Tuesday, March 21, 2023
Subscriber Login
My Profile
SpotlightNews
  • Home
  • News
    • Election 2022
    • Business
      • Spotlight On Business
      • Spotlight on Finance
    • Crime and Police
    • Discover-Towns
      • Discover Coeymans Selkirk and Feura Bush
      • Discover Delmar
      • Discover Glenmont
      • Discover Guilderland
      • Discover Latham and Boght
      • Discover Loudonville
      • Discover Menands
      • Discover Slingerlands
      • Discover Village of Colonie
      • Discover Voorheesville and New Scotland
    • Fire Departments
    • Government
    • Milestones
    • Schools
    • Sports
    • Obituaries
  • The Spot 518
    • Galleries
    • Art
    • Food and Recipes
    • Health & Fitness
    • Music
    • Theatre
  • Hot Spots Calendar
    • Calendar Listings
    • Submit Your Event
  • Opinion
    • Blogs
    • Our Opinion
    • Point of View
    • Your Opinion
  • Family Now
    • Parenting News
    • Senior News
  • Towns
    • Albany County
    • Bethlehem
    • Colonie
    • Guilderland
    • New Scotland
  • Classifieds
    • Employment – Hire Power
    • Services In the Spotlight
    • Classified Listings
    • Advertiser Login
  • Subscribe
    • Subscriber login
    • Give the gift of news
    • Join us – subscribe today
    • Newsletter sign up
    • Renew Subscription
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • Election 2022
    • Business
      • Spotlight On Business
      • Spotlight on Finance
    • Crime and Police
    • Discover-Towns
      • Discover Coeymans Selkirk and Feura Bush
      • Discover Delmar
      • Discover Glenmont
      • Discover Guilderland
      • Discover Latham and Boght
      • Discover Loudonville
      • Discover Menands
      • Discover Slingerlands
      • Discover Village of Colonie
      • Discover Voorheesville and New Scotland
    • Fire Departments
    • Government
    • Milestones
    • Schools
    • Sports
    • Obituaries
  • The Spot 518
    • Galleries
    • Art
    • Food and Recipes
    • Health & Fitness
    • Music
    • Theatre
  • Hot Spots Calendar
    • Calendar Listings
    • Submit Your Event
  • Opinion
    • Blogs
    • Our Opinion
    • Point of View
    • Your Opinion
  • Family Now
    • Parenting News
    • Senior News
  • Towns
    • Albany County
    • Bethlehem
    • Colonie
    • Guilderland
    • New Scotland
  • Classifieds
    • Employment – Hire Power
    • Services In the Spotlight
    • Classified Listings
    • Advertiser Login
  • Subscribe
    • Subscriber login
    • Give the gift of news
    • Join us – subscribe today
    • Newsletter sign up
    • Renew Subscription
No Result
View All Result
Spotlight News
No Result
View All Result
Home Opinion

LETTER to the EDITOR: State education is like a ‘where are they now’ show

Spotlight News by Spotlight News
May 16, 2019
in Opinion, Your Opinion
Reading Time: 2 mins read

With the passage of a new law that removes the mandatory use of state testing results in the evaluation of teachers (a totally wrong-headed idea,) it appears that Gov. Andrew Cuomo has finally given up his attempts to control the education system in New York and to punish the teachers’ union which have refused to endorse him.

I always enjoy “where are they now” stories on television. We get to reminisce about our favorite shows from days gone by and see what happened to our favorite stars as they grew up or grew old. The state of public education under the Cuomo Administration is eerily akin to those “where are they now” shows.

For instance on Jan. 3, 2013, a headline in the Albany media proclaimed that, “Cuomo touts school changes.” The article featured ideas from the Governor’s Commission on Education, a group of high ranking business and education leaders and even some New York state legislators who were charged by the governor to set the agenda for education reform in New York state. However, a visit to the group’s website (governor.ny.gov/puttingstudentsfirst) leads one to believe that this group has gone the way of those long ago TV stars. In short, they are nowhere to be found and have not been heard from in a long time. It makes one wonder what happened to the group and to the public dollars devoted to their work. Where are they now?

