The state Education Department has accepted the teacher evaluation plans submitted. By the buffalo schools on the WB in -- landfill -- buffalo teachers federation president morning fill -- with this behind you is is this a big relief. Well it's a it's a release it's it's this sort of look at things -- to have to do but the unfortunate thing is that. It's not gonna really do anything to really improve teaching and learning as a matter of fact. Facing a teacher's evaluation on the pressure that we put on students on me. Standardized test as Israeli insane that's it's really have to do what they get the money. But it's really distasteful because I think most people realize that this standardized testing and basing everything on standardized tests that. It is it's doesn't have anything to do with really helping kids learn. And so I did hear you right yesterday you said something like you felt you -- an accessory to a crime. You know because. You know parents are beginning to realize this also this story to organize. In English you've been in the school. And have seen the child. That's an English language learner. In tears. Because of the pressure of taking a test. You you don't understand just how damaging it is and then your base the teacher's evaluation on it. And then say you're taking money away from the school district if you don't it would create something that you know doesn't make any sense in this really in the long run. Not really helping students. It's really kind of troubling at it and do what got you have to do -- but what you realize is that. You know you just don't mind being evaluated cut into their classroom you know it has to be some kind of -- valuation. Some kind of testing but when everything hinges on you know it was such a large extent on the pressure reporting on our kids. Its its just distasteful. And then we're teaching to the test quite a learning suffers. Exactly and and when you're doing standardized tests actually it mitigates against creativity critical thinking all the things that we really. Cherish as educators. Another is all of your district but do you have any clue of all of India -- talk -- -- other teacher union representatives. The of the town of Hamburg Hamburg school district of having a very serious problem with their plan. Yes I've heard that's I have heard a lot about that I've talked to people are over there. It all emanates from the you know the superintendent in little -- buck stops on the superintendent's -- is coming when you're trying to do something. Where you want you don't want to be confrontational like -- you know me I can be confrontational I have to but that's. It's not my style really. Apparently what happened there is that you know to put pressure on the teachers. He threatened them with their jobs. First votes that was say appeal process. He says you know he was gonna make the final decision on the appeal -- surged. Most of the districts around the status at all right you know I'll take a look at its first we don't agree will go to work. From the neutral site -- -- assuming you mean you -- -- union Gary you know you're expected to stick up for the union of the teachers over there. I think they -- put an untenable position that you don't have any trust. That's where you -- problems. It almost wrangling over these teacher -- felt I mean. They got a son in buffalo and but they didn't in New York City and I was hearing that the others they're missing out and some 400 some million dollars now. In grant money but you know Hamburg two is there a better way to get these evaluations done. It has a better way for sure first of all it's not by threatening to withhold money from kids. Then and making people do something that they don't think they should do. What what has happened is we -- have to come together in other words teachers administrators. And legislators and members of the board of regents and saying all right. What are we doing wrong here I mean you have to communicate we have to find common ground and do something that makes sense unfortunately what's happening in coming from a federal level. More than the state level is that we have people making decisions about education -- deficit -- the classroom and that's problematic obviously. Phil thanks for joining us this morning from recently and we can OK that's a -- were more. President of the buffalo teachers federation.
