Gov. Cuomo calls himself “the students’ lobbyist.” But “teachers’ lobbyist” might be more appropriate, given the legislation he just pushed through. Think of it as the “Bad Teacher Protection Act.”
The new plan gives teachers rated “ineffective” a pass if the rating was based on students’ Common Core test scores. For the next two years, these test scores will not be counted in their re-evaluations.
Why the change? Teachers complained that the rollout of the Common Core was botched, so it’s unfair to judge them — let alone fire them — based on the tests.
But let’s be honest: This isn’t about the Common Core. It’s about protecting lousy teachers. And the educrats all but admit it.
Here’s how state teachers union boss Karen Magee reacted to Cuomo’s plan: “Hitting the ‘pause button’ on high-stakes consequences for teachers . . . is a necessary step.”
She hinted she’ll pursue other steps, too, to cushion teachers that likely will have nothing to do with Common Core.
State Education Commissioner John King cited the “anxiety around the link between higher standards and teacher evaluations” and said Cuomo’s “safety net” for low-rated teachers “should relieve that anxiety.”
Then there’s city teachers-union boss Mike Mulgrew, who’s admitted he sought to “gum up” the new teacher-rating system so teachers would never be accountable.
Great news for bad teachers. For kids, not so much. If you worry more about anxiety than achievement, you’ll never fire bad teachers.
Last year, only 1 percent of teachers outside Gotham were rated “ineffective” — even though 69 percent of third- through eighth-graders flunked their math and reading tests.
Doesn’t that suggest that maybe we don’t have enough teacher anxiety?