[Local-Maine-Schools] There she goes again

[Paul Murphy]

As many of you are ware, over 70% of Maine high schools have failed to make Adequate Yearly Progress. Predictably and cynically our "Commish" of Education Susan Gendron has seized the opportunity to point out that this "failure" is more evidence of the need for high school reform. Please see her latest disingenuous comments at: 

http://kennebecjournal.mainetoday.com/view/columns/3853332.html

Ms. Gendron conveniently fails to point out that her ill-advised and ill-fated forced march to the SAT which she imposed on Maine high schools as a replacement for the MEA in Junior year ensured the "failure". This is true in many ways and there will be a more detailed analysis of this fraud in the coming days. Suffice it to say that the Federal Department of Education found, after the move (because our Commish deemed their input prior to the move  unnecessary), that the SAT failed align with the Maine Learning Results (11th grade assessment is supposed to measure how well Maine Juniors have achieved relative to the Learning Results) in more than 40 areas (yes that's right...more than 40). 

Her comments are just the latest example of the arrogance of this Commissioner who would dismantle our school system. How she can enjoy the confidence of anyone who has followed her administration is a riddle to which I have no answer. 

It is not the first time I've asked for it but again I call for this plague on our schools to do the honorable thing: admit the failure is hers, not last year's juniors, not their teachers, not their administrators, not our high schools. Then resign Ms. Gendron. Resign and go away.
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