Cuomo's "chartered" course to oblivion.

Governor Cuomo, a.k.a. "Mr Public Education" recently announced that he'd like to add 100 more Charter Schools to New York State.  His self-stated logic is simple.  New York's public schools are failing, and the public school "monopoly" on education has to be broken up.  Never mind that a handful of investment banks control our entire economy, and have already proven to be more than capable of literally destroying that very same economy, that doesn't seem to disturb him in the least.  No, the Governor feels that the greatest threat to our state's well-being is the poor performance of our public schools, and that the villain in all of this, isn't very hard to find.  It's those damn teachers! (Which I happen to be one of)

Andrew Cuomo lists the total number of good pubic school teachers he knows of in New York State on one hand. (TImes Union)

Some people may not be familiar with the workings of a charter school. Basically, a charter school is a public school that is run "for-proift."  Let's look at that again.  In other words, charter schools run off of public money, (tax dollars) but are run "for-profit".  Private corporations get to profit off of our tax dollars while educating our children.  What could possibly go wrong there?  Remember, this is a state where the former Senate majority leader and the Speaker of the state Assembly were both taken out in cuffs because of misuse of taxpayer dollars.   Proponents of charter schools like Governor Cuomo will tell you that charter schools provide a choice, or alternative to the public school in a community.  If the public school is failing, which according to our resident educational expert-in-chief, too many are, then parents now have a choice to take their children out of the "failing" public school, and put them in the thriving and successful charter school.   Why are charter schools better?  Well, for one thing, their teachers are not unionized.  According to our public sector union hating Governor, union "intransigence", the refusal of our teacher's unions to negotiate changes in our public schools in good faith, has ruined our public school system.

I always tell my children, you are judged by the company you keep. (TImes Union)

In order to have an honest conversation regarding the state of public schools in New York, and to take an objective look at what the Governor is trying to do regarding charter schools, we have to admit that there are plenty of public schools in New York State that quite honestly aren't cutting it.  But the question of why that is has to be addressed.  Is it simply because there are a lot of bad teachers who can never be fired?  Well, it's not as simple as Cuomo and other opponents of public school teachers would have you think.  There are of course bad teachers, and it's not easy to fire a union protected public school teacher,  but it's not impossible.   Charter school supporters say the union and the tenure system protects bad teachers, but that's not as simple as it sounds either.  Tenure is awarded to teachers who earn it after three years.  In that three-year period, a school is evaluating that teacher and deciding whether they are worth investing in.  They can be let go at any time without explanation or cause, which sometimes isn't very fair either.  But a teacher in a public school can  be fired if the rules are followed and all the parties do their jobs correctly.

Ark Charter School in Troy, one of several capital region charter schools that did not turn out to be improvements over the public schools. (Times Union)

Most of us have a decent idea of what constitutes a good teacher.  But all teachers know that there is nothing more important than experience.  I'll be the first to admit it took me until my third year before I really felt that I was beginning to get a handle on the job.  Nothing replaces experience for a teacher.  High teacher turnover rates are a tell-tale sign that a school has its problems.  A tenured teacher may turn out to be lazy or ineffective which is unacceptable to be sure.   But constantly breaking in new and inexperienced teachers isn't a fix to that problem by any means.  Yet, that is exactly what goes on in most charter schools.  According to the New York State Department of Education, charter schools in New York City lose far more teachers than traditional public schools, with several losing up to half of their staff.  Could it be the result of the fact that these schools are for-profit?  Veteran teachers make more money.  When the recession hit hard in 2009, many public schools were forced to make deep cuts in staffing.  Veteran teachers who make more than less experienced teachers were spared thanks to tenure.  Otherwise, far too many veteran teachers in New York state might have been out of a job.  Let us also not forget that tenure is what allows a teacher to be objective and honest in their grading and evaluation of students.  It allows teachers to resist pressure from the administration to pass students along if the teacher doesn't feel that student has earned it.  Tenure also allows for academic freedom and independence.  Social Studies teachers like myself don't  have to worry about teaching something controversial and then finding themselves fired because a parent objected.  In my HVCC Psychology class, my seniors can research and evaluate the idea that people are born homosexual vs. it being a choice.  Could I do this exercise without tenure?  Maybe.  I'm lucky in that our administration allows us academic freedom, but not every district across this nation is as broad-minded.

 (The Governor's view of a tenured teacher?)  (Getty Images)

So, besides having non-unionized teachers, (a.k.a...unprotected), why else might a charter school outperform a public school? There is definitely a myth that has been propagated by the media that says that poor and underprivileged children wait and pray for deliverance and salvation from the public schools.  They hope against hope that they will win the "lottery" and be chosen for the charter school, which, unfortunately can only take so many deserving children.  That's a heartwarming story to be sure, but does it tell the whole story?  In a public school, expelling a student, particularly if they are 16 or under, is nearly impossible, despite the fact that they have had a weapon, hit an adult,  been caught bullying or sexually harassing another student, pulled the fire alarm, or any other transgression a young "prankster" might attempt to get away with in one of our much maligned and besieged public schools.  That same student has every right to be educated until they are 21.  Now, if a school is funded properly, (Something the governor refuses to do) they can set up alternative sites, or at the very least alternative programs.  These programs have done a wonder for students (Including in my district) who do not thrive in a traditional classroom, but are more than capable of learning and achieving.  But if a public school sees vital funds being drained away by a charter school, these programs are often the first to be cut.  Do charter schools have to play by the same rules and "educate" every child who attends?

