Curry Blasts FCAT, Bush On Radio (More Jeb Bashing From a "Christian" Radio Station)

WPLG (Liberal ABC affiliate in Miami) ^

[Recovering_Democrat]

MIAMI -- The FCAT controversy hit the airwaves this morning with criticism of the statewide assessment test and its primary backer -- Gov. Jeb Bush.

Community activist Bishop Victor Curry (pictured) voiced his concerns on his 1490 AM WMBM radio show.

"People are hurting," Curry said. "Our children are traumatized by this one test. And that's not fair."

Curry also talked about a coalition that is planning to boycott Florida industries like sugar, orange juice, and tourism if Bush does not take action to address what they see as problems with the FCAT.

[Recovering_Democrat]

"Our children are traumatized by this one test..."

Dear God, is there no end to the bitching and moaning the "victimized" liberals engage in??

FREEP THE POLL ON THIS PAGE ABOUT THE FCAT! VOTE "NO!"

[Recovering_Democrat]

One other thing: the press plays this up like it is a news story...but all it is is a guy, with his regular Tuesday morning Whine & Moan show doing his schtick.

[RedBloodedAmerican]

I think Jeb's goal of the FCAT is to get the teachers to do a better job teaching (is that the goal?).

However, if that's the case, the teachers (or at least many of them) are not getting the message, and now, instead of teaching the regular school curriculum, they are teaching the (FCAT) Test only so the students will pass. I know several who voted and support Jeb who will not do so again due to FCAT. But that may be because of the teachers not knowing what to do, if the FCAT is actually a reflection on the teachers, and not the students.

[tbpiper]

I think Jeb's goal of the FCAT is to get the teachers to do a better job teaching (is that the goal?).

I believe you're correct. The people here in Florida understand that about as well as they understand the impact of the class size ammendment to the state constitution (not). If all the students are having a problem with the FCAT, then there may be a problem with either the test or the schools (my guess is it's the schools) if there are more problems for minority students than for majority students (I bet you thought I was going to say 'white'), then the additional difficulty must be with the minority students. The good bishop ought to shut up about the test and see what he can do to help his flock come up to speed. They a fully capable of doing so when those characteristics are nurtured. All the good bishop's carping does is reinforce the private beliefs of Robert Byrd and his ilk.

[Chi-townChief]

Is this clown really a bishop or is that just his first name?

[RedBloodedAmerican]

I watched these people on Channel13 Orlando news today. Black democrats, probably the worst form of citizen Florida could have.

[summer]

I think this current moan against FCAT is being blown way out of proportion, though I realize there are people who want to moan about FCAT. However, I disagree with the moaners.

I currently teach in a Title 1 public school (meaning we have more than 50% of our student population below the poverty line), and our school did great on FCAT, with more than 90% passing it. Now, why is that? Is it because all these kids are welathy and white? No, because our students include black and Hispanic kids as well as white kids, who are poor. The difference is my school is that not only are the teachers actually teaching, but the kids come from 2-parent homes for the most part, and their parents are extremely involved in their education. That makes a huge difference, because then the child is able to continue the learning outside of school, and the learning gains continue.

In the past I taught at a school where the student populatoin was all black, and almost none of those kids came from a 2-parent home. These kids were dropped off at scohol at 6AM for day care, and some not picked up until 7PM from school from day care. There was very little if any parental involvement at that school, and in those schools, it is truly tough.

Yet, even that school which was an F school when I was there, became, over the years, a "B" school. So, it is possible to improve, even with these tremendous obstacles.

I think what many teachers dislike is that they being held accountable in ways they never were before, and it is tough -- because they still have students who in the past were socially promoted year after year. But, social promotions have now ended in FL.

I believe the vast majority of people in FL feel this way: Enough is enough -- at some point, you have to ensure that students can read, and since Gov Bush is the first governor who is demanding it, with both rewards and penalties, he has really shaken up the education establishment like never before.

