School officials show contempt for parents in NY

[proud2BlibKansan]

As Parents Protest, Chancellor and Panel Leave

Angry parents protested a falloff in test scores at a meeting of a citywide education panel on Monday night, prompting its members and the schools chancellor to walk out.

Forty-five minutes into the hearing, as a crowd of about 100 people jeered and chanted slogans, the chancellor, Joel I. Klein, and the members of the Panel for Educational Policy left the stage. They did not return, choosing to reschedule the meeting, as parents marched the aisles of the auditorium at Murry Bergtraum High School in Lower Manhattan and took turns expressing their outrage over a bullhorn.

“This is a call to all those in charge at the Department of Education,” shouted Esperanza Vazquez of Morrisania. “Do your work for our children.”

The upheaval began after Mr. Klein, among others on the stage, said that despite the drop in this year’s scores after the state recalibrated its standardized exams, students citywide were still making substantial progress, based on graduation rates and other data.

more . . . http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/17/nyregion/17test.html?fta=y

[Smarmie Doofus]

1. Nothing new about that.

I don't know how... but I'm sure it must be the teachers' fault.


NOT the chancellor, NOT the DOE, NOT the NYT editorial board, NOT the "education mayor."


Teachers did this.

[Sinistrous]

2. Of course, there was no contempt for

the officials shown by the parents in the audience. Jeering, chanting slogans, and using a bullhorn are perfectly normal in civil discourse. Concluding that the discussion was over would be the height of cynicism.

[proud2BlibKansan]

7. The parents have every right to be angry

And when I studied the history of this test score nonsense in NY, I was surprised these parents hadn't revolted a long time ago.

[Sinistrous]

11. Never said they didn't, did I?

Not only that, but in this case, their anger is justifiable.

My (sarcastic) comment was on the use of the word "contempt" in the subject line of the OP.

Walking away from a discussion when the other side has obviously stopped listening is hardly "contempt" for the other side. I see it as resignation to the fact that the conversation is over.

[proud2BlibKansan]

12. It's the administration's J O B to please parents and prevent these kinds of outbursts

There are several things these school officials could have done other than letting this get to the point where they felt their only choice was to walk out.

[msanthrope]

18. Ironically, the protestors stalled the budget and contract voting.

The 100 parents and students forced the meeting of the Panel for Educational Policy to disband before it could vote on several budget-related items as well as more than $5 million in contracts.

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/education/2010/08/17/2010-08-17_testscore_protesters_kayo_ed_dept_meeting.html#ixzz0xAGSOFbW

[Whisp]

3. other info from your link:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/20/nyregion/20tests.html

New York State education officials acknowledged on Monday that their standardized exams had become easier to pass over the last four years and said they would recalibrate the scoring for tests taken this spring, which is almost certain to mean thousands more students will fail.
...
State math and English exams, which are given to all third through eighth graders, have historically been easier to pass than national math and English exams, which are given to a sampling of fourth and eighth graders around the United States.
...
“It is very likely that some of the state’s progress was illusory,” said Daniel Koretz, the Harvard testing expert who led the research. “You can have exaggerated progress over all that creates very high pass rates. It doesn’t seem logical to call those kids proficient.”

Is it more important for a student to pass or to actually learn?

[Whisp]

4. there is a problem

http://www.thesudburystar.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2706463

Many American kids don't know what the equal sign means

U.S. students are being taught to memorize math formulas, instead of understanding them, which has led to confusion about what the equal sign means, a new study says.

Researchers at Texas A&M University say about 70% of students in Grade 6 in the U.S. "exhibit misconceptions" about the equal sign, while "nearly none of the international students in Korea and China" have this problem.

Co-author of the study, Robert Capraro, gives an example of the math equation: 4 3 2=( ) 2.
"Students who have learned to memorize symbols and who have a limited understanding of the equal sign will tend to solve problems such as 4 3 2=( ) 2 by adding the numbers on the left, and placing it in the parentheses, then add those terms and create another equal sign with the new answer," he said in a press release. "So the work would look like 4 3 2=(9) 2=11."

