Latest News and Comment from Education

Monday, April 23, 2012

NYC Public School Parents: Pineapplegate and the media storm that has ensued

NYC Public School Parents: Pineapplegate and the media storm that has ensued:


Pineapplegate and the media storm that has ensued

Credit: Bramhall Cartoons, Daily News


Here is a rather breathless account of what is now being called Pineapplegate.  I had no idea what a media storm would erupt as a result of Thursday’s blog post.  Please also be sure to fill out this shortparent survey about the testing regime in NY State.  If you are a teacher, fill this one out, and if a principal fill this one.  These surveys were developed by theNYS principals who wrote the protest letter to the Commissioner, opposing the new teacher evaluation system.
On Thursday morning, on the train to Washington DC, I posted my piecerevealing the absurd Pineapple reading passage and questions on the 8th grade ELA exam. By the time I returned to NYC Friday night, NYS Education Commissioner John King had already released the full passage and its associated questions, and put out a statement, saying the section would not be scored because of their