But, as hard as is it, and as tough as it may be now, here is a fact: Someone had to take a stand, and stick with it. And, he did.

Now, a high school diploma may actually mean something -- for all kids.

[summer]

welathy = wealthy

[summer]

populatoin = population

[summer]

I also think this is very political, because this Bishop Curry eventually came out in favor of One Florida, and I think that goit him into trouble with his followers. Now, he is attempting to make up for it, perhaps. But here is the ral message he needs to tell them: Help the teachers and the schools, by starting kids off in life with TWO PARENTS. IT MAKES A DIFFERENCE. That is a message many blacks in FL do not want to hear, IMO. But, as I have pointed out before, Gov Bush did not father those kids. These parents have to be parents for these kids they are creating. Teachers can not do it all.

[summer]

I also think this is very political, because this Bishop Curry eventually came out in favor of One Florida, and I think that got him into trouble with his followers. Now, he is attempting to make up for it, perhaps. But here is the real message he needs to tell them: Help the teachers and the schools, by starting kids off in life with TWO PARENTS. IT MAKES A DIFFERENCE. That is a message many blacks in FL do not want to hear, IMO. But, as I have pointed out before, Gov Bush did not father those kids. These parents have to be parents for these kids they are creating. Teachers can not do it all.

[tbpiper]

Congratulations on the FCAT success! Succeeding in an endeavor that requires a great deal of effort will do more for the students' self esteem than any artificial self esteem program. I'm sure alot of your students felt great. For those who didn't do so well, I hope whatever bad feelings they have will turn into determination to overcome.

The free enterprise system that has given us the world's best economy was designed to respond to hard and smart work. I would bet that the students in your school have a good chance at doing well in the future.

[summer]

Thanks, but the credit is not mine! The students, each one, as well as the parents and the teachers at school, are all in this together. FL's Favorite Gov is a part of it, too . :)

[summer]

If you can, call up Rev Curry's radio show and ask him about the quote I am going to post from him.

[summer]

From today's NYT:

Critics of Graduation Exam Threaten Boycott in Florida

By DANA CANEDY

MIAMI, May 12 — A small group of minority politicians and prominent religious leaders in Florida is threatening a boycott of some of the state's largest industries in the hope of forcing the suspension of an achievement test that thousands of high school seniors recently failed.

State education officials announced last week that about 13,000 seniors in Florida public schools had failed the exam, the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test, leaving them ineligible to graduate. The state said that it did not immediately have the number of students who took the test but that it would release more information on Thursday.

Opponents of the exam are asking Gov. Jeb Bush and the Florida Department of Education to consider a moratorium on the exam to assess the need for it and determine how to raise test scores.

"The F.C.A.T. carries too much weight," said Victor Curry, bishop of New Birth Baptist Church in Miami and a prominent black religious leader in South Florida. "It's too much pressure for a test to determine whether or not you can march with your classmates. The assessment test should be factored in with everything else the child does in school."

Mr. Curry and other critics say that black and Hispanic students fail the test in disproportionate numbers.

"He [Gov Jeb Bush] listens to big money," Mr. Curry said of Governor Bush. "We figured we'd just deal with the industries that put money in his pocket."

"We are asking the people of Florida to not buy sugar from the state of Florida, to not go to theme parks, to not buy orange or grapefruit juice," Mr. Curry said. "Our objective is for them to in turn call on Jeb Bush and ask him to call for a moratorium on this F.C.A.T. We're hoping that in putting pressure on these industries, we'd be putting pressure on him."

The assessment test is part of what Governor Bush calls his A-plus education plan to improve public education in Florida. The state began using the exam in 1999 as a tool to determine whether students were learning reading, math, writing and science skills. Students begin taking the assessment test in third grade, and seniors must pass it to graduate. Students who fail the exam can retake it as often as they want.

"The F.C.A.T. is a standardized test developed by Florida teachers to measure whether children are learning the skills they should at each grade level," Frances Marine, press secretary for the Florida Department of Education, said in an e-mail response to an interview request. "It helps us assess student and teacher achievement in a uniform way and allows us to determine whether improvement is needed."

