New York Fails the Test

Klein, Joe. “Why We're Failing our Schools.” Time Magazine. Time Inc., 28 Jan 2010. Web. 28 June. 2010.

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Joe Klein expresses great concern over the New York United Federation of Teachers in his article and how he believes they are running and ruining the public school system in New York. Klein makes a statement, proving his point, when he reveals the New York State legislature turned down a chance to win $700 million in federal money. Klein lays the blame not only on the United Federation of Teachers but, extreme conservative Southern governors. Klein thinks that it was the United Federation of Teachers who stopped New York’s attempt at the $700 million in the Race to the Top, which would help to build charter schools. Klein explains the about the Race to the Top saying it spawned from the stimulus package establishing $4.35 billion fund that Education Secretary Arne Duncan could distribute to states on the basis of their willingness to reform their schools. More school choice and competition as well as an emphasis on teacher evaluation and accountability is the definition that Klein thinks Duncan uses for the word reform. Klein then explains how the New York Federation of Teachers were formed, who New York Federation of Teachers were formed by, when New York Federation of Teachers were formed, and how the New York Federation of Teachers came to be one of the most powerful interest groups in New York State(and nationally, in the Democratic Party). Klein believes the public school system is slipping, and provides an example by saying; American students are 32nd internationally in math scores, 10th in science, and 12th in reading. Because of the state we are in, Klein also believes that if we don’t change, we will never be able to rebuild our economy.

Klein’s concern with the New York Federation of Teachers brings up points about New York’s education system. Klein’s concern of the New York Federation of Teachers are holding back the public education system in New York by convincing the New York governor to not take a chance to win the $700 million in the Race to the Top brings up a question of ethics, and if the teachers are looking out for the students, or just themselves. The concern about the New York Federation of Students also stems out to a question of why New York didn’t want to take money from the federal government that could potentially expand the education, when charter schools in New York have already proven to help students who were in bad conditioned neighborhoods and put those kids on levels with wealthy families. Klein’s faith and belief in the Race to the Top is an inspiring thought, and brings high levels of consideration to the idea of being able to win $700 million to help bring charter schools into the school system to help better educate the students of the United States. The New York Federation of Students was shown to have been around for quite a long period of time, and because of being around, has gained influence within the state of New York, and the concerns that Klein expresses in his article expand the thinking to a point where you ask what is the agenda of the New York Federation of Students.