Well, that didn’t take long. It turns out former Delaware Governor Jack Markell is under investigation. I can’t say I’m surprised given some of his questionable activities concerning education during his term as Delaware Governor of the First State. It’s like I’ve always said, Delaware is the first to sign the constitution but the last to follow it. But what is he under investigation for?
In less than 20 hours, Delaware’s new Governor will be sworn in. Jack Markell’s eight-year term as the Governor of Delaware will end. I’ve seen reviews of his term all over Delaware and social media in the past week or so. I believe it is no secret that I view his education initiatives as an unmitigated disaster. But were they?
A man from Warwick, MD was arrested yesterday based on a Facebook death threat he made against Delaware Governor Jack Markell and a female from Middletown, DE. Roger Matthews was charged with Threatening the Life of a Public Official according to the Delaware State Police Newsroom.
The specific threat has not been released. I was able to view Roger Matthews Facebook account as it appears to be public. If you go to that link, I would not classify it as safe for work. The Delaware State Police mentioned the death threat was from November 6th but I was not able to see this on Waters’ Facebook account. There was, however, a reference to Markell on an October 31st post. In the very twisted post, Matthews claimed to “have dirt” against Markell involving the Amazon warehouse in Middletown and that Markell sent the Delaware State Police to assassinate his son. He also alleged that the Amazon building was “built to fall down“. There is a very specific death threat against Markell in the post but since there is so much foul language and hatred in the post I will not post it here. But judging by the many other posts on his account, this is a very disturbed man with many issues. The Middletown woman, who is somehow related to a relative of Matthews did not have her name released.
Waters shared the below photo on Monday which had over 800 comments on it regarding the right to bear arms. He also seems to have a very deep hatred of Muslims based on his posts.
I sincerely hope this man gets the help he very desperately needs. While I am certainly not one of Markell’s biggest fan, threatening anyone on social media can get you arrested. But a death threat against a public official is serious business. Whatever grievance someone may have against another human being, wishing death upon them is not the answer. I can’t imagine it would be easy for Markell or his family seeing this information. I would not wish that on anyone.
Some things in this world are just disturbing on many levels, and this is one of them…
At some point later this evening, Delaware will have a newly elected Governor. No matter who it is, they can’t be worse than Governor Jack Markell. I truly hope I don’t eat those words, but I can’t think of any Delaware politician who has sold out Delaware children to corporations more than Jack. Well, there is one, but I’m really hoping he gets ousted in the 8th Senate District today. If not, I expect some very frosty stares between the two of us come 2017. But it is also my fervent hope that this particular Senator, no matter what the outcome is today, begins to see deep inside his soul what certain viewpoints on education can have on the state as a whole. But Jack Markell…
I never gave Delaware politics much thought before 2013. I was just one of those guys who stayed in his own neighborhood and didn’t truly care about the state politics. I couldn’t even tell you who my State Rep was before that year. Or my State Senator. But then things changed in my life and I reached a point where I couldn’t live in my insular little bubble anymore. Circumstances demanded I get involved. When things happen to your child, beyond the point of a parent to control it, something happens. A shifting of thoughts begins and a need for understanding takes over. I may have gone way past the point of sanity most parents do when faced with this reality, but I felt it was my obligation to do all this. I have regrets, but I also know everyone makes mistakes. But no one, not even Senator Sokola or Mark Murphy, has ticked me off over education more than Jack Markell.
I quickly learned Jack cares more about corporations and their profits than Delaware students. Sadly, he found a way to combine the two and turned Delaware schools into profit centers for companies that could give two craps about student outcomes. Jack knows this. He knows the only way those companies will continue to flourish is with a steady stream of data and fix-it schemes. I suppose most states have a Jack Markell. How else can we explain the onslaught of Common Core and crappy tests like Smarter Balanced? I also learned Markell and Rodel are two sides of the same coin. They feed off each other, like twin parasites infecting their host.
My worst fear is having to continue beating up on Jack Markell. That would only happen if he were put in a more dangerous position than he is now. I see two potential Cabinet positions he could be placed in if the “nasty woman” wins. I’m hoping a rumor I heard long ago about him taking a Cyber Security position in Israel comes true. I would have loved to sit in a debate with him for a few hours and blown apart his theories and thoughts on education.
The most dangerous thing Jack Markell did with education in Delaware happened before he even became Governor. He did the interview for a man from the Massachusetts Department of Education, in their charter school office. A guy named Dr. Paul Herdman. This set up 12 years of education policy in this state that very closely aligned with what was going on across the country. And those plans aren’t done yet. Both of these men are actually very brilliant. They are strategists of the highest measure. They are futurists who plant seeds that bloom years in the future. I actually find them to be very worthy opponents in that respect. But one half of that equation is coming to an end in this state. And hopefully his replacement will be able to sever that cord.
It will be up to our next Governor to see through all the smoke and mirrors involved with the Every Student Succeeds Act. Whoever our new Governor is, I will attempt to meet with him. I intend to have a very long conversation with him, if he will let me, and let him know what I know. Maybe he already knows it already. Maybe he doesn’t. But I truly don’t want to fight him. I will give him a fresh and clean slate from day one, regardless of whatever policies he may have come out with during his campaign. I will also give every single member of the General Assembly that same respect, regardless of what may have happened pre-January 2017. They can choose to hang on to the past and hold a grudge against me. I haven’t been easy on many. But whether they are new or old, it is a new day. This also goes for the Department of Education and the State Board of Education. That doesn’t mean I won’t continue to expose what I find out, or file FOIA requests or complaints if something happens. Everything I have fought for will continue. But I won’t do it alone.
There are many who are on my side of things on many issues. There are some who are just now beginning to see the big picture. There are those who can’t see the forest through the trees. There are so many moving parts to education and understanding the full scope of it all takes time and patience. But I refuse to allow any child to be a guinea pig or a pawn for profit. I refuse to let their personal data go out to anyone who makes one penny off it. I refuse to let our Department of Education get away with what they have been doing.
January won’t just see new leaders in politics. We will also have new leadership in the Delaware State Education Association. Knowing what little I know about potential leaders and conversation that has taken place in the last week based on a few of my posts, I firmly believe that change in leadership can’t come quick enough. But we also need changes in the charter school landscape. For far too long, advocates for charters have ignored the elephant in the room. I am not saying it is all of them, but those with the loudest voices tend to get what they want. The funding and equity issues involved are killing us as a state. I personally believe there is enough funding in our state budget as it currently stands to have every child get the resources they need. There is a ton of wasted money being spent. We just have to convince the 149th Delaware General Assembly of this fact despite what will be a tsunami of opposition from districts and charter schools alike. I am leaning towards a weighted funding system more and more but not before we make sure every single district and charter schools is held fully accountable for the funds they already have.
