Stifle LIFO!

It is great to see the one person, who has served in the Obama regime and took her responsibility seriously, Michelle Rhee, is speaking out sensibly on the state of New York teacher issue. In order to serve the students and taxpayers of the state of New York, Governor Cuomo needs to stifle LIFO (Last In, First Out). In fact, this insidious law should be rescinded in all 14 states that are shafting both students and taxpayers.

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The Wednesday, March 9th ‘‘USA Today ‘Our view’ and ‘Opposing view’’ columns addressed this issue. In the ‘Opposing View: A disastrous proposal,’ Ms. Keshishian makes a superb statement – ‘We need a dependable teacher evaluation system that takes multiple measures of student achievement (including test scores) into account, but which also measure the qualities of good teaching: communication, empathy, patience, discipline, ability to engage students, and solid content knowledge.’ Because she supports LIFO, my questions to Ms. Keshishian are, ‘How does LIFO achieve any of these laudable and responsible goals? Isn’t LIFO diametrically opposed to these goals?’ Of course, DOE Secretary Arne Duncan has weighed in on the overall education issue, but his comments serve more as a purposeful distraction to the immediate issue facing the teachers, students and taxpayers in New York. In an attempt to feed the Progressive piranha and provide cover to Governor Cuomo for his half-hearted, half-butted reform, Mr. Duncan slyly brought President Bush’s name into the discussion. President Bush may be guilty for his support of ‘No Child Left Behind (NCLB),’ but isn’t NCLB the pride and joy of the Liberal Lion, Ted Kennedy? Isn’t it amazing that when there is a positive result associated with NCLB, this is the signature success of Ted Kennedy, yet, when there are challenges, it is a Bush-era bill? Mr. Duncan states, ‘We should get out of the business of labeling schools as failures and create a new law that is fair and flexible, and focused on schools and students most at risk.’ Students, parents, taxpayers and dedicated teachers would agree with this sentiment, yet the NEA obstructs any realistic solution! What action is actually being taken by Mr. Duncan to achieve this goal? Also, where was Mr. Duncan on the D. C. charter school issue, and where is he on the current McKinley Elementary school issue? Aren’t these the children most at risk? Why are the DOE and NEA denying them access to a good education? How can Mr. Duncan think he has any credibility on the NCLB issue when he has been mute on issues equal to, or more challenging than the serious issue facing concerned parties in the state of New York? Does he even care? If the DOE isn’t going to act in the best interests of the children, shouldn’t it be abolished? Mr. Duncan also said, ‘No Child Left Behind is broken and we need to fix it right now. This law has created a thousand ways for schools to fail and very few ways to help them succeed.’ Mr. Duncan, please explain how LIFO helps in achieving this goal? Furthermore, doesn’t this statement sound chillingly close to what the GOP is saying about ObamaCare and the criminal spending by our renegade regime? Isn’t it akin to what experts are saying about the regime’s purposeful stranglehold on domestic oil drilling, especially with the uprisings in the Middle East? Remember, the same mentality that is the basis for orchestrating outcomes through NCLB is what spawned the unconstitutional ObamaCare bill, so brace for the aftershock of ObamaCare! Unfortunately, many elected politicians who support the NEA’s status quo stance on LIFO and other abhorrent education legislation and clandestine activities use their status and taxpayer-funded incomes to send their children to private schools. Shouldn’t there be a law that requires elected politicians to send their children to not just public schools, but to the worst schools in the area in which they live? Don’t you think that this would provide the motivation for elected politicians to act in the best interests of the students, not mollify the unions that funnel campaign contributions to those willing to turn a blind eye on this issue? Governor Cuomo, you have an opportunity to rise to the occasion and lead. The students and parents in the state of New York and the country are watching; will you will act in the best interests of the students, or cower to the demands of the NEA union?