[proud2BlibKansan]

5. And playing with data, inflating test scores, is not solving this problem.

[Whisp]

6. having tests that are made just so the student passes isn't the answer either.

[proud2BlibKansan]

8. Of course it isn't

I don't think our president understands that however.

[Smarmie Doofus]

9. Does he even care?

Has he spoken publicly about the NYS fiasco?

Does he not realize that parents all over the country are being deprived of the right to make educational decisions for their kids ON THE BASIS OF THE BEST DATA AVAILABLE? ( because everyone in the field knows... and HAS known for a long time.... that the federally-required state tests yield junk data)

Is he unaware that his DOE's policies are exacerbating the problem?

Again: does he care?

[Whisp]

10. yes he cares. I've heard him speak about education a number of times

I am happy that he wants art and science focused on once again, just for one thing. I am happy that he calls out parents and dads to read to your kids, etc.,

To say he doesn't care is just reckless kneejerking

[proud2BlibKansan]

13. When did he address Art and Science?

That's news to me. Art isn't tested and Science tests aren't mandated under federal regulations. When has the president ever promoted Art and Science?? :shrug:

[Whisp]

14. He has. You have not heard him speak about how the sciences have been

put aside and how he wants to see math and the sciences back in schools and invigorated?

and here's a bit about the arts. I have heard him on more than one occassion make the connection to arts and a well rounded education. How art courses actually improve grades in other subjects.

http://www.barackobama.com/pdf/issues/additional/Obama_FactSheet_Arts.pdf

A PLATFORM IN SUPPORT OF THE ARTS Reinvest in Arts Education: To remain competitive in the global economy, America needs to reinvigorate the kind of creativity and innovation that has made this country great. To do so, we must nourish our children’s creative skills. In addition to giving our children the science and math skills they need to compete in the new global context, we should also encourage the ability to think creatively that comes from a meaningful arts education. Unfortunately, many school districts are cutting instructional time for art and music education. Barack Obama and Joe Biden believe that the arts should be a central part of effective teaching and learning. The Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts recently said “The purpose of arts education is not to produce more artists, though that is a byproduct. The real purpose of arts education is to create complete human beings capable of leading successful and productive lives in a free society.” To support greater arts education, Obama will:

␣ Expand Public/Private Partnerships Between Schools and Arts Organizations: Barack Obama and Joe Biden will increase resources for the U.S. Department of Education’s Arts Education Model Development and Dissemination Grants, which develop public/private partnerships between schools and arts organizations. They will also engage the foundation and corporate community to increase support for public/private partnerships.

etc.,

[proud2BlibKansan]

15. Yes he gives great speeches

Get back to me when this becomes policy.

[Whisp]

16. I probably won't get back to you

you are just too snide for my taste.

[madfloridian]

17. I recommended this.

I think NYC is an example of the bad parts of mayoral control. The arrogance is overwhelming.

I can not imagine our creationist preaching mayor having total control of our schools. He and the creationist believing school board would be shocking indeed in where they would take our schools.

[msanthrope]

19. You do realize that the teacher's union in NYC is very supportive of mayoral control, right?

Here's why--

SNIP

Bloomberg's three previous contracts with Weingarten have resulted in a 43 percent cumulative salary hike, a record for city teachers that tops every other major urban system in the country since 2002. But Bloomberg has handed out those raises without materially changing the work-rule and job-security provisions that are so onerous, they've helped spark an alternative universe of 78 highly popular public charter schools in the city. (Charter schools can opt out of the 165-page, micro-managing union contract.) In the coming months, Bloomberg will be negotiating a new contract, having approved over the years previous versions that fueled the charter rebellion he now champions.


SNIP

Neutral in the 1993, 1997, and 2005 mayoral elections, the UFT has learned that it can reap its grandest rewards at the bargaining table when it does nothing to help the Democratic loser, even an incumbent like David Dinkins. Unsurprisingly, its electoral choices are more commercial than ideological decisions, a function of transactional relationships: The union likes a winner who does deals.

more at the village voice....

http://www.villagevoice.com/2009-05-13/news/bloomberg-and-the-teachers-union/