Sonny Perdue Must Stop Kathy Cox
Georgia’s State Superintendent of Schools, Kathy Cox, has imposed a dramatically different high school math curriculum without properly reviewing it with teachers and parents. She is replacing the traditional structure (Algebra I & II, Geometry, Trigonometry, and Calculus) with vaguely-titled Math 1, Math 2, and Math 3.
There are currently four math tracks available to high school students. They vary in difficulty to accommodate a broad range of math abilities. Under Cox’s proposed change, freshmen, sophomores, and juniors will now only have two tracks (Math 1 and Advanced Math 1, Math 2 and Advanced Math 2…). Cox’s new mandate may be well intended-but the devil’s in the details.
Lobbyist-Driven Education Policies
Politicians like Kathy Cox have been promoting programs like this to help fund their political campaigns instead of being straight with parents. David Chastain, Director of Georgia Libertarian Party, claims Kathy is bought and sold by the educational lobbyists who represent the companies that provide the consulting, textbooks, and testing materials needed to implement the new program.
Kids would be better served if we had far fewer heavy-handed state and federal mandates (which they aren’t responsible for implementing or funding), and instead gave more money directly to the local school district and let local voters hold them accountable. In fact, if we eliminated these kinds of pork-filled bureaucratic misadventures we could raise the proportion of education funding that goes to classrooms (versus administration) to 65%. Please click here for more information.
Problem #1: Cox punishes gifted and advanced kids
As part of her new math program, Cox wants to stop giving gifted and advanced middle school math students the chance to earn high school credit in math (algebra). Currently, these advanced junior high courses (that Cox wants to eliminate) make Georgia students eligible for college math courses in their junior year, which helps them get placed in the top colleges.
The Atlanta Journal Constitution reports that Cherokee County School Superintendent, Dr. Petruzielo, said this aspect of Cox’s new math program doesn’t make sense. “One of the things Cherokee County is proud of is the number of kids in middle school who take algebra. Next fall we will have ninth-graders in high school taking algebra for credit. Why not have seventh- and eighth-graders take algebra? And if they can pass the end of course test, why in the world would they not get credit?” In fact, 95% of Cherokee County’s junior high Algebra 1 students pass the Cox’s own, state-required, EOCT test.
Problem #2: Students will suffer under unrealistic goals
Cox spokesperson and Georgia’s math program manager Claire Pierce told me that a goal of the new math program is to have 85% of Georgia’s students graduate having completed the equivalent of Algebra II. I believe this goal makes the same mistake as President Bush’s unpopular No Child Left Behind (NCLB) program: not all high school students should prepare for college. As reported by the AJC, it is wildly unrealistic to expect that they should, and it damages the self-esteem of kids that would be better served by a vocational program.
It’s more likely that 85% is the proportion of students she wants to buy new textbooks for, as a favor to her education-industry campaign donors.
Problem #3: Unrealistic goals for the teachers
I support high (yet realistic) expectations. But Kathy Cox’s unrealistic plan to graduate 85% of our high school students with the equivalent of Algebra II will destroy the morale of math teachers. Georgia’s high school classrooms face an explosion of immigrants with very poor English skills, pregnant teens, drug users, and kids with parents who don’t support academics.
Finally, Cox needs to double check her math-if currently 44% of Georgia’s high school students drop out and only 29% (nationally) graduate with math proficiency (which doesn’t include Algebra II), how can she possibly meet her 85% goal? The only way is to hide watered-down standards behind the vaguely titled Math 1, 2, and 3.
Problem #4: A rushed and careless policy
Cherokee County’s Mark Smith says Cox’s new math program hasn’t been reviewed with any colleges except those within Georgia’s state system. Meaning no one knows if or how colleges from other states will accept it. “This is a sea change in the way registrars look at stuff,” Petruzielo said. “I’m not comfortable [with the new courses]. We wouldn’t want our kids to be at a disadvantage.”
The state has also failed address how to handle students transferring into Georgia public high schools. Since the new curriculum is mandatory, advanced students transferring into our systems could be forced to sit through math classes they have already mastered. The same holds true for middle school students who have taken advanced math courses.
What can we do?
David Chastain, who ran against Kathy Cox for State School superintendent, said this will be priority one for the Libertarian Party to fight. Chastain wants to hold Sonny to his word about less government and local control. Click here to help David with his fight to protect our children from bureaucrats with alternative motives.
Please contact Sonny Perdue at 404-656-1776 or click here and tell SONNY to STOP KATHY COX. Please forward this email to other concerned parents.