The next six months are going to be very slippery in Delaware. One wrong move could send Delaware education sliding off the cliff. Now will be the time for voices like never before. Opt out was a drop in the bucket. But I don’t see those voices. Not front and center. Parents need to speak up like they never have before. They need to be louder than the state, louder than the administrators, and louder than our legislators. We need to become a force to be reckoned with. We need to organize and band together. We won’t agree on everything, but I think the majority of parents in this state can agree that what we have now is not working. We need to make sure Rodel is reduced to a low decibel noise that doesn’t hold the weight it used to. We need to make sure Delaware education is what we want, not what corporations want. This does not mean increased membership in the Delaware PTA either, but they will play a role. You will be hearing from me on this more in the next few weeks. Eyes will open to things that have happened right underneath all our noses with no one the wiser.
I need you. Our children need you. We are Delaware, not them. We need to finally make sure that is understood. We need to end the discrimination and segregation in this state. We need to end the racism that is underneath it all. We need to end the hate and make peace with the past. It is the only way we can truly move forward. I won’t have all the answers. You won’t. But maybe together, we can figure it out.
This guy has a lot of nerve. Jack Markell operates a shadow state government through his friends at Rodel and the Delaware Business Roundtable and he has the unmitigated gall to tell people we need to embrace change?
Yesterday he spoke before a Rotary Club in Lewes, DE to talk about the Pathways to Prosperity program he has been pimping non-stop since the beginning of the year. Every single chance he gets. But as we all know, this is Rodel’s baby. I have no doubt he is referring to people like me who question his every education move and see through the pretentiousness he carries with every word that comes out of his mouth about education.
The Cape Gazette, who wrote an editorial on Markell’s incessant babbling about the Pathways program, said the following:
Effective politicians act. That’s what Markell has done.
I completely agree with the Gazette. Markell is one of the best actors on the political circuit. If he isn’t busy promoting something that puts education money into the very greedy hands of corporations, he is setting up policy to destroy public education through the Rodelians whispering in his ear at every moment. How the hell anyone in this state thinks he is this “great” Governor is not in touch with reality. Or they have somehow profited from his shadowplays behind the scenes.
He denies access to the truth on a constant basis. He puts out Executive Orders that others seem to write and sets up commissions and committees that the public never have access to. These are the groups creating all this change we “bemoan”. And standing front and center in front of every single one of Markell’s education decisions is Rodel CEO Paul Herdman, getting richer by the day as the students of Delaware become educationally poor. But this devastator duo thrive on this destruction. They spin it and say “Oh, we need to do more”, and the crap just piles up more and more, year after year.
This is a guy who hires all the people in education that continue to build up things that will eventually destroy public education. I pray to God every single night this man never sets foot in public office again. Why the people of this state don’t collectively organize, regardless of political party or affiliation, and stand up to these bullies is beyond me. How they can sit at the same table as Rodel with a straight face and actually not see through the fraud and lies is beyond me. Time is rapidly running out for people to act. I can write about this stuff every single day but it means nothing until YOU do something about it. There will come a day when many of you will say “Holy crap, he was right about everything.” I don’t say that for my own personal edification. I would rather have you believe me now AND act on it now.
If you think for one second this will stop once Markell leaves office, you are dead wrong. John Carney already read the Rodel script and is pushing it in his own way. He swallowed the bait Rodel dangled for him. His own campaign manager sits on the Rodel Advisory Board.
Two weeks ago, Paul Herdman wrote about HIS version of education on Rodel’s blog. He said “We get it, education isn’t a business.” This coming from the guy who makes more than any state education employee. I challenge Paul Herdman to go home tonight, look in the mirror, and really look into his soul and say the words “Education isn’t a business” and truly believe it.
As always Delaware, it is up to all of you…
Yesterday, Delaware Governor Jack Markell signed House Bill 399, a teacher evaluation bill that began its journey with great intentions and wound up a victim to horrible amendments put on the bill by Senator David Sokola. There was no announcement of the bill signing to the press. It was not on the Governor’s public schedule There has been no press announcement or even a mention of this bill signing anywhere on the internet. Until now.
In attendance were Governor Markell, State Rep. Earl Jaques (the primary sponsor of the bill), Senator Bryan Townsend, Secretary of Education Dr. Steven Godowsky, DSEA President Frederika Jenner, one of the co-chairs of the DPAS-II Advisory Sub-Committee, Jackie Kook (Christina), Jill League (Red Clay teacher, on the DPAS-II Advisory Committee), Markell Education Policy Advisor Meghan Wallace, and Delaware parent Kevin Ohlandt.
Markell invitied the parties into his conference room and engaged in a conversation about the bill. As he looked around and commented how it was an interesting group in attendance, Markell thanked Jaques for all his hard work on the bill. Markell and Jaques talked about how they had many conversations about this bill. He then went around the table and asked for folks thoughts on the bill. Many were supportive of the bill. One person, the parent, said he felt it was a great bill until Senator Sokola put his amendment on it.
Secretary Godowsky said two charter schools were picked for the pilot program coming out of the bill, which would allow for a teacher and an administrator to choose which test to use for Part A of Component V (with the administrator having final say), all components would be equally weighted, and student and parent surveys. Sokola’s amendment added the administrator always having final say, the student and teacher surveys, and the pilot of three schools. The two charter schools invited by the Delaware DOE were Providence Creek Academy and Odyssey Charter School. Oddly enough, Providence Creek announced in a board meeting on June 21st, eight days before the Senate Education Committee and nine days before Sokola put his amendment on the bill on June 30th, that they were picked for a DPAS study by the Delaware DOE. Governor Markell expressed an interest in having districts participate in the pilot program. Secretary Godowsky said he thought Appoquinimink was on board but they opted out. Markell stated he may want to see Christina or Red Clay participate. Jenner said she would put out some feelers.
Markell was very cordial with the audience. He asked the teachers how their school year was going and how the schools they worked at were. He reflected on a program at Kirk Middle School from many years ago called “I Am Kirk” which was an anti-bullying program.
The time came for the bill signing, and everyone in attendance stood besides Markell as many pictures were taken by Markell staffers, James Dawson with Delaware Public Media, and even State Rep. Earl Jaques wanted a picture of the event. When Markell was signing the bill, the parent noticed he wrote each letter with a different pen until he reached the second letter of his last name which he finished signing with the same pen. Afterwards, he gave each participant one of the pens he signed the bill with, as seen in the above picture. He shook hands with everyone as the crowd drifted off, with the exception of Senator Townsend who stayed.