(All students can learn, but it doesn't mean they all learn the same way or at the same pace, a properly funded school can address these needs.....Governor)  (You Tube)

The answer is no.  Charter schools can expel students much more easily.  According to the Washington Post, during the 2011-12 school year, the Washington D.C. charter schools expelled 676 students compared to just 24 in the Washington D.C. public schools.  I guess that "Lottery Ticket" can be yanked away if little Johnny sets off a firecracker in the hall way.  If you don't think this fact makes a difference in the way a classroom runs, then you've spent less time in a public school than Governor Cuomo.

What if instead of trying to drive struggling public schools out of business by setting up for-profit charter schools which line the pockets of corporations and drain resources from these often cash-strapped public schools, we turn all of these charter schools into alternative schools where students who struggle in a traditional classroom setting could learn skills that they could take into the world.  They could learn math and science and english, but in ways that would help them if they wanted to be electricians, or plumbers, or work in the exploding technical field.   Real life skills in a setting that befits their "unique" style of learning that turns them into achievers who actually like school and see a point to it.  You would create jobs and a trained work-force.  You could get local area businesses to provide grants and internships.  Students who came from economically depressed homes could earn money while they work at these internships.  This could be started in 9th grade.  The grade where more "at-risk" students drop out than any other.  Students who would have floundered their way into oblivion could now be placed on a track that would motivate them to succeed, thereby drastically reducing behavioral issues in the school.

Why not Governor?  If you were really interested in saving our "failed" education system, these are the solutions you would be pursuing.  Your move Governor.

(R-E-S-P-E-C-T...Just a little bit)  (The Hoffman Collection)

Cuomo and Christie: schoolyard bullies?

We are a fortunate group here in the Northeast, aren’t we?  Whether you live in New York State, or the “Garden State” of New Jersey, you get a Governor who will figuratively take your lunch money and then explain to you why it’s your fault, and that you were actually asking for it.  Andrew “Because I said so” Cuomo, and Chris “Crisco” Christie, opposite sides of the political aisle perhaps, but in many ways fraternal twins in their makeup, attitude, and approach.  Let’s just say this, if you went into the boys room in high school, and Christie and Cuomo followed in behind you,  you were probably heading for a “swirly” at the most, and extraction of your lunch money at the least!

Cuomo and Christie, about to extricate the collective “lunch money” from the New York State and New Jersey state legislatures. (Associated Press)

Chris Christie is a fascinating fellow.  The thing that made him popular enough to be considered a serious candidate for the Presidency, his brutish, “tell it like it is” style, is also the part of his personality that people hate about him the most.  (Much the way people feel about my razor sharp wit)  Christie’s bold “in your face” approach that he employs when dealing with the media, protesters, teachers, hippies, and those who don’t love Bruce Springsteen consists of using intimidation and insults to cower these inconvenient enemies into silence.  Whether this will work on the national stage is hard to say, but it propelled him to two easy victories in his run for the Governorship of New Jersey.  He did however run into a little trouble shortly after the election of 2013.  Apparently some of his over-zealous aides were angry at the Democratic Mayor of Fort Lee for not endorsing “Crisco”.  They decided to shut down a couple of entrance lanes onto the busiest bridge in America, the George Washington Bridge.  Chrisie denies any wrongdoing, and so far he hasn’t been charged with anything, but it did bring into question his “bullying” style.  One of the individuals involved was a long time loyalist of Christie’s named David Wildstein.  Wildstein claimed that he and Christie had a relationship that went all the way back to high school.  Christie however, tried to create some space between himself and Wildstein.  As you watch this, I dare you to try not to think of every guy in high school that you hated:

The Colbert Report
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(It is so indicative of Christie’s style that instead of simply stating that he had no memory of Wildstein, he  instead felt the need to recite his list of High School “achievements” from his college application form.)

If you need more convincing of Christie’s true nature, consider this.  The guy who grew up in New Jersey, the man who portrays  himself as  being “Mr. New Jersey”,  is a life-long Dallas Cowboys’ fan.  That is beyond sacrilege.  He lives in a state where two teams play including the Cowboys’ arch-rival, the New York Giants.  Also, keep this in mind.  He’s in his 50s, which means that when he was young and formulating his opinions, the Jets and Giants were terrible.  So what’s a band-wagoner  to do?  You root for the most successful team of the time.  The Dallas Cowboys.  Character, reveal thyself!

