic governor this year, took the opportunity at an impromptu press conference Wednesday to blast what he called "Cuomo's Common Core."And in fact Governor Andrew Cuomo beat him to the punch Tuesday, criticizing the state's ro
JAN 23
What More Evidence Is Needed To See The Regents And SED Plan No Changes To Their Education Reform Agenda?
NYSED Commissioner King told a panel of state senators in Albany today that everything is going swimmingly with Common Core:Testifying in front of the Senate Education Committee, Education Commissioner John King questioned the need for a delay of the Common Core or using the results to evaluate teachers. Some lawmakers have called for a delay in the program’s implementation.“The question is to del
Sheriff Andy Cuomo Is Dubbed The "Education Governor"
Capital Tonight reports that an NYSUT analysis shows 69% of school districts will be receiving less aid in Cuomo's proposed budget than they got in 2009.The Cuomo administration defended the budget proposal thusly:On WCNY’s The Capitol Pressroom this morning, Cuomo’s top aide Larry Schwartz defended Cuomo’s education plan, saying the focus should be on the students. He called Cuomo “an education g
Cuomo Goes To Hollywood To Receive Bribes, Er, Donations
Governor Cuomo's schedule today:Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s press office has not released a public schedule for him. He’s scheduled to be in Los Angeles, CA tonight to attend a high-dollar fund-raiser being hosted in his honor by Hollywood bigwigs. Gee, that wouldn't be payback for this, would it?ALBANY—New York's tax rebates for movie and TV studios are so generous that the state is actually paying them
Gothamist Still Mocking Upper East Side
By saying they're right in their allegations, Bill de Blasio has given the Murdoch Street Post a victory in the "Socialist Mayor Plays PayBack With God-Fearing Upper East Side Capitalists" meme that emerged yesterday after the Murdoch outlets decided to manufacture a news story to make de Blasio look incompetent and inept with the snow removal on the Upper East SideThis was the not first
Fighting Cuomo's Budget Proposals
It's important progressive people and groups take Governor Cuomo on over his budget giveaways to Wall Street and the 1%:A coalition of progressive groups announced Wednesday afternoon that it would launch grassroots efforts to knock out what it described as giveaways to the wealthy in Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s executive budget proposal. “Right now, we cannot afford to spend a $2 billion surplus on tax c
JAN 22
It's All De Blasio's Fault
The Murdoch news outlets ran with the story that the de Blasio snow response was incompetent and inept, with the Post putting the story on the front page and Fox 5 playing the story on the TV.The meme went something like, Socialist de Blasio played payback with the UES by failing to plow the streets there promptly during yesterday's snow storm.The Times and other outlets picked up the story, de Bl
Cuomo's Pre-K Proposal Doesn't Add Up
From Jessica Bakeman at Capital NY:ALBANY—Some lawmakers and advocates are questioning whether Governor Andrew Cuomo's proposal of $1.5 billion over five years is enough to fund full-day pre-kindergarten statewide, or whether it's a wise expenditure when schools are struggling to educate students in mandatory grades. The governor announced Tuesday during his annual budget address plans to allocate
Stop Saying Cuomo Has "Joined The Fight" Against Common Core
From the Daily News: ALBANY — Gov. Cuomo has joined the fight to change the state’s new Common Core curriculum. Cuomo, as part of his budget presentation Tuesday, announced plans for a special advisory panel that will recommend “corrective action” in the way the state implements the curriculum — which is part of a national effort to raise academic standards. “I support the Common Core agenda,” Cu
NYC Schools Are Opened
New York City schools are opened this morning.It remains to be seen how many students actually come to school.Or how many teachers - especially the ones who live on Long Island.But the world's largest day care center cannot close unless conditions are so prohibitive that there is no sane reason it should remain open.There's anywhere from 8-12 inches of snow out there and it's 9 degrees this mornin
JAN 21
Snow Call
Many on the weather board say the snow is stating to wind down in their areas.Looks like all but the heaviest snow will end about midnight.Temperatures will be in the single digits tomorrow, there will be near a foot of snow in Central Park.But I am betting there will be school.Heading off to bed for an earlier trip in.Goodnight all.