Yes, my first bill signing. I was very happy for the DPAS-II Advisory Sub-Committee when this legislation was first announced. It was finally an end to the very harmful effect of standardized testing on teacher evaluations. It opened a door for more medicine on the corporate education reform wounds inflicted on Delaware education. But one ex-DOE employee (who worked in the Teacher Leader Effectiveness Unit there) was able to influence one advocacy group from Wilmington to intervene. Then throw in Senator Sokola into the mix, and the amendment hijacked a great bill. I firmly believe having student and parent surveys as a part of a teacher’s evaluation is very dangerous. I am not sure why the DOE contacted schools to participate in this pilot program before Sokola even introduced the amendment (much less having the Senate approve the amendment). That isn’t the first time they have done something like that, way before something else had to be done first.
I do think it is good the pilot program could morph into a permanent thing. With Component V not always needing the Smarter Balanced Assessment, and giving the actual professionals: the teacher and the administrator the ability to collaborate and talk about a teacher’s choice is a good idea. As well as the equal weighting of each component. The DPAS-II Advisory Sub-Committee worked very hard for many months and they deserve major kudos for that. The disrespect for teachers that stand up for their rights is alarming. It is very disturbing that the Governor would not honor this bill the same as other bills he signs by making a pre-announcement of his signing and inviting any teacher who wanted to attend. But to make it worse, by not even acknowledging he signed this bill shows something I don’t want to say right now but the words are in my head. The disrespect for teachers that stand up for their rights is alarming.
As I eagerly awaited a picture or some type of announcement of the signing, from the Governor, Delaware Public Media, DSEA, Senator Townsend, or Rep. Jaques, with nary a paragraph or photo in sight, I was stuck with a Bic pen signed by Jack Markell.
Exceptional Delaware got the scoop of the year! Delaware Governor Jack Markell sent an audition tape to presidential nominee Hillary Clinton today. He highlighted what he has done for education and what Delaware is doing to further students into his corporatist agendas. There is a lot of talk about investment, technology, and support for students. I was able to obtain a copy of this video.
Today, Delaware Governor Markell signed an Executive Order which creates an Advisory n Committee for the Every Student Succeeds Act. As required by federal law, this group will convene to provide input (not make final decisions) on ESSA which was signed by President Obama last December. I am assuming this group will replace the DESS Advisory Committee which was required under the former federal education law, ESEA.
This group will have the usual slots: President of the State Board of Education, President of the Delaware State Education Association, and other education, business, and state associations. There are only two legislator slots, one from the Senate and one from the House. Usually, these kind of groups have representation of both parties in the House and the Senate. Only three teachers will be picked, and only four parents. On something this important, bigger is better. But lest we forget, these members will be picked by the Governor, so expect some controversy over those picks!
As well, there will be a series of “Community Conversations” coming up at the end of September. I pray this isn’t a one-sided show where select people are telling the audience what has to happen. It needs to be a true back and forth exchange to be a true conversation.
Below is Executive Order #62 and the press release from the Delaware DOE.
Markell Creates Group to Support Implementation of New Federal Education Law
Calling a new federal education law an opportunity for teachers, school leaders, parents, and others to build on record graduation rates and other progress happening in Delaware schools, Governor Jack Markell today signed Executive Order 62, which brings together a diverse group of stakeholders to provide input for the state plan required by the federal Every Students Succeeds Act (ESSA). The plan, which the U.S. Department of Education is expected to require by sometime next year, will detail efforts to:
· Implement academic standards aligned with what students need to know stay on track for success in college and the workplace;
· Ensure students from all backgrounds have access to high-quality educational opportunities from pre-school through high school;
· Support training, retention, and professional advancement of great educators; and
· Track progress of schools across a variety of measures, not limited to test scores, and identify ways to offer additional support where students are struggling.
The Governor, who signed E.O. 62 at Lewis Elementary School, noted that improvements from the last major federal education law, No Child Left Behind, mean that states have more flexibility in ways to support students, including how to measure schools’ progress and new opportunities to focus on early childhood education, which has been a top priority of the Markell Administration.
“We should all be proud of the progress we have made over the last few years, when we have seen thousands more low-income families enroll children in high-quality early childhood programs, recorded the fastest-growing graduation rate in the country, offered thousands more students the chance to earn workplace experience and college credit while in high school, and given more students access to college,” said Markell.
“ESSA provides an exciting chance for us to build on that momentum – to better support and attract great teachers and ensure all of our students have access to the education they deserve, no matter their backgrounds. More flexibility in how states approach these issues means more responsibility for us to make sound decisions and as we develop our state’s plan under ESSA. The executive order I sign today will help engage our teachers, school leaders, parents, and other advocates to ensure a successful process.”
The Executive Order outlines the variety of education leaders and advocates who must be represented on the committee and provides the group with the opportunity to review drafts of the state plan and submit recommendations to the Secretary of Education. A chair will be announced in advance of the first meeting and the group will include representatives of:
· Parents in every county
· Educators from urban and rural communities
· The State Board of Education
· The Delaware State Education Association
· The Delaware Association of School Administrators
· The Delaware School Board’s Association
· The Delaware Charter School Network
· The Wilmington Education Improvement Commission
· The Early Childhood Council
· Delaware English Language Teachers and Advocates
· An organization advocating for students with disabilities
· Delaware’s business community
· Workforce development programs
· The General Assembly
“After engaging in initial discussions with a wide variety of education stakeholders on development of our ESSA plan, this advisory committee represents an important next step in supporting our communication with teachers, administrators, and parents who are working hard to support our students,” said Delaware Education Secretary Steve Godowsky. “This group will help ensure we fully consider a wide range of perspectives and set our state on a path of continued improvement.”
The department also will engage representatives of stakeholder groups in two discussion groups. The first group will focus discussions on technical topics related to Measures of School Success and Reporting. The second group will focus discussions on provisions for Student and School Supports. Participants for these topical discussion groups can be nominated on the department’s ESSA web site through September 9, 2016. The discussion groups will provide information to the Advisory group created by this Executive Order.
To further support engagement of the broader education community, the Department of Education has announced a series of Community Conversations later this month during which teachers, administrators, and others will offer input on specific questions that the state must address in its plan. These discussions will take place at the following times and locations:
Tuesday September 20 at 6:00 p.m. – Cheer Center, Georgetown
Saturday September 24 at 10:00 a.m. – Christina Cultural Arts Center, Wilmington
Tuesday September 27 at 6:00 p.m. – Bunker Hill Elementary School, Middletown
Thursday September 29 at 5:30 p.m. – Collette Education Center, Dover
The public also is invited to provide input through online surveys found on the Department’s ESSA web site and by submitting feedback to ESSAStatePlan@doe.k12.de.us.
