I get home from Port Chester on Monday night and go on the Journal News website and what do I see? A video with two men who were at the forum in Port Chester to hear The King spew forth. One gentleman, is a a teacher, a union president, and a teacher from Ossining, and the other is of someone named Vincent Marrone, a self proclaimed "parent" from Larchmont named Vincent Marrone.

Now in the video Vince claims that he has a five year old daughter (presumably in Kindergarten?) and in a nutshell, says he has no problem with the Common Core standards, supports testing, believes the tests will help them get into college, and says, "I don't know why people are objecting to that," and goes on why teachers don't like testing is that, "...a big part of the scores is tied to their jobs, and it is a big deal that it is tied to their jobs." 

So why all the hub bub about some parent sharing his opinion? I guess one is that the parent from Ossining shared exactly what his background is. Simple, "Bob Rosenbaum, a high school English teacher, a union president and a parent." I think if he came out and shared that he believes that The King is a deity no one would have a problem, (except for thinking The King is a deity) with that for he fully disclosed who he is.

On the other hand, Vinny lied. Yes, he is a parent. But is so much more. Vince is founder and president of Public Strategies, LLC, "full-service government relations firm that specializes in representing clients on regulatory, statutory and budgetary concerns." He's a lobbyist!!!! Oh, oh! Vince, for shame. Why not share this with the Journal News? Are you ashamed of what you do?

As was reported today in New York BATS Facebook page, and on the Hall Monitor blog by Journal News education reporter, Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy, one of Vince's clients is the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Yes, that very same Bill Gates who failed to innovate at Microsoft and is attempting to do to education what he has done to Microsoft. Yes, the very same Bill Gates who has shoved Common Core down our throats and who said that we won't know if Common Core will succeed for another ten years.

But let's not stop there. Another client of Vinny's is the New York City Charter School Center. Yeah, charter schools, Common Core, testing, hmm, I see a connection for Vince's sycophancy. Oh snap, I almost forgot. NYC Charter School Center is supported by Billy and Melinda. I am starting to think that Vince was a plant on Monday night and wasn't speaking from the heart but rather from the wallet. And speaking of wallet's, click here and see how much all his clients (some worthy ones I will admit) paid him, in particular Billy and NYC Charter School Center.

But enough of outing Vince, maybe it's time we educate Vince. Maybe Vince should know about the teacher, Rigoberto Ruelas, in Los Angeles who after years of being a beloved teacher was rated ineffective (and outed by Jason Felch of the Los Angeles Times) by some inane algorithm tied to his students test scores. How did Rigoberto deal with this? He committed suicide.

As far as the tests, no one has a problem with testing as long as it is done for assessment, but to make testing part and parcel of a student's whole reason for being in school and to judge teachers is just wrong. How can we determine in 3rd grade, or even Kindergarten (which the powers that be wish) are college or career ready? How can we judge whether or not a teacher is effective by testing? Teacher's have no control over what happens at home.

Vince, worse, and as I said to The King on Monday night, there is no crisis in education. It was creates by the billionaire boys club and the people you represent. All that matters to these people is they see that there is a buck to be made from education and from children.

That is all that seems to matter today in education. Dollars.

My stream of consciousness about last night:

What many people do not know, is that Port Chester Middle School is actually in the Village of Rye
Brook. Rye Brook is one of the tonier areas of Westchester County. It even has a D'agastino's. But
more on Rye Brook later.

So there I was last night in Port Chester, #47 in line to speak. On one side of the dais, the so-called "educators"; The King, Meryl Tisch, and Regent Phillips. On the other side of the dais, the so-called "champions of the people," Assemblyman Steven Otis, State Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins, Assemblyman David Buchwald, Assemblyman J. Gary Pretlow, and Assemblyman Tom Abinanti.

Senator Cousins addressed the audience. She shared how she represented such a diverse population. Her district goes from Yonkers to Scarsdale. And she then said something quite interesting.

"We need to know why there is such a big difference of achievement between the students in Yonkers and Scarsdale."

