Senator Seward Flunks Regents

ALBANY, 03/11/14 -- State Senator James L. Seward (R/C/I – Oneonta) today voted no on all of the candidates for four vacancies on the New York State Education Board of Regents.

“I voted no on all nominees for three reasons – to express no-confidence in the incumbent regents seeking re-election, to challenge the flawed selection process used to choose the candidates, and, most importantly, to speak for frustrated students, parents and teachers fed up with the failed implementation of Common Core.

“The regents have failed our school children, period.  Since we are making students, teachers, and parents more accountable, I support accountability, and it’s time the regents owned up to their role in the botched roll out of the Common Core Learning Standards and the mishandling of student privacy issues.

“Like our teachers, parents and school administrators, I am committed to higher standards in our schools.  However, the implementation of Common Core has been ineffective and disruptive to learning.  In the coming weeks, I will continue to work toward changes to improve the atmosphere for learning in our classrooms and help prepare our students for future success.”

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