The National Association of State Boards of Education just named Delaware Governor Jack Markell as their 2016 Policy Leader of the Year. Meanwhile, Delawareans across the state are facing an air quality alert because of the stench coming from the collective vomiting of educators and parents across the state. Is this just another sign Jack is heading to the U.S. Department of Education under a potential President Hillary Clinton? Butter up the masses for the eventual announcement? I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Jack Markell cares more about corporations than education. He is Captain Corporation in my book. This is just wrong…
At 9am this morning, Delaware Governor Jack Markell will sign an Executive Order to promote stakeholder engagement for the Every Student Succeeds Act. The event, taking place at Lewis Elementary School in Wilmington, will deal with the state plan for ESSA. Each state in the country must submit a plan for how they will carry out ESSA.
I have to admit I’m very curious to see what this Executive Order will be. I find it ironic Markell would sign something mandatory like this. Markell got a ton of stakeholder engagement during the House Bill 50/Opt Out saga. He didn’t listen then, and I see no sign of him listening to anyone now. He still hasn’t signed House Bill 399, dealing with teacher evaluations. This would have been the perfect place for him to do it. I have to doubt this will either be something very benign and won’t mean anything or he is up to something.
The State Board of Education in Arkansas issued a press release last week calling for more participation in planning around their state accountability system. The last time Delaware tried something similar it met with a great deal of controversy because of a lack of stakeholders. Come back later today for a recap of what Markell is planning.
For Delaware Governor Jack Markell, a great deal of time is spent during his summer months signing legislation passed by the Delaware General Assembly. But some legislation has not received a signature by the Governor. Three education bills, in particular, all show what can only be seen as resistance to many of the policies and agendas Governor Markell, Rodel, the Delaware Charter Schools Network, and the Delaware DOE have put forth in Delaware the past eight years. The Governor has nothing on his public schedule this week. That doesn’t mean he won’t sign bills this week. But when he has nothing, that usually means he isn’t in Delaware.
House Bill 399 w/House Amendment 1, Senate Amendments 1 and 2
This is the controversial teacher evaluation bill that stretched into the wee hours of July 1st this year. Coming out of the DPAS-II Advisory Sub-Committee recommendations, this bill generated a lot of heat after Senator David Sokola butchered the intent of the bill. It was originally designed so other state-approved assessments could be used as a measure in Component V of the DPAS-II teacher evaluation system. By forcing the Smarter Balanced Assessment scores to factor into teacher evaluations, the Delaware DOE and Markell got a ton of heat the past few years. The bill was supposed to change that. But Senator Sokola decided to intervene with a lot of help from ex-DOE employee Atnre Alleyne and the usual suspects over at the DOE and State Board. So why hasn’t Jack signed the bill yet? Rumors circulated at Legislative Hall that Markell did not like this bill. We all know what happened the last time Jack “didn’t like” a bill. Engrossed version of bill.
House Bill 408 w/House Amendment 2
The school breakfast bill, which would also give free breakfast to students in Delaware, caused a lot of controversy with a part about charter schools not being included. An amendment in the House made sure they were. Gee, when did a charter school meal program last cause a lot of conversation? Perhaps when they applied for a major modification and it came out their meal program was not what it appeared to be? Hello Newark Charter School! Engrossed version of bill.
Senate Bill 93 w/Senate Amendment 1 and House Amendment 1
This bill is awesome. The Autism community in Delaware spoke loud and clear in support of this bill. But when an amendment was tacked on in the Senate giving the Delaware DOE a seat at the table through the very controversial Special Education Strategic Plan, led by ex Rodel employee Matthew Korobkin, the Autism community was outraged. An amendment in the House stripped the entire Senate amendment out. Over two years after Governor Markell signed this Special Education Strategic Plan into the FY2015 budget, we have yet to see it. I’m hearing it is due any time now. I can’t wait to see what Rodel and the charter lobbyists comes up with for this one! Engrossed version of bill.
I see confusion on Markell’s part. Does he sign these or not? If he does, what does that say to some of his key allies? If he doesn’t, he invites the wrath of many. He is a lame duck, but he still has political aspirations. Depending on what they are, could signing some of these bills affect those plans? What to do, what to do…
Delaware Governor Jack Markell sure was a busy guy yesterday. In the morning he was pimping the Rodelian Teacher Leader Project. But then he decided to defy the Delaware Senate and signed Executive Order #61. What did Jack do this time?
A couple of months ago, Markell’s Chief Ass-Kisser, Delaware Senator David Sokola, tried to get a bill going that would create a permanent steering committee for the Pathways to Prosperity program in Delaware schools. The bill made it out of committee, but never made it to the Senate floor in June. From what I hear, it wouldn’t have passed. It was not considered a priority and legislators weren’t fully sold on this idea.
So what does Jack do? He goes and says “screw you Delaware Senate. If you won’t do my bidding, I’ll just make it happen!” He did that yesterday with Executive Order #61. But not only did he give two very big screw yous to the Delaware Senate, but also disability advocates and Delaware parents (again). Because even though Senate Bill 277 didn’t make it to the Senate floor, an amendment was added which would have had two other members on this steering committee:
This amendment adds two members to the Pathways steering committee, one member from a non-profit organization that advocates on behalf of persons with disabilities and one member of the public who is a parent of a Delaware public school student.
I was at the Senate Education Committee meeting when this bill was discussed. I was the one who questioned why there were no parents on this steering committee. Sokola pretended it was a mistake parents weren’t on the steering committee with his obviously fake “Oh my gosh” face. As well, the Chair of the Governor’s Advisory Council for Exceptional Citizens noted there was no one representing students with disabilities on it. Thus, the amendment.