Really? I hope this was a rhetorical question, though I doubt it. It's obvious Senator Cousins. Email me and I will give you a hint.

But this is what I noticed.

Assemblyman Otis was taking copious notes at a furious pace.

Assemblyman Pretlow, though not taking notes truly looked interested and concerned.

Senator Cousins, eh.

Abinanti? Yeah, he looked interested.

The moderator from the Westchester County League of Women Voters was a big meanie. 

Regent Phillips, a friend who is a real mensch said he is a stand up guy.

The King looked like he was on a Blackberry most of the night, but I will give him the benefit of the doubt. I saw a pen moving in his hand.

Chancellor Tisch looked as if she was wondering how fast she can get herself to Saks over the state line in Greenwich once the forum ended.

Yvonne Gasperino is a great speaker and a force to be reckoned with.

As far as myself, I was a little too histrionic when I spoke, though the mean moderator was a meanie to me. I accused the three "educators" of never teaching. Oh, Regent Phillips, I apologize for lumping you with the two lunkheads you were sitting next to, but you still never taught.

I claimed that The King and Tisch are part of the billionaires club, though honorary members.

I shared with them how my son got 2's last year, yet still made honor roll, and had 4's and high 3's until last year.

I asked them how they can sleep with themselves and look in the mirror.

I really wanted to say, "The Revolution has begun," and raise my fist like they did in Mexico City.

But one thing kept gnawing at me.

While I saw a lot of educators; teachers, superintendents, board members, PTA members, principals, assistant principals, teacher's aides, paraprofessionals, one thing was truly missing.

Parents. Regular parents. I mean not parents like me who are in education, who wear two hats (educator and parent), but regular rank and file moms and dads. Not that there weren't any, but I don;t believe that made up even 10% of the speakers last night and probably less of the audience. Hey, I could be wrong, and if I am I apologize, but I am going just by my perception.

But here we were in Rye Brook actually, with Rye, and Purchase, and Harrison, and Larchmont right nearby and I was expecting more. More parents.

Yeah, I know the time was difficult, 4 PM, and the forum was kind of last minute (is it cynical of me to think that it was done this was on purpose?), but there should have been more, should have had much more local, true grass roots involvement there yesterday.

I hope the outrage is building in these communities. I hope the frustration is building. I hope people have had enough of a decisions that should be a local matter, such as their child's education being decided in Albany and Washington, will make them say enough is enough.

But from what I saw last night is The King is fully entrenched in what he believes in and won't budge unless Governor Andy tell him to. The King is butt naked of credibility right now and doesn't know how small he looks.

And as I said last night, there is, and never was, a education crisis. It was all manufactured by those that pull The King's strings.

On Friday afternoon I called the child abuse hotline in Albany to report what the King did on Tuesday. I just had to. One I am a mandated reporter, and two there is something just not quite right at the home that this boy uses these phrases that he does. Also I feel that this was going to be swept under the rug at the school and proactive stand needed to be taken.

By the time I got home on Friday a representative from NYC ACS called me. It was too late and was planning on calling her today at lunch but she got hold of me quicker and stopped by the school. Was simple. Just told her again what had transpired and what my opinion is of it. She interviewed the King and the paras and I believe the teacher. A home visit is going to be made, and what will be done will be done. All I want is what is right for the King. He is five years old and already is starting from the back of the pack. It is just not fair that the school where we are in loco parentis and should know better has just screwed him over.

The King has gone through three teachers, countless paras, and zero help. He has been in the wrong setting for the entire year and it was known, well known to the administration that he must be where he should. District 75, in an 8:1:1 setting. Bollocks to them if they say there was no room. Make room. Move heaven and earth and do the right thing. Hopefully this will grease the skids and it will now happen.

But will the right thing be done? Last week because of the weather the students stayed in during lunch. Two first grade students were in the auditorium with their grade and were caught making out. Yes you read that right. Making out. With tongues in each others mouths, and hands all over the place. What became of it I have no idea. Was the right thing done? I would bet my paycheck that it wasn't.

