Wednesday, April 1, 2015

Mercedes Schneider: Is NYSUT/AFT Support for NY Opt Out Just the 2013 AFT “Moratorium” Warmed Over?

What strikes me is Magee’s care in choosing temporal language regarding opting out: Her position on urging parents to opt out is “for now.”...AFT president Randi Weingarten is also careful to include language limiting her commitment to “this year” for opting out of New York’s Pearson tests .... Mercedes Schneider
I was thinking the other day that just maybe, with the disaster hitting at the belly of the UFT/NYSUT/AFT beast, that supporting opt out might be a way out. And we did hear some noises from NYSUT's Karen Magee and AFT's Randi Weingarten (Randi Endorses Opt Out - Will Mulgrew be next? Will UFT/AFT put skin in the game?), with lesser noises from Mulgrew.

Last night Mulgrew was on NY1 and made it clear the UFT would not really do anything to encourage opt outers but that if teachers were asked they should inform parents of their rights -- Don't ask, but do tell if they should happen to ask - Mulgrew will not lift a UFT finger to assist opt out.

Some email came in this morning indicating that there was a split between NYSUT (Karen Magee) and Mulgrew. Don't believe that for a second. She may have been pissed over being shut out but what could she expect when she accepted being a Randi/Mulgrew puppet. Remember that punch you in the face video I shot of the Mulgrew at the AFT convention? Magee spoke after him to oppose the Chicago resos. and support common core. It's a good time to look at the video again from last July - Magee speaks at the 8 minute mark.



Ken Derstine in Philly just sent me this piece from Mercedes Schneider who blogs from Louisiana  but always keeps her eyes on the tricky rhetoric coming from Randi and her minions.

Mercedes nails both Randi and Magee.

Is NYSUT/AFT Support for NY Opt Out Just the 2013 AFT “Moratorium” Warmed Over?

March 31, 2015
I have read New York State United Teachers (NYSUT) president Karen Magee’s words regarding opting out of the Pearson tests that New York students currently take in lieu of the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) tests. New York is still listed as a PARCC state; however; it has contracted for other Pearson tests than the ones bearing the 2015 Pearson-PARCC label.

Magee is still a dedicated supporter of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS), the conduit for this unprecedented amount of testing in grades 3 through 8 in the first place. In the March 30, 2015, Times-Union, Magee notes that she is “concerned about the botched roll out of the Common Core.” So, if the Common Core had already met Magee’s determination of adequate “roll out,” and given that unprecedented hours of testing were meant to be part of the Common Core package before there even was a “Common Core”, then what is Magee really advocating?
Her full piece is here.

2 comments:

Unknown said...

Wouldn't Karen Magoo and Weingrovel look even slightly less removed from the realities of 2015 if they used the term "Test Refusal" instead of "Opt Out?" The former is the preferred nomenclature ending all discussion. The latter leaves the door open for NYSED or districts to smirk and say Oh we're sorry but there is no such provision as an "Opt Out" for state testing. It's really telling that these two self serving hacks in the middle of the fight of public education's very existence don't even know the goddamned terminology. A true showing of where there self serving, disconnected heads are at.

Anonymous said...

I can't watch this video... I puke...