Representatives of the industries facing the boycott threat said critics' efforts were misdirected and doubted they would gain much support.

"Our response is it's not a tourism issue," said Tom Flanigan, a spokesman for Visit Florida, the state's tourism agency.

Mr. Flanigan said the critics' efforts "might be more productively directed toward the part of state government that can actually do what they want concerning F.C.A.T."

"Anything that would discourage people from coming to the state is a matter of concern," he said.

Governor Bush has said the achievement test is an appropriate measure of the academic progress of students and teachers.

Jill Bratina, a spokeswoman for the governor, said: "Accountability is extremely important. We have put programs in place to help students who did not pass the F.C.A.T. to be able to receive the G.E.D. through the community college system. That puts them on the path to receiving a college degree. The state is committed to helping these students receive the skills they need to be successful in the long term."

Critics say that students who pass required courses should not have to settle for a general educational development degree, or G.E.D., simply for failing a test.

"The fact that the test is the sole determining factor of whether a child has mastered the curriculum is unfair," said Andy Ford, president of the Florida Education Association, the state's teachers union. "Some students just don't test well. To have a test that might be a deterrent on their future is just not fair."

Seniors who fail the test, even those who have passed all their required classes, will not receive a diploma. Instead, the state will provide them with training for a G.E.D., assistance in gaining admission to vocational schools or remedial courses designed to help them pass the test and receive a diploma.

"We are not allowing our children to leave high school equipped with the one thing we all agree will help them be successful in life, a high school diploma," said State Senator Frederica S. Wilson, a Miami Democrat and former elementary school principal who opposes the test.

"It doesn't speak well for the state of Florida to have schools administer a test where thousands of children fail," Ms. Wilson said. "It shows that Florida is failing its children."

--------------------------

OK, RD, here is the quote:

From the NYT: "He [Gov Jeb Bush] listens to big money," Mr. Curry said of Governor Bush. "We figured we'd just deal with the industries that put money in his pocket."

So, perhaps you could call up Rev. Curry on his radio show and politely ask him this question: "Rev. Curry, since Gov Bush listens to BIG MONEY as you told the NYT, please tell us: Which critic of his did Gov Bush appointed to head an independent commission, that worked for several years researching the impact of One Florida, and then came out in favor of One Florida - who was that person he listened to, that person with BIG MONEY? Was his name, by chance, the same as your name, Rev. Curry? Was it you?"

I'd like to know what Rev. Curry then says. Thanks, RD. :)

[summer]

From today's NYT:

Critics of Graduation Exam Threaten Boycott in Florida

By DANA CANEDY

MIAMI, May 12 — A small group of minority politicians and prominent religious leaders in Florida is threatening a boycott of some of the state's largest industries in the hope of forcing the suspension of an achievement test that thousands of high school seniors recently failed.

State education officials announced last week that about 13,000 seniors in Florida public schools had failed the exam, the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test, leaving them ineligible to graduate. The state said that it did not immediately have the number of students who took the test but that it would release more information on Thursday.

Opponents of the exam are asking Gov. Jeb Bush and the Florida Department of Education to consider a moratorium on the exam to assess the need for it and determine how to raise test scores.

"The F.C.A.T. carries too much weight," said Victor Curry, bishop of New Birth Baptist Church in Miami and a prominent black religious leader in South Florida. "It's too much pressure for a test to determine whether or not you can march with your classmates. The assessment test should be factored in with everything else the child does in school."

Mr. Curry and other critics say that black and Hispanic students fail the test in disproportionate numbers.

"He [Gov Jeb Bush] listens to big money," Mr. Curry said of Governor Bush. "We figured we'd just deal with the industries that put money in his pocket."

"We are asking the people of Florida to not buy sugar from the state of Florida, to not go to theme parks, to not buy orange or grapefruit juice," Mr. Curry said. "Our objective is for them to in turn call on Jeb Bush and ask him to call for a moratorium on this F.C.A.T. We're hoping that in putting pressure on these industries, we'd be putting pressure on him."

