McGraw Hill Stockhold Shows Big Gains

At a time when money is tight, the DOE is spending a fortune on Acuity tests for the students scheduled to take the integrated algebra regents in June. The test is designed (supposedly) to point out the areas the students need more work in because teachers are not capable of figuring this out on their own. (We only test and assess our students daily but this is obviously not good enough.) Teachers have only done this by themselves since the beginning of time but the big shot politicians have to take care of their wealthy friends and these lucrative contracts must be given out. School budgets are being cut all over the place, services to children are being withdrawn, but McGraw Hill stockholders are still bringing in the big bucks. When I think of the waste involved with this testing I get physically ill. To add insult to this injury, teacher salaries, pensions and unions are still being blamed for the financial woes of the system.

Aside from the financial strain, there was the waste of time component. A full period was spent administering this exam, a period that could have better been spent on learning. Some of the topics on the exam have not even been taught yet. No computer program is needed to tell a breathing teacher that the kids will not know these topics.

It is time for the general public to wake up and realize that politicians do not care one iota about improving education. They care about making themselves look good and about increasing the spending money of their cronies. We've got to take a stand, for us, for our children and for future generations.

Bob Friedrich For City Councilman

Hard as it is to believe, I actually met a candidate for public office that I not only liked, I am going to do what I can to help get him elected.

Bob Friedrich is running for the City Council (23rd District, zips 11001, 11004, 11005, 11040, 11362, 11364, 11365, 11366, 11423, 11426, 11427, 11428.) He spent his Saturday going from door to door introducing himself to voters and answering questions. He should have gotten nervous when he met me, but he didn't.

The first thing I asked Mr. Friedrich (I'll call him that here, although I will use his first name when we meet again) was his position on Bloomberg's third term try. He said the right thing. He is opposed. I then asked him his position on mayoral control of the schools and and I could see from his face that he wasn't expecting me to like his answer. He favored mayoral controls with many checks and balances and does not want to see the old system return. While I disagree with mayoral control, I respect his honest and straightforward answer. I then went on to question him about what he would like to see happen at the DOE and I was impressed with what he said. (He lives in the Glen Oaks community and is very involved with the schools although he has no school age children.) I asked about his opponents and when he mentioned Mark Weprin as one of them, he got my vote. I told Mr. Friedrich about the town hall meeting that turned my stomach and he remembered hearing me speak there.

Mr. Friedrich spent quite a while at my house and left me with some reading material which I promised to look at. Look at it I did and and now he has my support (I even sent a donation) and my vote. I even promised him a shout out on this blog (but I wouldn't give him its title.)

Good luck Bob Friedrich. The city needs a councilman like you.

http://BOB2009nyc.org/

Political Idol

NYC has all kinds of great stuff going on. Right now, the Triad Theater, on west 72nd St is showing Political Idol, the story behind the primary and the search for a vice-president for each of the candidates. It is hilarious.

Although the show is supposed to spoof both candidates (which it did), the Republicans take the brunt of the hits. Most of the audience support Obama and I'm happy that my first political check ever--made out to the Obama campaign, went out yesterday.

Unfortunately the show closes August 13 but the cast says they will reopen somewhere in the fall with a whole lot of new material. I'm going to watch for them. They are great.

If You Can't Beat 'Em

Today the Rabbi's sermon involved Isaac and King Abemelich. Abemelich tried to make Isaac leave the country because Isaac was getting too rich and too powerful. Every time Isaac dug a well, the king filled it in. Isaac would not be deterred. He kept digging, kept finding water and kept growing wealthier. Finally Abemelich decided to stop fighting him and welcomed him to stay. He realized that Isaac must have G-d on his side and he wanted to be a part of that. He also realized that if he was to share Isaac's wealth, he better keep Isaac a part of the community.

One of the things I really like about my Rabbi is that the things he talks about from long ago parallel events of today. The Abemelich's of today are the politicians slamming the NCLB laws down our throats and the administrators who want us to work only for their performance bonuses. The teachers are the Isaacs, the ones who will keep on working, will not give up. I'm proud to be one of those teachers. I won't keep my mouth shut when I see things being done that are hurting my kids and hurting education. I won't keep my mouth shut when I see my colleagues being unfairly harassed. I am going to keep fighting until the Abemelichs of today realize that we have something good to bring to the community and start treating us with the respect Abemelich eventually gave to Isaac.