Look at the test of Jack’s “I can out-trump Trump” Executive Order and then compare it to the original language in Senate Bill 277:
Text of Executive Order 61
TO: HEADS OF ALL STATE DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES
RE: ESTABLISHING A DELAWARE PATHWAYS STEERING COMMITTEE
WHEREAS, in 2015, Governor Markell established the Delaware Promise, a commitment that the state will combine education and workforce efforts to provide opportunities for our students as they prepare to enter and advance in a career;
WHEREAS, Governor Markell’s administration has established “Delaware Pathways”, a collaborative workforce development partnership which will create a fluid relationship between our public education system, post-secondary education, non-profit, and employer communities to ensure that the pathway to college and a well-paying job is accessible for every Delawarean, and to help the state fulfill the “Delaware Promise” of ensuring that 65% of our workforce earns a college degree or professional certificate by 2025, and that all of our students graduate high school;
WHEREAS, a Steering Committee is necessary to ensure that the program’s long term sustainability and adaptation proceeds in a manner that aligns its offerings to the needs of the workforce and to the students and parents who participate, along with ensuring that the budgetary priorities of the program are identified and outlined in a transparent and collaborative manner;
WHEREAS, we must work to continue to expand access to these programs in order to provide Delaware students with the opportunity to earn an industry-recognized credential, early college credit, and relevant work experience in high-demand fields in our state and regional economies.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, JACK A. MARKELL, by virtue of the authority vested in me as Governor of the State of Delaware, do hereby declare and order the following:
1. The Delaware Pathways Steering Committee (“Steering Committee”) is hereby established to set the strategic direction of the Delaware Pathways work and provide recommendations for future development and growth of the program, and ensure that program offerings are properly aligned with current and expected employer demand.
2. The Steering Committee shall consist of 14 members as follows:
a. The Secretary of the Department of Education.
b. The Secretary of the Department of Labor.
c. The Secretary of the Department of Health and Social Services.
d. The Director of Economic Development Office.
e. Chair of the Delaware Workforce Development Board.
f. The President of the Delaware State Board of Education.
g. The President of Delaware Technical Community College.
h. One superintendent of a public school district appointed by the Governor.
i. One superintendent of a vocational technical school district appointed by the Governor.
j. Two business representatives appointed by the Governor.
k. Three members of community or non-profit organizations appointed by the Governor.
3. Members serving by virtue of position may appoint, in writing and in advance of a particular scheduled meeting or on a permanent basis, a designee to serve in their stead and at their pleasure. Members appointed by the Governor shall serve at the pleasure of the Governor.
4. The Steering Committee shall, at least annually, and no later than January 15th of each calendar year perform at least the following:
a. Advise the Governor on the priorities, policy issues, and specific plans for the ongoing implementation of Delaware Pathways.
b. Review the policies of existing statewide programs and funding streams to make recommendations and take actions that align education, higher education, and workforce development programs in the state.
c. Provide guidance and leadership to agency staff involved in implementing this work for the development, expansion, and improvement of Delaware Pathways.
d. Set and track annual goals for Delaware Pathways.
e. Assist in convening stakeholders and increasing participation in Delaware Pathways programs throughout the state.
5. The Governor shall designate from the members one Chairperson of the Steering Committee. The chairperson will be appointed biennially.
6. Members appointed to the Steering Committee shall serve renewable terms of 2 years, except in the case of public employees who are not school district superintendents and who are continuing in the same designated position, and in the case of initial appointment terms, which shall be either one or two years.
7. The initial appointment terms of non-public employees and school district superintendents shall be either one or two years, such that three of the appointed non-public or school district superintendents shall serve a one year term, and the other four shall serve a two year term. The terms of each individual appointment shall be at the discretion of the Governor, but after the initial term is served the position shall be for a renewable term of 2 years.
8. The Steering Committee shall meet at the call of the Chairperson, but not less than semiannually.
9. Any vacancy occurring in the appointed membership must be filled in the same manner as the original appointment.
10. Administrative support shall be provided by the Department of Education.
11. Nothing in this Order is to be construed to create a private right of action to enforce its terms.
This Executive Order shall take effect immediately.
Now, if I were a betting man, Markell is doing a few things here. One, he is laughing at the Delaware Senate. Two, he is setting things up for John Carney who is a big Pathways cheerleader. Three, he is fulfilling his Rodel promise (as well as whatever promise Rodel made to the Lumina Foundation). Four, he is padding up his own resume for his post-Governor job. And Five, he is fulfilling the “Dear Hillary” letter by setting Delaware up as a pilot state for the Pathways portion of this agenda. I underestimated Markell. I really thought he would start to quiet down in his final days. He is busier than ever. He is also a backstabbing and conniving jackass.
As for you Mr. John “I don’t respond to you little blogger” Carney, I have a feeling I’m going to have to start looking into you. A lot. I don’t think you are who you appear to be… You are running out of time to prove me wrong… It’s going to be a loooooooooong four years if this continues…
A fate worse than death would be Jack Markell as the United States Secretary of Education under President Hillary Clinton. What Markell has done to Delaware education in less than eight years (twelve if you count his contributions towards Rodel’s plans) has been nothing short of a disaster. As one of the chief proponents of Common Core, Markell was the ringmaster for state accountability systems designed to perpetuate an endless cycle of high-stakes testing, school labeling, teacher shaming, and student rigor.
We now know Jack Markell really wants to be the U.S. Secretary of Education. John King is just filler until the next President. Town Square Delaware reported this morning that because John King stated Markell “has had his eye on this job for years” based on a Politico report about Hillary’s potential Cabinet posts. Granted, there are other contenders such as former Deputy Secretary of Education Jim Shelton, outgoing Chancellor of D.C. Schools Kaya Henderson, and even John King himself. None of those would be a good pick. If Clinton wins and picks any of these people, we will firmly know where she stands on education: she is a sell-out to corporations.
If Clinton wins and she nominates Markell as the next U.S. Secretary of Education, I will personally travel to D.C. to attend the Senate nomination hearing for Markell and testify against his capabilities to lead our country’s children. This would be a major step backwards, not forward. He is a corporate guy, not an education guy. He can’t stand parents butting into education, dislikes teachers, and goes back on his word constantly. This will not happen if I have anything to say about it. And I will not be the only one.
Do we really want a guy who allows state law to be circumvented by his administration. In the Chip Flowers FOIA scandal, Markell’s office is blocking sending out emails requested through a FOIA request because it has other legislators in the email. It’s called redacting those names! But Markell is shady, no doubt about it. But he is also good at covering up his tracks. Look at all the corporate tax loopholes he has created during his time as Governor. This is NOT the guy for education. The mail room for education? Sure. Not as the leader!
Just because The News Journal quoted John King as saying Markell has performed “nation-leading work” in early education does not qualify for him for this post. He has never been a teacher or even worked in public education. Think about that. Someone who only steps into a classroom to announce his latest agendas for corporate education reform…
Former Red Clay Education Association and current Red Clay teacher Mike Matthews replied to Delaware Governor Jack Markell’s controversial email to Delaware teachers with the words only a teacher can say. If any other teachers or Delaware citizens want me to publish their reply to our “education” Governor, let me know!
Gov. Markell:
Thank you for the email, but I feel I can’t accept your praise. First, the growth you’re praising is about as much as a margin of error in any political poll, so I’ll take said growth with a grain of salt. Second, you continue prop up this Smarter Balanced Assessment and the standards they are evaluating while failing to admit that this test provides virtually no diagnostic or beneficial material to educators in any timely fashion.
