Photo Courtesy Stock XChange
By Omar Lopez, DFER Policy Analyst
Although people can thoughtfully disagree on the details of the New York State teacher evaluation system, especially since it is still being negotiated, folks who oppose the use of standardized test scores as part of those evaluations are creating a straw man to gather additional opponents.
The straw man argument, where one’s argument is misrepresented by an opponent, is most evident in an advertisement by the New York State United Teachers union, which states, “Teachers across the state are committed to high standards and accountability – and we know that a child is more than just a test score.”
So here’s a question for you: Who is arguing that a child is just a test score?
Could it be Governor Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Michael Bloomberg? No. They have spent significant political capital in the last two months on making a comprehensive teacher evaluation program a reality. They have both argued that a new teacher evaluation system is a necessary step for New York State to raise the level of instruction. Moreover, they point to the millions of dollars that will be lost if an agreement is not made.