Cuomo Says Committee Of Educators And Legislators Will Do Common Core Roll-Out Review
From Syracuse.com:Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced today that he will assemble a panel of educators and legislators to fix what he said was a "flawed" rollout of the Common Core learning standards in New York's schools. "The way the Common Core has been managed by the Board of Regents is flawed," he said during his budget presentation in Albany. "There's too much uncertainty, c
Go Away, Snow God
National Weather Service has 8-12 inches total accumulation, plunging temperatures, with a Winter Storm Advisory in effect until 6 AM tomorrow.Mayor says school is open tomorrow unless something changes to make it otherwise.Snowing hard now, but the early start to the storm probably means it's out of here earlier too.Students are all talking like it is a snow day tomorrow, but it doesn't look like
Governor Cuomo Will Fund After School Programs Through Gambling Losses
Come on seven, mamma needs junior to get that after school SAT prep class!Buried in the Daily News article reporting that Governor Cuomo is funding universal full-day pre-K across the state for the year, attempting to cut off Bill de Blasio's campaign pledge that NYC will fund its own universal full-day pre-K by raising taxes on individuals who make more than $500,000, is this:In addition, officia
They Keep Raising The Snow Totals
Latest National Weather Service forecast is now calling for 8-12 inches of snow between noon today and early morning tomorrow.The potential is for some areas in and around the city to get as much as 14 inches of snow.Because of the timing of the storm, I would expect school to be in session tomorrow, as the snow is expected to end in the early morning hours, giving enough time for major roads to b
Cuomo Fears Loss Of Progressive Votes
Sheriff Andy's got some fear that his re-election numbers won't be all that impressive:Democratic insiders say a key reason Cuomo is seeking Republican “moderate’’ support is the erosion of support from his own Democratic Party’s “progressive’’ or left wing, with his estrangement from Mayor Bill de Blasio being the best example. Cuomo has also been clashing for months with Attorney General Eric Sc
JAN 20
Starting To Look Like A Major Storm
National Weather Service now calling for 6-10 inches Tuesday afternoon into Wednesday morning, than plunging temperatures into the teens.Given the forecast, we should see school go off as normal tomorrow, then see after school activities cancelled for tomorrow afternoon.Wednesday starts to look dicey, depending on when the storm ends and snow stops falling.My guess is, we have school, but attendan
NYSED Commissioner King: Opponents To Common Core Are Opposed To MLK's Dream
You knew someone prominent in the corporate education reform movement would trot out the "If Dr. King were alive today, he would be a huge proponent of the Common Core State Standards to drive racial and economic justice..." meme.That prominent someone was NYSED Commissioner John King.The underlying theme to his piece is that the Common Core will help bring about Dr. King's dream of raci
Saying No To The Snow God
The ELA Regents exam is next Monday.We have four class days left before the exam.We have three days of after school tutoring, since Friday tutoring is always a no-go.Ever since they had to cancel school a day after we gave the ELA Regents back during the 2000's, I start scouting the weather reports a few weeks in advance before the actual test date.See, the last thing we want to do is spend all th
Cuomo "Sitting Pretty" For Re-Election - Time To Make That Re-Election A Little Less "Pretty"
From the Daily Politics blog at the Daily News:Democratic Gov. Cuomo is viewed favorably by 66% of New York voters and 57% are ready to give him a second term, a Siena poll released Monday finds. But Bridgegate has eroded the Garden State gov's image among his neighbors -- including when it comes to his presidential prospects.Republican Christie's favorability rating stands at 49% -- a precipitous
Mulgrew, UFT Leadership Worried About Office Bugging
Your UFT dues money at work:Something’s bugging teachers-union boss Michael Mulgrew — or, at least, he thinks so. The United Federation of Teachers president blew a huge wad of union cash to play out a paranoid James Bond fantasy when he paid $17,849 for a security team to sweep his headquarters for bugs, documents show. A crew from Protective Countermeasures & Consulting Inc. was hired to swe
Hey Governor Cuomo, Where's The Merit Pay Money Coming From?
The Jamestown Post-Journal wants to know:Danielle O'Connor, superintendent of Frewsburg Central School, said the logic of promising bonus pay to teachers while her district is still struggling with a $1.2 million gap elimination adjustment is less than sound. "We would certainly be able to strengthen our district and our performance if we had that $1.2 million, as opposed to giving it to indi
JAN 19
Tom Friedman, Arne Duncan Miss This Part Of The South Korea Story
Tom Friedman wrote another doozy of a column this morning, blaming lazy American children and parents for the so-called education crisis in American schools.He used an Arne Duncan speech from 2009 to drive his point home - American students and parents are lazy, American schools are bad.Unlike, say, schools, parents and students in South Korea:“In 2009, President Obama met with President Lee of So
Hoboken Mayor Dawn Zimmer Double Down On Allegation Against Christie
The Christie administration pushed back again today over allegations made by Hoboken mayor Dawn Zimmer that two top Christie aides levied threats at Zimmer over a real estate development deal:Gov. Chris Christie's office today once again fired back at claims leveled by Hoboken Mayor Dawn Zimmer that Hurricane Sandy relief money was held hostage by the governor, saying the city has received million
