Schools

Educators to King: Think of the Children

Nearly 1,000 educators and parents rallied against New York's implementation of the Common Core standards and tests on Long Island.

Long Islanders this week vented their frustration with state education officials just as their counterparts did in Port Chester last month.

Mineola High School overflowed with hundreds of teachers, administrators, parents, and board members Wednesday to voice their concerns over the state's actions in education.

While the three-hour forum was less rambunctious than Tuesday's at Ward Melville High School, speakers were still forceful when when talking to State Education Commissioner John King, Board of Regents Chancellor Meryl King, and Sen. Jack Martins, R-Mineola.

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"I stand here to demand that our policymakers find a way to fairly fund our schools instead of passing irresponsible tax caps that starve the schools, eliminate programs, increase class size, and harm our children," summed up one woman to a crowd that rallied outside the school before the forum began.

The main concern: The long term effect Common Core standards would have on children.

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"It seems that these tests are giving us more information on what our kids can't do, not what they can do," said Mineola's Bridget McCormick, adding she felt assessments were "clearly not appropriate" for children with disabilities and IEPs.

"These tests were not intended to have students be asked to do things they are incapable of doing," King said, adding that there needs to be more conversation between both sides of the argument to clear up many misconceptions people have about state actions.

McCormick added that much of what was rolled out by the state seemed to lack any real-life application to the classroom.

"You're living in a world of theory," said Christine Corbett, president of the Westbury Teachers' Association, criticizing how the education department executed their policies.

"What you're describing is just not true," said King, prompting an outcry from the nearly 700 audience members.

"Nobody thought about the kids," Corbett retorted angrily as she addressed student morale. "Yes I want my children to go to college. Yes I want my students to be college ready, but I also want them to have a sense of self worth!"

While competitiveness in the college realm is important, many parents agreed state standards create test-takers and not learners.

"This is all designed to get kids college and career ready," said Allison White, a Port Washington parent. "My goal for my kids is not be college and career-ready but to become life-long learners, who love learning. That's how they become engaged citizens – [they] will automatically be college and career-ready." With increased  testing and the  linking teacher assessments, "kids will be burnt-out. You're not creating life-long learners."

"Raising standards is not a bad idea," White said. "But it's the way it was implemented. Not enough common sense went into rolling this out."

Building pressure, some parents said, would follow their children beyond their time in elementary and secondary school with the existence of a permanent record of test scores.

“Can you guarantee that when my son applies for a job that [employers] can't buy his information,” asked one mother from Carle Place as the audience applauded. Others asked why state and corporate entities have an interest in someone’s third grade math test scores when they are adults.

“I always tell my kids to watch what they put online, because once it’s out there, you can’t get it back,” agreed Martins, R-Mineola. “There’s a danger in aggregating that much data in one place.”

King replied that while there is always a small risk having data collected, the data will be encrypted with “everything possible to ensure the security of that data.”

“It cannot be sold. They are strictly prohibited by law to sell it,” King insisted, adding that information would only be shared if it benefits the student and that use of the data would eventually make it easier for New York students to apply to college online.

In the end, all pleaded with officials to pump the brakes on any rollout of policy.

"Since time cannot be purchased, I urge you to slow down the implementation of common core standards," said Manhasset School Board President Regina Rule.

"And the two percent tax cap is no help either."

The next common core forum is set for Nov. 26. The location has not yet been announced.

With Adina Genn


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