Press release

www.nysape.org

Forimmediaterelease
An overwhelming consensus continues to build among New York parents and educators regarding the recent failures of State Education Commissioner John King, the department he oversees, and the education reform agenda hehasrushedto implement in recent years. This week, twenty two local teachers unions formally expressed support for New York State Allies for Public Educationinitscallfortheresignationofthestatestopeducationofficial. Backing for NYSAPE's position on King's resignation has come from organizations across the Empire State: from Long Island to the North Country, from Western New York to the MidHudson, and from Central New York totheCapital Region. In addition, one ofthestate'slargestteachers'unions,theBuffaloTeachersFederation,hasindependentlycalledonKingtostepdown. The organizationslisted below support New York State Allies forPublic Educationin their callfor the resignationof New York State Education Department Commissioner Dr. John B. King Jr. Commissioner Kings actions during a recent NYS PTA town hall meeting in Poughkeepsie mirrored his established pattern of ignoring the concerns of parents and educators. Thecancellation of thefuturetownhallmeetingsshowsalackofleadershipfromCommissionerKing. In reaction to Commissioner Kings recent comment about a consensus around the nation on education policy , NYSAPE cofounder Lisa Rudley replied The only consensus around the state is that New Yorkers are demanding King resigns and that therebesubstantialchangestothedirectionofeducationpolicy. Parents and educators have no confidence in the New York State Education Department's policies and administration. Across the state, New Yorkers are justifiably worried about an increase in mandated standardized testing, the haphazard implementation of the Common Core Standards and the prospect of their children's confidential data being shared and compromised. Kingsrecent failures, and his dismissive attitude towards the expanding concerns throughout the state, have called into serious question his abilitytoleadtheschooldistrictsofNewYork. "Commissioner King has consistently shown a lack of interestin listeningtoparentsandeducatorsacross the state. Despite the overwhelming sentiment of anxiety about issues such as excessive testing, the Common Core, and unfair teacher evaluations coming from folks across the entire state, herefuses to acknowledge any ofourconcerns. To blamethefailure ofhis first roundof public forums on 'special interest' groups shows just how out of touch King is with hisconstituents. Our specialinterests areour children, and we need someone in charge who puts their best interests in the foreground." stated Danielle Boudet, cofounder of NYSAPE. New York State Allies for Public Education represents fortyfive grassroots parent groups from every corner of the Empire State. The organizations listed below are proud to stand with the parents, community members and felloweducatorsin NYSAPEtocall forachangeindirectionandpolicybeginningwithnewleadershipattheNewYorkStateEducationDepartment.
WestHillDistrictEducationAssociation FredoniaTeachersAssociation NorthSalemTeachersAssociation PenfieldEducationAssociation TupperLakeUnitedTeachers LakePlacidEducationAssociation SaranacLakeTeachersAssociation MahopacTeachersAssociation HarrisonAssociationofTeachers BellmoreMerrickUnitedSecondaryTeachers NorthBabylonTeachers'Organization SchoharieTeachers'Association EastWillistonTeachers'Association LancasterCentralTeachersAssociation SchoharieCentralEmployeesAssociation IndependentCallforResignation BuffaloTeachersFederation MohonasenTeachers'Association PortJeffersonStationTeachersAssociation SpencerportTeachersAssociation NorthernAdirondackTeachersAssociation ValhallaTeachersAssociation BerneKnoxWesterloTeachers'Association OgdensburgEducationAssociation

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