I’m going to keep this email short and say that while I respect you as a person and I respect many of the progressive stances you’ve taken during your nearly eight years in office, I continue to be disturbed by your tone and agenda when it comes to education matters. I would have thought you’d lighten up in your final year after the debacle that was Priority Schools. After mounting evidence has revealed that judging schools, teachers, and students on test scores is statistically unreliable and morally bankrupt. After charter after charter around Delaware continues to fail and close. After overwhelming majorities in the House and Senate vote to uphold a parents’ right to opt their children out of toxic standardized tests that do little to help their progress in school or out. After educators across the State vote unanimously no confidence in your corporate education reform Secretary of Education, Mark Murphy.
What other messages need to be sent to you, Governor, that your business-minded approach to education is not the way to go when we are working with students of varying needs and abilities. Using your business-model approach to education, Governor, who will get left behind when we close all those “poor-performing” schools because of a silly test score? Will it be the student with severe emotional needs that breaks down at the sight of a computerized test? Will it be the student who came to school on test day in soiled clothes after having eaten nothing the weekend before? Will it be the student who witnessed his brother get shot on the streets of Wilmington the night before?
While the Wilmington Education Improvement Commission has done a great job approaching many of the education issues your administration ignored during the first seven years of your administration (remember: the people you put in charge at DoE explicitly believe that poverty is NEVER a barrier to success. One Penny Schwinn actually stated that violence in Wilmington is never a challenge to a student’s success in school), it’s too little too late for your education legacy.
I wish this could have been different. I wish my outsized support for you in 2008 had been a little more probing when it came to education issues. As it stands, I regret the unequivocal support I offered you then both personally and by way of my blog, which no doubt contributed much to your narrow primary victory.
That being said, I genuinely wish you the best once you leave office and I hope someday you’ll realize the damage your education policies caused in this state and that you’ll have a change of heart in the coming years.
One suggestion: At the conclusion of your term, I’d ask you to please spend a week with Warner teacher Monique Taylor-Gibbs to see what’s it’s like working at one of those “failing” schools. Your opinions will change and I guarantee you’ll realize the damage your administration did to our schools with the neverending “test and punish” schemes hoisted upon them.
All the best,
Mike
Sent from my iPhone
Governor Markell sent an email to teachers and administrators thanking them for the latest Smarter Balanced Assessment results. Meanwhile, people don’t care. In the grand tradition of the former and very much lamented Transparent Christina, I hereby present the red-line edition of Jack’s chest-thumping email!
From: Markell, Governor (Governor)
Gee really, you need to write it down twice?
Sent: Thursday, July 21, 2016 2:01:51 PM (UTC-05:00) Eastern Time (US & Canada)
To: K12 Employees
Subject: Thank you to educators and school administrators
Thank you Governor Markell for forcing students to take this test and for teachers to administer them. God bless the opt out parents!
Dear Educators and School Administrators,
What, no love for the parents?
I hope you are all having a wonderful summer.
You too Jack. Speaking on behalf of teachers, thank you for interrupting our bliss and harmony with this email.
As many of you may have seen, today the state released our annual data showing student performance on the Smarter Balanced Assessment. The improved scores across subjects and grade levels throughout our state serves as yet more evidence that your hard work is producing great results for our children and I wanted to take this opportunity to send a note of thanks.
In other words, over half our kids still aren’t proficient in math based on Smarter Balanced Standards and only 55% of them are proficient in ELA based on those same standards. I see what you’re doing here. Thanking teachers for their “hard work” for bad results. The joke is on you. Anyone who doesn’t know this is a crap test has been living in a cave somewhere.
Our transition to higher standards for what students should know at each grade level has contributed to making the last few years a tremendously challenging time for all of our educators, no matter what subject you teach, and all administrators. At a time when it’s clear that students will rely on their education more than ever to reach their potential, we know they deserve these higher expectations aligned to what colleges and employers will expect of them after graduation.
Newsflash Jack, education has always been needed for students to reach their full potential. This isn’t anything new. Stop making it a crisis. We get it. They don’t “deserve these higher expectations”. That’s like saying “I’m going to hit you in the face. It will hurt. But it will make you stronger.” Colleges hate Common Core, hate your stupid high-stakes tests, and I have yet to hear any employer say “what were your Smarter Balanced scores?” in an interview.
Accepting the higher standards at the state level was the easy part. Our progress is the result of what happens in our classrooms every day.
Yeah, rigor and grit. Lots of academic sweat that still hasn’t produced the results you think we want but you don’t really because as long as kids our doing bad they still need to be fixed. This story is getting as old as your time in office. Like the citizens of the state had much say in accepting these “higher standards”. When you dangle carrots like “Look, we’re getting all this money from the feds during a time when I had to cut teacher raises. Hip Hop Hooray! Come and board my train. It will be fun. Please fasten your seat belts cause you are going to get ridiculed and tested like never before. Don’t worry about the scores or the growth. Progress is progress. As long as my friends make money, that is the true progress!”
The improving proficiency levels released today represent another data point to show that what you are doing is working. Our graduation rates are at record levels, and recently led the country for the biggest growth. More students than ever are being prepared to be fluent in another language, and to pass college-level dual enrollment and Advanced Placement courses before they graduate. And you are making possible the incredible growth in our Pathways to Prosperity program, which just 2 years after it launched with about 30 students, will give more than 5,000 students this fall the chance to take courses that prepare them with college credit and workplace experience in growing industries from IT to health care to culinary arts.
But most of those students will need to go to Del-Tech. Way to spend millions of dollars on programs that benefit your buddies over there. Your asskissery has no limits. More flavor in the favors, that’s all this is. While I don’t mind students learning other languages, the fact that your “World Immersion” programs limit the number of kids who can enroll, especially students with disabilities, will just ultimately create more discrimination and segregation. Why is it whenever I see pictures of these programs I see mostly white kids Jack? But let’s take the time to thank Governor Markell for yet another data point that states the obvious: your ideas DON’T WORK!!! Maybe to the sycophant Delaware DOE, State Board of Education and the suck-ups who don’t realize they are on the table and still think they are at the table.
More than anything, I want to thank you for the daily efforts you put into making your classroom the best possible learning environment, taking time after the school day ends to provide the best extra support, and developing lessons that meet individual needs of each child.