Know why I doubt it? because I filed a DOE incident report with John Deacon Tuesday. By law or chancellor's regs it must be submitted within 24 hours. I am also, if I request it, to receive a control number. I asked for it on Friday afternoon. I was told that it was unavailable, to come back on Monday. Today I had my first chance to ask for it just before school ended. John Deacon was nowhere to be found. John Deacon had left the building.

Today I had to cover a class, that kindergarten 12:1:1 class I have mentioned previously. The students were taking their after lunch nap and myself and three other paras stayed next to the rambunctious students to prevent any mayhem.

I drew short straw and got to watch The King. The King's favorite phrase is "f**k you bitch" which I am sure he does not get from watching SpongeBob. So there I am and suddenly The King starts to shout "Bite It" repeatedly. Looking down I see that his ding a ling is out and he is stroking it in a manner that is not conducive to the educational process. Assuming that this is a matter that should not be ignored I attempt to notify several of our hydra headed AP's. I get no response. Unfortunately I then was left with nothing else other than notifying Numb Nuts.

I bring The King to his office figuring that Numb Nuts would take a manner of a five year old student stroking his ding a ling seriously. Oh how wrong I was. Numb Nuts response to me was, "so what do you want me to do about it?" For a second or two I just stared at him dumb founded, perplexed that a supposed administrator is incapable of taking any kind of leadership position. I said he need not worry that I will take care of this. He said thank you and let me leave his office with The King. About ten minutes later he came down stairs and after confirming with a para that The King was diddling his doodle took decisive action in taking The King to his office and then sending Mrs Met with an "official school anecdotal" form for me to fill out. But strangely at no time did he ask me to fill out a DOE incident report. Only after relaying this incident to my chapter chair did I fill one out.

Here's the catch. This is being taken not seriously. It is a "boy being a boy" experimenting with his doodle. Guess what? Again, for the second time in a week I call bullsh**! I was a boy and this is not happen. Neither is "f**k you bitch!", or "f**ker", or "I am going to take my belt and beat you". The King is getting this from somewhere. You think ACS is going to be called? No way. Never. Ever. Will.

But guess what a little birdie told me today? The King's IEP states that he must be in District 75 in an 8:1:1: setting. December is almost here. Think he will be moved soon?

Numb Nuts is working hard, in fact super duper hard in his office. He is sitting at his desk doing something on the computer while one student from that 12:1:1 class is lying on the floor doing something. As I walk by his door I see another boy from the 12:1:1 class running around the hallway. This is a student that should not be out in the hall by himself under any circumstances. Yet there he is. Alone. And Numb Nuts is oblivious to it all.

The King, as this student shall henceforth be known, runs right to me when I call him over and I bring him to Numb Nuts office. I ask Numb Nuts if he is looking for The King and at that moment Numb Nuts stands up with a "of course" look on his face and walks to the door to retrieve the young man. Problem not solved.

A few moments later whilst in another room, and a teacher doing running records with a student, The King comes running in. I look behind him expecting to see Numb Nuts, but alas I do not. The King is running around the room, going under the tables, trying to play hide and seek. I keep my eye on him, staying close, making sure he is not going to get hurt. What The King wants his a healthy dose of attention, and the moment I give it to him he is liable to bolt. I do attempt to redirect him, get him to focus on something else but to no avail. I wonder to myself why isn't Numb Nuts even mildly curious as to where The King is. Is he not responsible for this young man?

Almost ten minutes passes before Numb Nuts, walking to his office from the opposite direction. I ask Numb Nuts if he is looking for The King. Of course, he tells me. He comes in and there is The King under the table. The King starts to curse Numb Nuts out and Numb Nuts looks on with a blank look on his face.

He is what is most on my mind. Why isn't Numb Nuts doing the job of what an assistant principal supposed to be doing. More importantly what about the safety of The King? If I wasn't around, twice, where could The King have wound up? I guess when the only qualification you have for being an assistant principal is cherubs on your checks, you need not worry yourself over such trivial matters as the safety of a student.

Children First! Yipee!