ANNOUNCEMENT
Control Congress Radio and the Cherokee Gazette newspaper are hosting a town hall meeting to discuss growth in Cherokee County. It will be on Tuesday April 24th at the Right Wing Tavern (251 Main Street in downtown Woodstock, 678-445-2099). The Cherokee County Board of Commissioners and John Konop are invited to sit on the panel. WGKA 920 AM will be there to record event, portions of which will be replayed on Control Congress Radio next Saturday between 2 and 3 pm EST. Come and join the discussion.
April 15th, 2007 at 8:54 pm
I’m so tired of these fundie bozos. I’m starting to want my husband to move his company to somewhere like MI.
As far as the LP guy goes-has he been in a cave for the last 4 years or so? Fundies like Sonny never believe in less government. They’re all about cutting checks to their cronies and expansive fundamentalism.
April 15th, 2007 at 9:02 pm
I don’t understand why they need “Tracks” or “levels” either. Why complicate matters? You already have grades 9 thru 12, and you have different math classes available. A school with more students and teachers will be able to provide a larger curriculum than a smaller school. And a good trig teacher for example will attract more students to his classes. And of course the SAT will determine who’s got the most aptitude when it comes to looking at colleges. It looks like more bureaucrats simply trying to make a name for themselves.
April 16th, 2007 at 6:30 am
What do teachers think? What about the top teachers?
April 16th, 2007 at 6:57 am
Bill
The way my wife and fund our about this issue was through a teacher who teaches math and was not happy. I talk to the principal as well as many in the School district office all seemed to think this was very ill thought out.
The letters I got from teachers seem to have the same tone that this type of policy is driving the drop rate up and hurting the gifted and advance kids. One letter described it best when the person wrote the State and Federal government keep forcing the school system to pound square pegs into round wholes with the result being we are failing the children.
April 16th, 2007 at 8:04 am
And increasing any type of graduation rate would be at odds with raising the standards wouldn’t it? And why the emphasis on math for everyone? What about vocations like drafting, woodshop (my favorite classes) typing, shorthand (I wish I had taken that one)
April 16th, 2007 at 8:19 am
Bill
YOU ARE RIGHT READ THIS FROM THE AJC!
A lifeline for students
Graduation coaches notch some success stories with kids feared ‘at risk’ of dropping out of school.
By Chris Reinolds
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 03/29/07
Freshman T.J. Parker is one of Michelle Francis’ success stories.
“We were having difficulty with T.J. adjusting to high school,” said his stepfather, Sgt. James Morris, a police officer at Cherokee High. “He was in college prep classes, and it just wasn’t working for him. ”
READ MORE
April 16th, 2007 at 12:57 pm
A letter about the essay.
I’ll let Sonny know that I don’t like the idea.
April 16th, 2007 at 12:59 pm
A letter about the essay.
I made my call and it was busy the first few times. I told the guy on the phone stop Kathy Cox now. Thank you Mr. Konop
April 16th, 2007 at 1:28 pm
A letter about the essay from a Cobb teacher.
This looks like the same math program that failed in New York. If Kathy Cox would focus on letting us teach and class size instead of filling out paper work we would see results. The other problem is not all kids are meant to go to college.
http://www.oceanside.k12.ny.us/7hs/math_program.htm
April 16th, 2007 at 2:28 pm
Changes in high school curricula should be made only with the advantage of teacher input. School boards and Education Commissioner who try to mandate for all classrooms err flagrantly and ignorantly failing, as they do, to seek
ground level information. More latitude should be granted at the classroom level.
April 16th, 2007 at 2:57 pm
Martin
Are you a teacher?
April 16th, 2007 at 3:14 pm
Hi John K. -
I am delighted that you have selected an education topic to kick things off this week.
For those who do not know me as you do I will give a little background before I make a few comments/insights for those who are reading your site.
I am the founder and CEO of http://www.TutorGeorgia.com, which is a statewide tutoring provider. The “3-R’s” (Reading, Writing, and Arithmetic) are the most highly requested subjects for which students require the most help. Sadly, these are the foundational blocks for all education and there is a great need to improve the way we teach these subjects.
Almost daily students contact Tutor Georgia needing help in “Algebra II”. I do not believe that we should separate “Algebra I” from “Algebra II”. They certainly do not do so in China, Japan, and Korea. Algebra is Algebra. To separate them is to pay for the same real estate twice. When I tutor Algebra, I simply teach concepts pertaining to structure, relation, and quantity, which can later be applied to Geometry and Analysis.
