Legislators, teachers union sound off on King’s resignation as state ed commissioner

Bill San Antonio

State legislators and teacher union representatives said in the wake of John B. King’s resignation as state education commissioner to accept a federal advisory position that they would like his successor to seriously consider the input of educators, parents and students in setting state Department of Education’s agenda in the coming years.  

The state is currently seeking candidates to succeed King, who was appointed New York’s first African-American education commissioner in 2011. Deputy State Education Commissioner Elizabeth Berlin will serve as interim commissioner, in accordance with state law.  

King was among those responsible for securing a $700 million federal Race to the Top education grant, which led to the controversial implementation of the Common Core standards.

As commissioner, King oversaw the rollout of the Common Core and was part of the negotiation process for reforming the state teacher evaluation system, which has also been a source of criticism throughout New York.

The New York State United Teachers Union, which represents more than 600,000 educators, noted in a statement last Wednesday that it called for King’s resignation last spring after a “no confidence” vote for King because of “the disconnect between the commissioner’s vision and what parents, educators and students want for their public education system.”

The union called upon the state Board of Regents to “select a passionate advocate for what children and public schools need,” which it described as “a heralded educator who respects parents, teachers and students.”

“New York needs an education commissioner who listens carefully; is willing to learn from others and compromise; and who understands that true collaboration among stakeholders will make New York’s already strong public education system even stronger,” the union said. “Without that, all of our sincere efforts to narrow the achievement gap and ensure that all students are ready to contribute to our economy going forward will be in vain.”

In a statement Thursday, state Assemblyman Ed Ra (R-Franklin Square), a member of several state education committees who has been critical of initiatives implemented during King’s tenure, said King’s resignation “is an opportunity for a fresh look at the current reform agenda and the challenges facing New York’s public schools.”

Ra said the state “rushed” the rollout of the Common Core and urged the next commissioner “listen to the concerns of parents who have spoken out about an increased reliance on high stakes testing and eroding of local control of curriculum.”

“I encourage the Board of Regents to take advantage of this opportunity to ensure that our state’s next leader of education will collaborate with educators, parents and students to make decisions which allow for New York’s young minds to succeed,” Ra said.

Despite wishing King well in his forthcoming role with the Obama administration, set to begin in early 2015, state Sen. Jack Martins (R-Mineola) wrote in his weekly column to Blank Slate Media that he and King “disagreed on almost every aspect of his agenda” and that the two “tangled with each other from day one.”

“While I embrace the higher standards that will keep our children competitive in a changing world, I reject the one size fits all, cookie cutter testing that Common Core thrusts upon them,” Martins wrote. “And I refuse to accept the elevation of this testing to the be-all, end-all position it enjoys under this state’s administration. I know from first-hand experience with my own little ones that the emphasis has become the scores and not our children.”

Martins wrote that under King, the state Department of Education became “tone deaf” to parents and educators, and that “such attitudes have no place in government, especially when they affect our children and their education.”

Both Martins and Ra were also critical of King in wake of the former commissioner’s cancellation of a Common Core forum in Garden City in November 2013 after finding what King called an “unconstructive response” at a forum in Poughkeepsie that he blamed on “special interests.”

Martins at the time called on King to reschedule the forum, which was held a few weeks later in Mineola, or resign from office.

“My hope is that the mindset trickled from the top down and that with Dr. King’s departure, a more open and cooperative approach will be taken,” Martins wrote in his column. “A lot is riding on the Regents’ appointment of a new commissioner. The selection process is happening as we speak so now is the time to contact the Board of Regents and tell them we want a commissioner who’ll listen and who’s willing to work with us, not against us.”

King, whose hiring was announced by the U.S. Department of Education on Dec. 10, will hold a deputy secretary title, the department said in a news release. His responsibilities will include managing the department’s operations and overseeing the implementation of major education initiatives.

In a statement last Wednesday, King said, “I’m humbled and honored to have the chance to work with President Obama and [U.S. Education Department] Secretary [Arne] Duncan. Their extraordinary leadership is helping students all across the nation get better prepared for college and careers. I’m excited to become part of that team. I’m also humbled and honored to have had the opportunity to work with [Board of Regents] Chancellor [Merryl H.] Tisch, all the members of the Board of Regents and the dedicated professionals at the state Education Department. We have accomplished great things for New York’s students. As a kid whose life was saved by the incredible teachers I had in public schools in Brooklyn, I’m proud to have served my fellow New Yorkers.”

Duncan said in a statement that King is “an extraordinary leader who has dedicated his life to improving the opportunities of our young people.”

King holds an undergraduate degree from Harvard University, a masters in the teaching of social studies from Columbia University, a law degree from Yale University and a doctorate in education from Columbia. 

He began his career as a social studies teacher and went on to advocate for charter schools, co-founding Dorchester Center, Mass. Roxbury Preparatory Charter School as part of Uncommon Schools, a network of charter schools for low-income students from New York, New Jersey and Massachusetts.

Tisch in a statement called King “a remarkable leader in a time of true reform,” saying “he has spent every moment working to open the doors of opportunity for all our students – regardless of their race, or zip code, or their immigration status.”

The positive impact of John King’s work in New York will be felt for generations,” she said. “We’ll miss his wisdom, his calm leadership and his remarkable courage. But New York’s loss is the country’s gain. He’ll be a powerful force for educational opportunity in Washington.”

 

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