The assessment test is part of what Governor Bush calls his A-plus education plan to improve public education in Florida. The state began using the exam in 1999 as a tool to determine whether students were learning reading, math, writing and science skills. Students begin taking the assessment test in third grade, and seniors must pass it to graduate. Students who fail the exam can retake it as often as they want.

"The F.C.A.T. is a standardized test developed by Florida teachers to measure whether children are learning the skills they should at each grade level," Frances Marine, press secretary for the Florida Department of Education, said in an e-mail response to an interview request. "It helps us assess student and teacher achievement in a uniform way and allows us to determine whether improvement is needed."

Representatives of the industries facing the boycott threat said critics' efforts were misdirected and doubted they would gain much support.

"Our response is it's not a tourism issue," said Tom Flanigan, a spokesman for Visit Florida, the state's tourism agency.

Mr. Flanigan said the critics' efforts "might be more productively directed toward the part of state government that can actually do what they want concerning F.C.A.T."

"Anything that would discourage people from coming to the state is a matter of concern," he said.

Governor Bush has said the achievement test is an appropriate measure of the academic progress of students and teachers.

Jill Bratina, a spokeswoman for the governor, said: "Accountability is extremely important. We have put programs in place to help students who did not pass the F.C.A.T. to be able to receive the G.E.D. through the community college system. That puts them on the path to receiving a college degree. The state is committed to helping these students receive the skills they need to be successful in the long term."

Critics say that students who pass required courses should not have to settle for a general educational development degree, or G.E.D., simply for failing a test.

"The fact that the test is the sole determining factor of whether a child has mastered the curriculum is unfair," said Andy Ford, president of the Florida Education Association, the state's teachers union. "Some students just don't test well. To have a test that might be a deterrent on their future is just not fair."

Seniors who fail the test, even those who have passed all their required classes, will not receive a diploma. Instead, the state will provide them with training for a G.E.D., assistance in gaining admission to vocational schools or remedial courses designed to help them pass the test and receive a diploma.

"We are not allowing our children to leave high school equipped with the one thing we all agree will help them be successful in life, a high school diploma," said State Senator Frederica S. Wilson, a Miami Democrat and former elementary school principal who opposes the test.

"It doesn't speak well for the state of Florida to have schools administer a test where thousands of children fail," Ms. Wilson said. "It shows that Florida is failing its children."

--------------------------

OK, RD, here is the quote:

From the NYT: "He [Gov Jeb Bush] listens to big money," Mr. Curry said of Governor Bush. "We figured we'd just deal with the industries that put money in his pocket."

So, perhaps you could call up Rev. Curry on his radio show and politely ask him this question: "Rev. Curry, since Gov Bush listens to BIG MONEY as you told the NYT, please tell us: Which critic of his did Gov Bush appoint to head an independent commission, that worked for several years researching the impact of One Florida, and then came out in favor of One Florida - who was that person he listened to, that person with BIG MONEY? Was his name, by chance, the same as your name, Rev. Curry? Was it you?"

I'd like to know what Rev. Curry then says. Thanks, RD. :)

[summer]

Check out this FL public school, with a population of migrant children:

Gov goes to school catering to migrant families [Thanks, Jeb: "D" school's grade is now an "A"]

[summer]

Check out this FL public school, with a population of migrant children:

Gov goes to school catering to migrant families [Thanks, Jeb: "D" school's grade is now an "A"]

[summer]

And, check out this FL public school, with a ihgh minority, low income student population:

Passion for words buoys students, school [In Jeb's FL, another low-income "D" school is moving up]

[summer]

You might also enjoy reading these posts:

School-business program aimed at raising grades [Jeb's FL: How a "D" school improved to a "B"] (AP)

Students, teachers gaining confidence about FCATs [FL testing under Jeb's leadership: Rising scores]