Currently students are force-fed “Algebra I” in 9th grade and Geometry in 10th grade in order to be tested for the Preliminary SAT/NMSQT (National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test). Then, the students are to take “Algebra II” which is essentially an “Algebra I” book with a different cover a few extra pictures and practice problems. This is redundant and a waste of tax-payers money.
I would like to see Math taught in 3 stages: (1) ALGEBRA (2) GEOMETRY- which would include Trigonometry (triangles) and (3) CALCULUS. This is the way students in China, Japan, Singapore, and Korea learn Math, as we would do well to follow suit. I have not seen the curricula Kathy Cox is purposing and I do not know which publisher she personally deems competent, but I will say that I have long desired to make some changes in the way Math is presented to students in public school. If her Math 1, Math 2, and Math 3 is anything like what I just explained. Then I would think it would be a good thing.
I offer workshops to potential tutors if anyone would like to learn more.
April 16th, 2007 at 3:35 pm
Dr. Cindye Coates Ph.D.
I have a few questions
Do you think all kids need to be on a college bound track?
Do you think Kathy Cox is right to hold back gifted and advance kids from taking college math by their junior year?
Do you think Kathy Cox is driving the drop out rate by creating a one size fit all educational plan, instead of letting kids take a vocational track?
Do you think it looks better on a high school transcript to get into a top tier college a kid who took Math 1,2,3,4 or a kid who took 2 years of advance math after algebra 2 from Georgia Tec or Kennesaw State?
Do you think Kathy Cox is right not to count the same algebra one my kid took in 7th grade even after he passes the same test High School kids took?
Do you think it was right of Kathy Cox to lie about the achievement of gifted kids in Cherokee County to sell her new program?
Thank You John Konop
April 16th, 2007 at 3:43 pm
While I agree, let me point you to more serious problems in which Sonny, himself, is complicit or to which he has agreed by silence. A child who runs afoul of the system even in a minor way, who is slow normal, or who is perhaps only mildly disrruptive is immediate canalized as a candidate for alternative education (read that to mean the educational warehouse) and once in this alternative system, it is a short step to prison for many of these children — a lot of children are left behind and they are mostly the children of poor families, black or other minority familes — white republican middle class kids get a better deal and now Sonny wants to further weaken the public school with vouchers which will put my tax dollars in the coffers of religious schools whose religious philosophy I do not share.
April 16th, 2007 at 3:47 pm
Vouchers are a joke. They are about nothing more than a way for Sonny to funnel money to his cronies. It’s like with the Special Ed vouchers. They don’t even cover the price of tuition and the families are still going to have to come up with 50-60% of the tuition money. Like I said-it’s a joke and does nothing to help the problem. But Sonny is all about cronyism so why should anyone be surprised?
April 16th, 2007 at 4:11 pm
Q. Do you think all kids need to be on a college bound track? A. “a college bond track” is a term I do not use. I tend to believe that all kids need to have an opportunity to learn as much as possible for as little money as possible. “Free education” should offer as much as possible.
Q. Do you think Kathy Cox is right to hold back gifted and advance kids from taking college math by their junior year? A. I am not convinced this is the case. I would have to see the curricula.
Q. Do you think Kathy Cox is driving the drop out rate by creating a one size fit all educational plan, instead of letting kids take a vocational track? A. Obsorne High School (which has the highest drop-out rate in Cobb County) is in my State House district. As you know, I ran for State House twice hoping to address this same issue on a state-wide. Kids do not drop out of high-school because of Math classes. It has more to do with social issues, violence, sexual harrassment, profanity, and verbal abuse. However, I do believe students need to have vocational options in many fields. Success has many definitions.
Q. Do you think it looks better on a high school transcript to get into a top tier college a kid who took Math 1,2,3,4 or a kid who took 2 years of advance math after algebra 2 from Georgia Tec or Kennesaw State? A. High school transcripts are being replaced by SAT scores as we have more and more foreign students attending American universities who do not have high school transcripts.
Q. Do you think Kathy Cox is right not to count the same algebra one my kid took in 7th grade even after he passes the same test High School kids took? A. That would make little sense to withold credit from one who has earned it.
Q. Do you think it was right of Kathy Cox to lie about the achievement of gifted kids in Cherokee County to sell her new program? A. I do not have enough information to comment on this issue, although I do think Kathy Cox is a reasonable and intellegent person with an earned Ph.D. from Emory. It would not be true to her character to belittle academic acheivement.