Individual needs measured by a standardized test that does not differentiate between those individual needs and set up to make those with the highest needs look like failures. Teachers are burned out with your absolute hypocrisy and BS Jack. How many more months? I’m sure all the teachers are eternally grateful they have to spend so much of their day outside of their regular hours that get sucked up with professional development. I’m sure they are real happy about that. I’m sure they love the extreme waste of hours it takes students to take this cash in the trash test. Thank you for not providing the true funding our students need to be truly successful and giving all those corporations their big tax breaks. Thank you for giving the middle finger to parents and basically saying to them “Shut the hell up about what you want. This is MY Delaware,” followed by “If you thought those after-school hours are bad now dear educators, wait until your schools become all-day community centers from fetus to the grave!”
I look forward to following your lead and making the most of all of my remaining days in office to provide the support our teachers and students need to make the most of their talents.
I have no doubt you will spend your remaining days finding new ways to further your corporate education reform agendas for your Wall Street, Rodel, and big campaign donor buddies. Don’t forget Jack, you have to put those final nails in the public education coffin by getting those competency-based personalized learning plans into shape. How long before the announcement that Smarter Balanced will replace final exams and tlater will serve as end of unit tests? Can we take a peak at your stock portfolio? God help us all if you do anything education related at a higher level after you (finally) leave office…
Thank you,
“Not really but I have to play this up…suckers!”
Jack A. Markell
Alan Jackson
Governor
Lame-Duck! Quack Quack!
Delaware Governor Jack Markell announced another initiative tied to grants to prevent students from taking remedial classes in college. This whopping $250,000 grant is coming from USAFunds, a non-profit think tank that promises to “fix” education along with the other million or so companies that promise to do the same. Funny how none of them have, despite all their big talk and reports. What causes me to shudder is some things I found on USAFunds website.
This company is big on community colleges and associate degrees. Which must make them very attractive to a guy like Jack Markell. But they go a step beyond and promote “Students Futures as Investments”. This is the ultimate goal. Not only will companies decide what you want to be when you grow up, they will also earn part of your future earnings! These income-share agreements would have investors fund student’s college education and in return they would get a share of your earnings. We pretty much already have this with student loans. USAFunds linked to a company called American Enterprise Institute (AEI) on their website. AEI has a pdf of the “promises and challenges of Income-Share Agreements“. While this organization likes to use pretty words and all-out statements to support their “cause”, it also talks about human beings as investments. First we were Human Capital, now we are Human Investments. When do we get to be just human? Add in social impact bonds to gamble on special education outcomes in pre-schools, and this is just another step to the privatization of American education.
The funds from this nearly $250,000 grant will go to select schools that participate in the Allied Health and Technology pathway as part of Governor Markell’s big “Pathways to Prosperity” push. Care to guess which college in Delaware specifically has an Allied Health and Technology program? Delaware Tech. And I’m sure any school in Delaware that offers this field as one of their career pathways is already salivating to jump onboard for this free money. Until the grant runs out, and then they make it a part of district costs, thus elevating the huge amount we already pay for education in Delaware.
But for Governor Markell, the lame-duck quacking has ended. All we hear now is the beck and call of corporations and Governor Markell selling our children out. It doesn’t matter if they are conservative, liberal, or just greedy. Markell will sell out Delaware students for any reason. But try to get an audience with the guy about his future plans or actual plans that would improve student outcomes, and we just get more of this:
“We have too many students that have worked hard to meet the requirements of college entry and yet when their coursework begins, they find themselves in need of remediation and additional supports,” said Markell. “I’m thrilled that as a result of our partnership with USA Funds, we can now take another step toward ensuring that our students enter our colleges prepared to earn credits and make progress toward a degree on day one.”
Hey Jack, if our students are still having this problem after eight years of your education reforms, perhaps the problem isn’t the students. Perhaps it is YOU. If you weren’t always trying to make money for companies, maybe our students would have a chance. Add in Common Core, and how it really doesn’t work, and we have another self-made recipe for corporate greed. I was wrong about you running for Congress today Jack, but this just tells me you are banking on a Hillary win so you can get your greedy paws into ALL of American education. You really have no shame…
This is the question that doesn’t seem to be on anybody’s mind, but it should be. It also makes all those letters going out to Democrat Primary Candidates in Delaware much easier to understand. Delaware Senator Bryan Townsend started the letter reveals today, and it was quickly revealed all the primary candidates got them. Sounds like a Chair of the Democrat party going rogue, right? Or maybe not. Why would Bryon Short drop out of the race months ago? He was endorsed by half the House Democrats and Governor Jack Markell last year. Sure, Townsend may have been racking up the campaign contributions, but Short seemed to have the political edge for the race. But he dropped out, all of a sudden to the shock of many.
Meanwhile, Hillary Clinton is running for President. To say she is the front-runner would be a bit of a misnomer. But a strong rumor in Delaware was that Jack really wanted to be her Secretary of Education. Like really, really bad. But if there is a chance she might not win, what’s a Jack to do? How about jumping into the race for John Carney’s seat in Congress? It keeps him in politics, it is still a lofty position, and he doesn’t have to pull a Murphy and go work for one of those dime-a-dozen education companies. We will know by July 12th if has any intentions. But given the fact that a) Bryon Short dropped out, b) all the candidates got their “think about it and drop out if you can” letters, c) the one to the Congressional candidates specifically says the words “like Bryon Short”, and d) it would be Jack’s logical next move if he isn’t sure the Hillster can pull it off.
Daniello’s letter ticked off a lot of candidates. Enough to cause self-doubt and angst? Probably not. But it does set up the chess board for Jack to enter, pissing off a lot of people in the Democrat party. Especially folks like Townsend. This wouldn’t be the first time Jack did something like this. Those who remember, Carney was the favorite in 2008 for Governor, until Jack went against the party and entered the race. But I hope the outcome is different should he choose to run. I would love to see Jack in a primary… and lose! I’m sure the DOE will have some openings by then!
Delaware Governor Jack Markell loves education. He loves it so much he vetoes bills that go against parental rights, makes sure teachers are evaluated on faulty data, and loves high-stakes tests. He also loves money! And the money pouring out of his state into Education Inc.’s grabby little hands is very transparent! Out of the songs in this poll, which songs do you think best exemplifies Jack Markell’s education policies and agendas? For this special poll, I am allowing up to four answers, so you can pick four songs!
On June 29th, Delaware Governor Jack Markell wrote a letter to State Representatives Charles Potter and Stephanie Bolden and State Senator Margaret-Rose Henry. In the letter he expressed his regret at not being able to “fully support” the funding for the Wilmington Education Improvement Commission’s redistricting plan and how he expects to appropriate $7.5 million in his recommended FY2018 budget in January, 2017. Later in the letter he states he will appropriate the funding in his recommended budget. Back in September of 2014, Markell issued an Executive Order which created the Wilmington Education Advisory Committee which issued recommendations that became WEIC. By doing so, through Executive Order, that should have been his FULL support. Instead, he kicked the can down the road because he wasn’t able to give this his “full support”.