Have two people ever deserved each other more?  (Times Union)

Andrew Cuomo is a much bigger disappointment to me.  I was a huge fan of his father,  Mario Cuomo, a three-time Governor of New York from 1982-1994.  Mario Cuomo was a rarity in politics, a humble civil-servant, with a poetic command of the English language.  I actually met Andrew Cuomo at a Democratic fundraiser in Ballston Spa, when he was running for Attorney General.  He was very friendly and engaging and I was happy to vote for him for “AG” as well as  when he ran for Governor in 2010.  It seemed however, that right from the beginning, he was already running for President.  Cuomo like Christie applied a “take no prisoners” approach, often “ticking off” a lot of his core constituency, particularly teachers.

Now, the idea that bad teachers should be protected no matter what, is not a position I endorse, despite the fact that not only am I a teacher, I’m a former local Union President in my school district. Cuomo’s position that students should achieve, and that incompetent teachers should be fired isn’t unreasonable by any stretch.  Let’s face it, there are bad cops, firemen, lawyers, and Native American Chiefs, why wouldn’t there be bad teachers, and why shouldn’t a district have the ability to replace them?  However, like anything else in our world, it’s not that simple.

“I believe I could fit all of the good teachers in this state right between my hands.”
(Times Union)

Cuomo, either to cozy up to the Republicans in the New York State Senate, or to the wealthy Wall Street corporations who run Charter Schools, or to simply make  it appear that  he’s not beholden to the Teacher’s Union for an eventual run on the national stage,  has made it his mission to go after teachers.  The hammer he yielded in this attempt was called “Common Core”.  Common Core is simply a new approach to learning, where students are asked and expected to think and read critically.  There is less reliance on finding the facts, and more emphasis on the “how and why” involved in answering questions, particularly in the fields of English and Math.  Again, there is nothing wrong with this.  Teaching critical thinking skills should allow our students to compete in the increasingly demanding world of business and technology.  The problem was, that Cuomo was so hell-bent on going after teachers, that he forced the roll out of Common Core based exams before teacher’s had a chance to be properly trained.  Why would he do such a thing?   Well, it would allow him to use the lower student test scores as a tool in which he could now begin the firing of teachers.

Common Core was stopped in its tracks as soon as Suburban Mom’s saw that their little Einsteins were getting significantly lower scores, derailing Cuomo’s “Higher Standards”. (Associated Press)

Cuomo began his “mission” during one of his “State of the State” addresses.  He proclaimed himself the “advocate for children”, since parents, teachers, and School Boards all had their own advocates.  Cuomo made the type of mistake that all people who know nothing about  public education make.  He believed that if you do something hurtful to teachers, somehow students will benefit from this.  Under the threat of losing funding (Gee, I wonder who that would hurt if a district lost its funding) school districts put through Teacher Evaluation plans.  Guess what, most teachers were deemed to be just fine.  Cuomo said, “not good enough”.  But before he could do anymore damage, the 2014 election arrived, and he found himself on the defensive as parents began removing their children from these tests, thereby putting a wrinkle into the whole system.  The criticism of Cuomo became intense.  In order to show that he cared about education, and wasn’t just trying to hurt teachers, he released this little piece of propaganda:

You can see what the ad says, but he just vetoed his own bill which would have disregarded Common Core scores for two years. It was his bill! (TImes Union)

In the advertisement, Cuomo says that he believes that the best teacher is still the parent, working with their child at the kitchen table.  Well of course, it worked on “Leave it to Beaver”, why doesn’t it work today?  Since all children come from middle to upper middle class homes with a mother and father living together and happily married, a teacher’s job has never been easier.  Except, how many of our students, in Buffalo, Albany, New York City, Jamestown, Syracuse, Rochester, Roosevelt etc…come from this type of home?  If you’re a teacher, and you’ve taught in Schenectady and Niskayuna, would you say those experiences are identical?  Cuomo refuses to acknowledge such differences, and is simply looking to break what he calls the “monopoly” held by public schools.  That’s some monopoly.  It’s the equivalent of putting up two flea-bag Hotels on Baltic and Mediterranean and collecting 200$ each time the “doggie” lands on it.

“Gee, it’s great to know that if I don’t get this common core math question, my Dad will actually be HOME to sit patiently at the kitchen table with me. This way, this uncaring teacher won’t stunt my chances of being successful.” (Associated Press)

I think that when you are evaluating Christie and Cuomo, it pretty much comes down to this.  There are certain people in this world who can only interact with others if they carry the “hammer”.  If they know they have the upper hand, then they can deal with the people around them.  If not, then they don’t know what to do with themselves.  You can tell this by the way they both attempt to bully the media.  Wouldn’t it be interesting to get the opportunity to see  both of these politicians with their guard down?  It would be nice if we could ask them one question.  ”When you thought about running for Governor, why did you want the job?”  I wonder if they thought they would do great things and make a difference and help people.  Instead, they seem more interested in cozying up to their rich friends and settling political scores.  Since they’re politicians, we’ll never know.

P.S. – Hey, big shout out to New York State Assembly Speaker, Sheldon Silver for being arrested on corruption and bribery charges.  He has certainly proven once and for all, he is in every way, a match for Joe Bruno!