April 16th, 2007 at 4:17 pm
John:
Have you personally read the new Math text books? Who is the publisher? I am currious to see what is being proposed.
April 16th, 2007 at 4:29 pm
To anyone interested in making a difference in education, I would like to suggest reading Charlotte Thomson Iserbyt’s “The Deliberate Dumbing Down of America”. It is now available as a free on-line e-book. http://www.deliberatedumbingdown.com
Charlotte Thomson Iserbyt, former Senior Policy Advisor in the U.S. Department of Education, blew the whistle in the `80s on government activities withheld from the public. Her inside knowledge will help you protect your children from controversial methods and programs.
This book is a chronological history of the past 100+ years of education reform. Each chapter takes a period of history and recounts the significant events, including important geopolitical and societal contextual information.
April 16th, 2007 at 4:33 pm
Dr. Cindye Coates Ph.D.
Thank you for answering the question. But she did admit in front of parents she is stopping 7th graders from getting ahead. In fact that was one of the issues Superintendent of Cherokee Schools Dr. Petruzielo brought up in his interview with the AJC.
Kathy Cox did say in front of parents that our “gifted” kids are behind national average. I was insulted as many other people in the audience. Mr. Chapman the School board Chairman and I talk about how she used State wide numbers to lie about Cherokee students.
This was an insult to the Teachers, administrators, Dr. Petruzielo, Parents and MOST OF ALL THE STUDENTS!
The facts are the gifted kids using Dr. Petruzielo program are ahead national. I will tell you my son was one of the kids chosen to take the SAT as a 7th grader. He scored at the top third in math against graduating seniors as a 7th grader. He also scored in the top 25% of all gifted kids across the country.BTW he had many classmates do better than him.
I talk to the parents, teachers. Administrators and school board members and we all took this as a direct insult! If Kathy Cox had any class she would write an apology to all of us!
Thank You John Konop
April 16th, 2007 at 4:46 pm
Perhaps she will apologize to you for this and also all the others who were offended as well. This discussion is healthy. Our kids are worth it.
April 16th, 2007 at 4:53 pm
Dr. Cindye Coates
Pleas run again you would do a great job for everyone in Cobb!!! And you would be a great advocate for kids in Georgia!
April 16th, 2007 at 5:00 pm
The problem is we need more options not less. All kids do not learn the same and have different issues positive and negative.
That is why I am supportive of charter schools as well as local control. We need more option Not State and federal mandates shoved down are throat.
It is a waste of money to have Kathy Cox play czar and have no responsibility for implementation.
April 16th, 2007 at 5:06 pm
A letter about the essay.
Thank you for making me aware of this.
I have sent Sonny an email stating my regard to this shameless practice.
April 16th, 2007 at 7:08 pm
A letter about the essay.
As a 20 year high school math teacher, I pretty much agree with what was stated in
your email. I’m just not sure who you are, Mr. Konop, and what organization you
represent. I saw a link to the Libertarian party, but I think this issue crosses
political lines. I was at Claire Pierce’s presentation at the state mathematics
conference last October at Rock Eagle.
I fear that this new curriculum is already too far down the pipeline to do much
about it.
I had a successful career in business before entering education 20 years ago. I am
a MENSA member. I was the first state chairman of the Applied Mathematics
Association. I hold a degree in business administration. I have an advanced degree
in education. Do you know how many times in these 20 years of teaching I have been
asked for my opinion on any of these matters by an administrator? None.
April 16th, 2007 at 9:49 pm
John–appreciate you highlighting this issue–it would be great if you could lead specific efforts and inform the district voting population of actions to take to ENSURE Kathy Cox’s proposals are defeated.
This again is another reason why we need privatization of schools, or school choice/vouchers. Education choices would be put back in the hands of the parents and teachers, and students would again become “the Customer.” Kathy Cox is clearly a politician out of control, and unfortunately she may get her way.
You can say what you want about Neal Boortz, but he is right on in his constant ridicule of “Government Schools.”
The great thing about this is once again, private schools will be untouched and be able to “do the right thing.”
I will be fighting this tooth and nail to keep the middle school options available.
Keep up the fight!
April 16th, 2007 at 11:37 pm
My sister tells me that she fails half of her students at South Cobb High school.
She says that some don’t even do the most basic of homework. They are apathetic learners. I think a fresh wind to shake the Status Quo of education in Georgia can only do good. It’s hard to break a broken system.
