Comsewogue Parents and Teachers Want Answers From Commissioner King

The New York State Education Commissioner John King hosted an educational forum at Ward Melville High School in the school's auditorium Tuesday night. 

More than 1200 people attended the meeting to voice their concerns about the problems with the implementation of common core, the lack of state funding, the increase in unfunded mandates, and the increase in pressure being put on students and teachers regarding high-stake exams and APPR. 

The Comsewogue School District came out to show their support and tell King exactly how they feel about the latest set of regulations. 

At the forum, Beth Dimino, Port Jefferson Station Teacher Association president, said that she is considered a highly effective teacher, but that due to test scores King is not. "I have 50 letters with me and I have 300 hundred others asking for Mr. King's resignation," said Dimino. "I have no problem being judged by anyone. I was judged as highly effective last year as Dr. Joe Rella (Comsewogue's superintendent). Obviously, Mr. King you are ineffective. Seventy percent of the children in this state failed your test…mommies don't abuse their children and they are not going to let bullies do that either."

Alexandra Gordon, trustee on the Comsewogue Board of Education and local activist, said what is happening in our educational system makes no sense. 

"Recently, my ten year old daughter asked me what it would take to let her stay home from school forever.  Not tomorrow, not this week. Forever. She said, “I’m too stupid to do this math.” We don’t use the word ‘stupid’ in our home. But in the one hour conversation we had, my bright, creative, energetic daughter used that word- stupid- to describe herself more than 10 times," said Gordon.

"When a child is broken in spirit, when they have lost their confidence and internalized words like stupid, that damage is not erased easily. How many kids have to use that word to describe themselves before you realize the damage that is being done."

In an interview after the forum, Commissioner King said he is listening to what the parents are saying. "We heard tonight some of the similar themes that we have heard in some of the other forums. Clearly, implementing the common core and the principal and teacher evaluation over the last few years has been challenging," said King. 

"Many of the things we heard tonight are things we are already adjusting to so the concerns about students with disabilities and english-language learners are things we are already trying to work through…we will continue to do forums and I will continue to visit schools as I always have and we will continue to make adjustments along the way."