Technology Makes Our Lives Better
Had my stereo and TV break in the same week over the December holiday.Bought a new stereo system, am having problems with that already.Wife bought an iPod to listen to podcasts on the train.Problems getting it to synch - she brought it back.They keep telling us technology is the bestest thing ever, but more and more I notice that very little of it works as advertised or works very long as advertis
BridgeGate, Hoboken Shakedown All Part Of The Same Thuggish Chris Christie Pattern
Tom Moran in the Star-Ledger:What hurts Christie, and makes Zimmer’s charge credible, is that this is such a clear echo of Bridgegate. His people swaggering across the state, using public resources to strong-arm local officials into submission.And in both cases, innocent citizens were the fodder. The people stuck in Fort Lee traffic didn’t do anything wrong, and neither did the flood victims in Ho
Many New Jersey Parents Say No To Longer School Day
Governor Chris Christie, in between shutting down the traffic to the George Washington Bridge and extorting real estate development projects in Hoboken, decided he would add extra time and days to schools.The Star-Ledger reports many parents around the state aren't so into that idea:As they waited outside the Orange Avenue School one day last week for the dismissal bell to ring, a few dozen Cranfo
More on The UFT/Mulgrew Machinations In The NYSUT
Three posts in the last few hours on the guerrilla war Michael Mulgrew and the UFT leadership are waging within the NYSUT over support for Governor Cuomo.Norm Scott notes how Andy Pallotta, the Mulgrew-supported-Executive VP at the NYSUT, hosted "a a Legislative Reception and briefing in the Observation Deck of the Erastus Corning Tower at the Empire State Plaza" for the governor and his
BridgeGate, Hoboken/Sandy Relief Funds Scandal May Cost Chris Christie His Chairmanship Of The GOP Governor's Association
The scandals are starting to mount for Chris Christie and they're taking their toll.He might have survived BridgeGate, especially after he proved to be so adept at his press conference explaining away the particulars of the scandal and how he had nothing to do with the closure of traffic lanes to the GWB in Fort Lee.But now that Hoboken mayor Dawn Zimmer has accused the Christie administration of
JAN 18
Chris Christie Has A Very Bad Saturday
The Times covers Governor Chris Christie's very bad day:ORLANDO — A swing through Florida proved no sunny retreat for Gov. Chris Christie on Saturday, as well-organized protesters hounded him outside a Republican fund-raiser here, a powerful ally in the New Jersey State House rebuked the governor’s office and new allegations emerged that his administration tried to intimidate a New Jersey elected
Christie Can No Longer Use Hurricane Sandy To Innoculate Himself From Criticism
When the going gets tough, Chris Christie wraps himself in Hurricane Sandy, surrounding himself with people who suffered from the storm last year and generating good publicity for himself in the news cycle.But with today's bombshell that he allegedly had two cronies, including his Lieutenant Governor, Kim Guadagno, deliver extortion threats to Hoboken mayor Dawn Zimmer that she either conceded to
Daily News: Bully-Boy Christie Sends "Sopranos-Style Shakedown Message" To Hoboken Mayor in A Parking Lot
This Hoboken/Sandy relief story was first broken by Steve Kornacki at MSNBC, then picked up by the NJ papers.Now the New York Daily News is covering the story - and take a look at how Zuckerman's paper writes it up: A pair of bully-boy Gov. Chris Christie’s top lieutenants delivered a “Sopranos”-style shakedown message to the mayor of Hoboken, MSNBC reported Saturday. Mayor Dawn Zimmer, in an excl
State Senator Greg Ball's Petition To End Common Core In New York State
From State Senator Greg Ball's site:According to the federal government, Common Core was designed to provide a uniformed standard for students, preparing them for college and careers. Regardless of the good intentions, Common Core has become an Uncommon Disaster. To their credit many students, teachers and parents have raised significant concerns with the new program and its implementation. We mus
Christie Administration Withheld Sandy Relief Funds From Hoboken In Retaliation Over Real Estate Project
From Steve Kornacki at MSNBC:Two senior members of Gov. Chris Christie’s administration warned a New Jersey mayor earlier this year that her town would be starved of hurricane relief money unless she approved a lucrative redevelopment plan favored by the governor, according to the mayor and emails and personal notes she shared with msnbc. The mayor, Dawn Zimmer, hasn’t approved the project, but sh
Michael Bloomberg Looks To Influence News Coverage At Bloomberg News
From the NY Times:At editorial meetings in Bloomberg L.P.’s headquarters this week, Michael R. Bloomberg gave clear signs that he would not be taking a hands-off approach as he returned to his old company.Just two week’s removed from City Hall, and in his first days back at the media giant that he owns and that carries his name, Mr. Bloomberg surprised many employees by showing up at all of the 7:
Andrew Cuomo's Teacher Evaluation Staw Man
Sheriff Andy yesterday:Cuomo said his decision to tie state funding to the evaluations furthered accountability in schools where it had been resisted.“The system, while it has been asking for more money, has steadfastly refused any evaluation, which is really an interesting confluence,” he said. “Look at what Albany does: It gives them more money, because their lobbyists are good. Their lobbyists