That's just sad.

or risk termination, what a system, huh?

which will count against the teacher. Looks like Arne's got a whole lot of federal intervention to do.

they are destroying it purposefully.

Cuomo demanded that student test scores comprise 50 percent of a teacher and principal's evaluation. It passed.

But worse yet? Neither did the legislature, nor governor, stop here. They also included into the law that lesson plans, student feedback, and parent feedback can not be included in teacher evaluations.

This means that no longer will teachers be evaluated on the relationships they are building with their students, the families they serve, and the communities they are enriching.

Michael Lillis, president of the Lakeland Federation of Teachers, said the law did nothing to address the over-emphasis on the tests.

"In fact, it puts even more emphasis on the state tests and attaches stiffer penalties to teachers and schools," Lillis said. "The stress that students feel over being responsible for the livelihoods of adults they care about is going to be magnified."

And, that is exactly the goal. It must be. They are so brazen and bold in their destruction of the teaching profession, and the only way they can do it is due to the complete apathy of the American populace. I am so disgusted with the average American "citizen" (and this includes so many in my personal life). They just don't want to pay attention. When I bring issues up they don't want to discuss them, and they switch the topic to shopping, entertainment, and sports.

I am so disappointed with them.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo was questioned earlier Friday about news that school districts are likely to request delays in implementing the new teacher evaluation program he inserted in this year’s budget. He stressed that the tests used in the evaluations don’t affect the students grades.

“The grades are meaningless to the students,” Cuomo said in a brief press gaggle following an Association for a Better New York breakfast event in New York City.

The tests, given in grades 3-8 in English and math, are used to evaluate how effective a teacher is. Scores from a given teacher’s class can be compared at the start and end of a school year to see how much the kids have learned.

The idea has enraged teachers, and it has sparked a growing boycott with parents saying that their kids are being stressed out by the exams.

“The grades are meaningless to the students,” Cuomo said in a brief press gaggle following an Association for a Better New York breakfast event in New York City.

The tests, given in grades 3-8 in English and math are used to evaluate how effective a teacher is. Scores from a given teacher’s class can be compared at the start and end of a school year to see how much the kids have learned.

The idea has enraged teachers though, and it has sparked a growing boycott with parents saying that their kids are being stressed out by the exams.

“They can opt out if they want to, but on the other hand if the child takes the test, it’s practice and the score doesn’t count."

The message from Cuomo:

Hey, parents, these tests don't count for your kids, just for their teachers, so why not send them on in to school to take those state tests so we can start evaluating their teachers via the scores and fire some of them?

If the tests are used as bludgeons to close schools and fire teachers, they cause huge anxiety all throughout the school, from the children to the adults.

Kids can see when adults are stressed out or worried about stuff, and you can bet they know that their teachers are worried they're going to lose their jobs based on these test scores.