I’ve always wondered what the deal was with this. It happened as Christina and Red Clay were calling for the DOE’s throat over the priority schools. Constituents were pissed and the above-mentioned legislators, along with others, pleaded with Governor Markell to do something. I firmly believe the entire WEIC redistricting plan was the official reaction to the priority schools. But did Jack bite off more than he could chew with this? By essentially creating all of this, it brought city advocates for under-served, under-funded, and high-needs city children to the forefront of Delaware education conversation. It quickly became clear that much more was needed than the state would be able to deliver. In hindsight though, it did force us as a state to renew conversations about race, education, funding, economic class, discrimination, and so much more. Before the budget vote, State Rep. Stephanie Bolden explained how we are all neighbors in Delaware and what happens in Wilmington has a trickle-down effect to the rest of the state. The opposite could be said though. What doesn’t happen downstate affects the entire state. It is my hope that as WEIC uses their extra year of planning that they add Kent and Sussex County voices to these essential conversations.
I don’t trust Markell to keep his word. By the time he submits this budget, his time as Governor is done. He will be sailing off to his next destination (for which I will be happy unless it lands him at the US DOE). But even if he does, that is no guarantee that 1) the money will be there in a year, 2) the Joint Finance Committee will appropriate it, or 3) The General Assembly will approve it in the budget bill for FY2018. This is not, by far, a done deal.
Delaware Governor Jack Markell was caught red-handed deleting a tweet! On Friday, at 4:29 pm, Markell put up a tweet from a conference in Washington D.C. sponsored by a group called Select USA. Delaware had a booth there. Two seconds after he posted the tweet, he deleted it. Apparently there is a group called the Sunlight Foundation that monitors when politicians delete tweets. They put it up on their website. When you click on the link in Markell’s tweet, nothing comes up. So even a website link appears to have been deleted as well. But I looked to find out what @DelawareGlobal is. They are actually called Global Delaware. Global Delaware is a part of our state government. They are located in the Carvel building in Wilmington at 820 N. French St.
But just cause Jack retweeted a tweet from Global Delaware, does that mean he was even at this thing?
Yeah, he was there! This conference was so big, even the President went!
So why would a Governor attend a conference with a state organization and delete the tweet about it? What’s the big secret here Jack? Global Delaware promotes financial investment in Delaware from other countries. On their website blog, you can see posts about The Delaware Blockchain Initiative, the Whitehouse Business Council, the Trans-Pacific Partnership, and the Global Cities Initiative, among others. I don’t usually get too involved in economic events with the State of Delaware, but when the Governor closes the blinds on letting the sunshine in, I have to write about it. Especially when it involves education! Wait a minute, how does foreign investment play into Delaware education?
For years, we have been told by the Governor that we have to fix education to fix the economy. Because our economy is so bad and our students aren’t college and career ready. But yet, even Select USA states on their website that the USA is the number one country in the world for foreign investment:
The United States is the largest recipient of foreign direct investment (FDI) in the world because companies recognize the United States as an innovative and stable market, as well as the world’s largest economy. As global investment continues to evolve, SelectUSA showcases the advantages of the U.S. market to an increasingly diverse range of investors.
So if our education system is soooo bad, and other countries are soooo far ahead of us, why would they bother to invest in the good old USA? Perhaps the farce that our public education system is horrible is just that, a carefully designed illusion driving the corporate education reform agenda. In Delaware, this is highlighted by Markell’s best buddies at the Delaware DOE and the Rodel Foundation.
As a reader, you are probably very confused by now. Still not getting the education connection yet? By bringing all these foreign companies to Delaware, the state will have lots of new jobs. That’s good, right? Not if it deters students from going on to a four-year college. This is the plan: get students to do the “Pathways to Prosperity” thing, get certificates in high school, do apprenticeships, perhaps attend a two-year community college like Del-Tech (which the Governor has been talking about a lot in 2016). That way, when these foreign companies come to Delaware, the students are ready to start their jobs. These jobs that are most likely lower-paying jobs than they could get if they did attend a four-year college. Cause that option, in the future, will be reserved for the more advantaged students. The ones who aren’t low-income or poverty, don’t have disabilities, and so forth.
Now how on earth could a Governor get the public to buy this hook, line, and sinker? By constantly talking about how we need to “fix” education and incessantly chatting about his Pathways to Prosperity. Ironically, Senate Bill 277 which would create a permanent steering committee for Pathways to Prosperity, has been on the Senate agenda for a full vote twice, yesterday and last Thursday, but the Senate has not voted on it. An amendment was added to the bill to include a Delaware parent as well as “one member from a non-profit corporation that advocates on behalf of persons with disabilities“. How much do you want to bet that advocate will have ties to the Rodel Foundation? Any takers? Is the General Assembly less than enthralled with this Markell push?
But he doesn’t just want Delaware students to be a part of this global initiative, he even wants Delawareans to invest in it! There is already pending legislation to lure the citizens of Delaware into taking part in start-up companies in the state. All those tax credit bills that swept through the General Assembly so fast? A boon to companies coming to Delaware! Why do you think so many companies invest in Delaware? Cause of the tax breaks. But when it comes to giving relief to the taxpaying citizens of the state? Forget about it! When it comes to ending the corporate workforce education reform agendas that changed public education without any concern for what it does to students and their future? Forget about it! For Markell, it is all about bottom line, the almighty dollar.
We will know exactly what kind of man Jack Markell is when House Bill 399 comes to his desk. Assuming Sokola allows it on the Senate Education Committee agenda in the next week. If the Governor vetoes the bill, we will know once and for all that he does not care about students, parents, or teachers. He already proved this last summer when he vetoed House Bill 50, the opt out bill, showing he doesn’t care one iota for parental rights. For Markell, it is all about “the best test Delaware ever made”, the Smarter Balanced Assessment. He can’t permit any legislation that would somehow diminish the test. Because the Smarter Balanced Assessment, whether it is given once a year or eventually segmented into smaller chunks through end of unit personalized learning assessments, is the key to everything. All the data and tracking will lead to students being tracked into certain career paths based on their scores on SBAC. Which is the direct link between education and this deleted tweet. Markell posts about these kind of things all the time, so I am not sure why he would delete a tweet based on a conference that nobody in their right mind would write about as much as I am today. But he did. Did he not want people to know he was there? Did he not put it on his travel itinerary?
Of course, all of this plays directly into the “future guide” that was so carefully written… 24 years ago…
The Season Of Myths 