Additionally, the governor, in his State of the State speech (heck we don’t even have those any more) in January, 2012 appointed himself the chief lobbyist for New York state students, according to him the only group in education who do not employ lobbyists. It appears that the governor has either lost interest in that position or that he is the quietest lobbyist in the history of lobbying. In addition to his disappearing act in this area, the governor has had nothing to say for the longest time about the teacher evaluation system he personally crafted, and he has been conspicuously absent from the fire storm surrounding the implementation of the common core standards in New York state. Again, millions of public dollars have been devoted to these items. Where are they now?

While Cuomo will never admit that many mistakes have been made in the name of improving education, that is the obvious truth. He personally led the charge to “improve education” which did nothing but waste money and time … both very precious resources.

The funding for public education and related topics need to be moved to the front burner and now. It is 2019 and New York state still does not provide universal pre-kindergarten or full day kindergarten programs in all schools. If I were the lobbyist for the students of New York, I think I would start there. If we don’t, in about 13 years, we will ask of this year’s pre-K class, “where are they now?”

Dr. John Metallo is a retired teacher and administrator. Among the positions he has held are principal of Albany High School and adjunct instructor at the University at Albany and SUNY Plattsburgh. He lives in Slingerlands.

Tags: Letter to the editor
ShareTweetShareShare
Previous Post

BETHLEHEM LIBRARY: Need Forever Homes

Next Post

SPOTTED: Bethlehem drops one to Burnt Hills

Leave Comment

Stay Connected with Us

Recent News

Colonie Area Weekly Police Blotter March 8th – March 15th

March 19, 2023

Mamma Mia! at BCHS

March 18, 2023

Bethlehem Area Weekly Police Blotter March 8th – March 15th

March 18, 2023
Spotlight News lists calls from Delmar, Elsmere, North Bethlehem, Slingerlands and Selkirk fire companies. These department are comprised of local volunteers. Please consider serving your neighbors as a volunteer firefighter. This data is compiled from the Town of Bethlehem Communications Center.

Bethlehem Volunteer Fire Log March 3 – March 9

March 18, 2023

Hot Stories This Week

  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest

Colonie Area Weekly Police Blotter March 8th – March 15th

March 19, 2023

Plug-powered airliner takes off

March 15, 2023

Bethlehem Area Weekly Police Blotter March 8th – March 15th

March 18, 2023

Eva Marie Saint, the Academy Award-winning actress, started her path to fame here

March 15, 2023

Colonie Area Weekly Police Blotter March 8th – March 15th

March 19, 2023

Mamma Mia! at BCHS

March 18, 2023

Bethlehem Area Weekly Police Blotter March 8th – March 15th

March 18, 2023
Spotlight News lists calls from Delmar, Elsmere, North Bethlehem, Slingerlands and Selkirk fire companies. These department are comprised of local volunteers. Please consider serving your neighbors as a volunteer firefighter. This data is compiled from the Town of Bethlehem Communications Center.

Bethlehem Volunteer Fire Log March 3 – March 9

March 18, 2023
Spotlight News

Spotlight News, The Spot 518 and Capital District Family Now are divisions of Community Media Group, LLC. Our local offices are located at 341 Delaware Ave, Delmar, NY 12054. You can contact us at 518.439.4949.

Browse

Follow Us

  • About
  • Advertise
  • Contact the Editor
  • Employment
  • Our Team
  • Privacy & Policy
  • Legal Notices Portal

© 2022 Community Media Group, LLC - 341 Delaware Ave. Delmar, NY 12054. 518.439.4949

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Election 2022
  • News
    • Crime and Police
    • Fire Departments
    • Milestones
    • Real Estate and Housing
    • Schools
    • Sports
    • Spotlight On Business
    • Spotlight on Finance
  • The Spot 518
    • Galleries
    • Art
    • Theatre
    • Music
    • Food and Drink
    • Health & Fitness
  • Hot Spots Calendar
  • Newsletter Sign Up
  • Opinion
  • Classifieds
    • Advertiser Login
    • Service Directory
    • Hire Power – Employer Spotlight
  • Capital District Family Now
    • Parenting News
    • Senior News
  • Towns
    • Albany County
    • Bethlehem
    • Colonie
    • Guilderland
  • Log In
  • Subscribe

© 2022 Community Media Group, LLC - 341 Delaware Ave. Delmar, NY 12054. 518.439.4949