63 Superintendents draft “No Confidence” petition to Huffman’s radical reform
Teneessee Education Czar Kevin Huffman, a Bill Haslam appointee has been on a radical romp in Tennessee the last few years transforming our educational system into a nationalized mess leaving many doubting his motives.
Pushing RTTT, common core, charter schools, new teacher assessments, merit based pay, reduced overall teacher pay, nationalized education, nationalized school boards while trending away from local control, Teach For America and many other reforms are drastically changing the educational landscape in Tennessee. Many within the system forced to accept these changes are not happy.
The 63 or so Superintendents from the state of Tennessee have started a petition to garner Mr Huffmans attention and tell him they may have something to add if only given the opportunity and that they are not happy with the product presented.
A statewide petition made up of educators and superintendents are requesting state legislators and Governor Bill Haslam to reconsider his appointment and the direction our state is heading regarding his massive education reform agenda.
This group of Superintendents are essentially saying they have no confidence in the reform he is initiating.
Mr Huffman brings very little experience as an educator working sparsely as a teacher inside TFA (Teach For America) an organization marked to replace teachers when they do not measure up to the new teacher evaluation system. TFA is a 7 week training course for “bright individuals” trained in these socialist tactics of Mr Huffmans. My research has revealed they don’t even have to be teachers to graduate as a TFA product ready to step in and teach for teachers unable to keep their license or jobs.
When teachers are fired or lose their license for poor results on standardized testing or TVASS asessments, a TFA teacher will step in and perform as a Huffman robot “teacher” that does as he says and the new system requires of them.
As an attorney, Huffman is not known as a teacher, and reportedly only taught in lower grades for a couple of years developed from within the TFA puppy, er, teacher mill.
He is well positioned to be a useful idiot of the federal government to radicalize and eventually nationalize our educational system. He wears that “Yes man” suit well. Perhaps a DOE post in his not so distant future.
Having roughly half of all Superintendents signing this petition sends a strong message to Huffman and Haslam.
They are calling on our state legislators and Governor Haslam to stop his radical reform immediately and halt the assault on the system that holds the future of our children and weakens our teachers ability to teach our children.
The petition, posted below is withholding the names of those signed fearing that Mr Huffman or Haslam will retaliate and weaken their push to have him removed. Their names will be added upon presentation to Haslam as soon as next week.
The petition warns of possible political fall out for Haslam if he continues to support Huffman and his changes. See petition below:
Click to access DN211626911.pdf
The petition suggests that Mr Kevin Huffman is “not interested” in dialogue with educators on the front lines and even sees them as an “impediment” to implementing his socialistic changes.
Several superintendents voiced they are “desiring input” into this change but have not been asked, just simply asked to tow the line, no questions asked.
What little input that has been heard has fallen on “deaf ears” even calling their efforts “futile.” The petition goes on to say “Today we feel that we are not respected and valued and and that the unique culture of our system is not valued…..feeling voiceless and powerless.”
This hardly seems like the environment we need for our teachers and ultimately our children. With this many folks unhappy, where is the motivation for them to succeed?
Bill Haslam must now know that further support for these radical ideas with even deeper radical ties is not the best choice for Tennessee.
Firing or not renewing their licenses, based on the results of a broken system is ridiculous and begs for us to ask questions of their intent.
Kevin Huffman brings to the table a portion of his past that may be influencing his decisions even today. It is a proven fact that not too long ago he was married, now divorced to Michelle Rhee, another equally controversial radical reformer with her own problems and controversies.
Kevin Huffman has obviously taken a few plays from his ex wife’s playbook. It is rumored their children attend schools in TN. Why would there not be an influence?
Michelle Rhees legacy of failure and controversy has followed her from DC to other parts of the nation and is now shaping our educational system.
The radical reformer has dealt with several education scandals in her recent past varying from reduced teacher salaries, firing superintendents and teachers, cheating on standardized testing stirring heavy resistance and upheaval from many different districts and educators.
http://www.therealnews.com/t2/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=31&Itemid=74&jumival=10102
Not falling far from that tree is her ex-husband, Kevin Huffman, who has his own issues brewing in Tennessee, not unlike those his wife has encountered.
Their shared idea of transforming our educational system into a socialistic utopia dead set on targeting teachers solely as the blame for poor schools is not sitting well with many.
Has anyone asked our teachers what they think is best for our school system?
I can only bet there are about a million teachers in TN that could give you strong enough answers to radically transform our system without getting rid of those that teach and love the profession dearly.
Teachers must speak up and support their Superintendents that are sticking their necks out. Next move, if you want to be heard you must speak up.
You can easily see the motive of large cheating scandals of teachers losing their jobs or worse if kids do not score well enough. This is the environment being fostered in Tennessee.
Other sources of information:
http://www.wrcbtv.com/story/23428978/tenn-education-commissioner-responds-to-petition
Bradley County News Network 