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Community Corner

Clarkstown Teachers Fight For Public Education!

Jon Wedvik, Neighbor

On Monday, December 9th, the teachers and educators in the Clarkstown schools will be wearing BLUE.  Why are the teachers wearing BLUE?  To put it simply, public education is under attack.  A movement that is promoting an agenda of corporate reform threatens to destroy America's greatest resource, it's public education system.  The Clarkstown teachers will be sending a message to John King, the Commissioner of Education in New York State, and the Board of Regents asking that they commit to make the right solutions for public education.  

Please join the Clarkstown Teachers by signing this resolution to the Regents and help change the course of education in New York State - click here for petition.  Call on the Regents to commit to these New Year Resolutions for 2014 and take action:

  • Implement high standards the right way.
  • Ask the Legislature and governor to increase funding for public schools and colleges, and help all student succeed.
  • Push for a three- year moratorium on high-stakes consequences linked to state standardized tests.
  • Emphasize teaching and learning, not testing and consequences.
  • Listen to the real education stakeholders: parents, educators, student, and community members.
The Common Core State Standards deliver a promise, but bring along a new set of challenges that must be recognized and when changes are demanded, they must be implemented.  The undemocratic Tax Levy Cap creates unneeded obstructions for districts to staff and fund their programs, while delivering the guarentee of draconian cuts to schools and the needs of students. The new APPR regimen has sucked away resources from schools without improving teaching or learning.  The SED's focus on high stakes standardized tests has created an obsession with scores and consequences instead of a focus on teaching and learning.
  
The Clarkstown Teachers Association will join their brothers and sisters all over the country to RECLAIM THE PROMISE OF PUBLIC EDUCATION.  Please join us by wearing BLUE on Monday, December 9th as we fight for our our students, our schools and our profession!

To understand more about the challenges being presented to public education, please watch this video created by the American Federation of Teachers - click here.  
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