Educators and Public Officials are REALLY upset!
But not why you might think. They aren’t upset because Maryland students aren’t learning or their test scores are down. In Baltimore City, they aren’t even embarrassed that 40% of their high schools had ZERO students test proficient in math.
No, they are not upset about that. They are upset that someone spoke the truth about that. From FOX News:
President Trump: ‘40% of students in Baltimore can’t do basic math’
I’m sure that having President Trump say it stung even more. After all, the teachers’ unions viscerally hate Trump and have trained some of their members to feel the same. Plus, as we reported last week, the unions are losing their minds over the fact that the Department of Education is being dismantled.
Here’s Weingarten’s statement about the issue:
“And so, what I don’t want is, I don’t want it so shut down in so many ways that kids are really hurt. And then somebody says, ‘Oops, we didn’t mean to do that.’ Kids go through kindergarten once,” Weingarten added. “We already saw during COVID the longstanding problems that happened when schools were shut down too long. We got to make sure we get this right for kids.”
I’m not sure that Randi is coherent. Maybe the thought of losing all the millions of dollars funneled through the Department of Education to her union has caused her to be even more insane than she has been. She actually seems to think that schools will be closed down without the Department of Education. She compares it to them being closed for Covid. She seems to have forgotten that her union, the American Federation of Teachers WANTED schools closed down for Covid as long as possible. An article from 2021:
A Union Boss Who Fought To Keep Schools Closed For Over a Year Is Now Changing Her Tune. Here’s Why.
Weingarten suddenly denies that any of this is true.
At any rate, someone PLEASE tell Randi that States and local governments pay for schools, not the DOE.
While Randi can’t seem to get the straight facts, it’s even worse than Maryland Governor Wes Moore seems angry that ANYONE would mention that schools in Baltimore City (and other parts of the state) are failing our children. Here’s his comment regarding the quote from President Trump:
“While the President is busy mocking Maryland students’ test scores and trying to shutter the doors of the Department of Education, we’re fighting for Maryland’s students and educators,” Moore said in a statement. “Leadership means lifting people up, not punching down.”
One wonders why Maryland’s Governor seems more concerned about what was said about Baltimore City students’ scores than the fact that those scores are devastating. It seems Wes has a problem with people pointing out the truth. It might be because he can’t FACE the truth about the dismal education system in Maryland any more than he can face the fact that he is driving the State into the ground financially. What Trump isn’t mocking the students; it’s pointing out the failures of the adults.
He’s not the only one who seems immune to real facts.
Apparently, Baltimore City Mayor Brandon Scott, who at times sounds like he’s not as smart as a fifth grader, put in his two cents about Trump’s statement:
https://twitter.com/MayorBMScott/status/1903155612323553455
Really Brandon, “he who shall not be named”? Definitely not as smart as a fifth grader and definitely not the same maturity level of the average nine-year-old. What will his next defensive tweet be, ” I know you are but what am I?”
The responses to his post were priceless. We couldn’t find one that defended Mayor Scott:
There were so many excellent responses it was difficult to choose!
It may be time for Brandon to recuse himself from posting about education in Baltimore City. Or, even better maybe he and the Baltimore City Council should fire the City Schools Superintendent who makes approximately half a million a year but doesn’t seem to be able to do her job.
Even Maryland State Superintendent Carey Wright doesn’t seem upset about student scores. Heck no, Carey is worried about teaching gender ideology!
We searched for a written letter or memo from her about the flat test scores statewide.
It either doesn’t exist or is hidden away somewhere.
It must not be a priority while teaching young children gender ideology is.
The group that IS upset that scores are low are teachers. Actual teachers who actually teach in classrooms in public schools will tell anyone that asks that they aren’t happy with the scores.
We know some teachers and they tell us they know the truth about test scores. They know the real truth and are not afraid to speak about it.
“The truth is,” they tell us, “the scores are low because we can’t teach. We can’t teach classes with students who are out of control. We can’t teach classes where the kids have their heads stuck into iPads and electronics. We can’t teach when half of our class time is taken up with everything but academics. If we could truly teach what kids need to know, we could bring the scores up.”
The teachers aren’t afraid to face the truth about student learning and achievement. They don’t see truth as an “insult” or “mocking.” They see it as a problem everyone needs to admit and solve. And they don’t see the bloated, overpriced Blueprint for Maryland’s Future as the solution.
Sadly, our politicians, union leaders and officials don’t want solutions. In fact, people are seeing that perhaps this terrible academic achievement is just what they want. It suits their political ambitions and fundraising objectives. As someone once said, “the results ARE the objective.”
ADDITIONAL LINKS:
Randi, You Mad Bro? – The Easton Gazette
The Secret To Student Achievement? It’s NOT Money
Jan Greenhawk, Author
Jan Greenhawk is a former teacher and school administrator for over thirty years. She has two grown children and lives with her husband in Maryland. She also spent over twenty-five years coaching/judging gymnastics and coaching women’s softball.
The post Educators/Public Officials Need To Face The Hard Truth About Student Scores In Maryland appeared first on The Easton Gazette.