April 17th, 2007 at 5:52 am
James
The gifted and advance program in Cherokee is not broken. It is clear we have hurt vocational bound kids who are being forced into college bound school work that has increased the drop out rate. How does Kathy Cox slowing down the gifted and advance kids and not creating vocational type math program help?
April 17th, 2007 at 6:53 am
A letter about the essay
This Governor appears to be more interested in his personal REAL
ESTATE ventures rather than anyone’s education, or health, or general
welfare. Unless of course boat ramps count as welfare.
You wouldn’t really dispute that, would you? Really?
April 17th, 2007 at 6:56 am
A letter about the essay
what crap!
April 17th, 2007 at 7:10 am
I think we should all defend private schools from Government intervention as well a homeschooling. And when politicians, (like the Clintons, and the Bushes) want to meddle with public schools one should ask how concerned they really are (since they are elitists)
April 17th, 2007 at 7:32 am
What about the children that are not “mathmaticians”? Is it fair to require these children that aren’t as good in Algebra as they are in Math to pass these Algebra courses when they could pass the Math courses? I feel that too much emphasis is being placed on taking standardized tests such as the CRCT and too little time is being spent on teaching in the classroom. Some students just do not test well on standardized tests and it basically boils down to the fact that if you don’t pass these standardized test, that you do not advance to the next grade level. I have spoken with several teachers and principals and I was surprised to find out that they actually agreed with me on this situation. I myself spend at least 2 hours each evening working with my child to help with homework (math/algebra) in particular to make sure that it is understood and given the fact that I have been out of school for over 30 years, this is not an easy task. I’m not saying to make it so easy on the children that they won’t have to study or spend time trying to figure out how to do the problems, but I do feel that too much is expected of the students earlier and earlier in their school years. Also, I do realize that a child needs a good education to prepare for their future and career…but on the same hand I feel that teachers need to recoginze where a child has a problem and take time with that student to help him/her to understand how it works. A teacher has to know if a child is struggling with a particular subject from the tests that he/she grades and should address the problems that they see developing with that particular student. Given all of this I don’t know but what maybe Ms. Cox’s new Math venue might be a good thing. Thank you for this opportunity to voice my opinion.
April 17th, 2007 at 7:57 am
A letter about the essay.
Problem #1: Forcing all students to be “average”
Welcome to NCLB…
April 17th, 2007 at 7:59 am
A letter about the essay.
Look for this to spread….
My daughter is supposed to stay after school 2 days a week for the next few weeks in order to study for a test coming up in April.
and she is only 6 YRS OLD (in FIRST GRADE!)
April 17th, 2007 at 8:00 am
A letter about the essay.
The sad part is that even the teachers DON’T LIKE THIS!
April 17th, 2007 at 8:01 am
A letter about the essay.
Why indeed. Because that is what the teachers, NEA, etc want. A dumb down and disengaged people. Get the kids out of there! Let it collapse.
April 17th, 2007 at 8:02 am
A letter about the essay
Why institutionalize mediocrity?
April 17th, 2007 at 8:02 am
A letter about the essay
The dumbing down of our kids continues. Hopefully the people of Georgia revolt on this one.
April 17th, 2007 at 8:37 am
No need in arguing with you…you have your opinion, I have mine.
April 17th, 2007 at 9:14 am
marie
Feel free to say what you want about the issue. But I do not understand why you support a plan that does not deal with the problem?
April 17th, 2007 at 9:40 am
My granddaughter and I have conversations about her schooling in Cherokee County, and when I bring up certain discussions, this 14 year old say..:they don’t teach us anything like that”!
Change the Math curriculum, and there is no chance for the next generation to ever be able to succeed and make money!
Let’s face it, the Republican Party don’t care about “We the People”, only grabbing the money for their own pockets while they can so they can live their lives to the fullest and never have to be concerned about how they will pay for necessary things like health insurance, food on the table, mortgages, cars, etc..The are all set for life!
And, now Sonny Perdue wants to intitute a tax relief for retirees making $100,000 or more? do they really need it!
Give me a break already!!!
April 17th, 2007 at 9:41 am
I always had awful grades but did great on the standardized tests. And knowing how to take the tests is critical. Not necessarily an indication of how much you know. But may show who is able to think “outside the bubble”.
April 17th, 2007 at 9:49 am
If Home Depot adjusts it’s inventory based on local demographics, then why not allow local public schools to do the same thing? Tifton GA for example would have a much higher percentage of students interested in agricultural and plant related studies than a school in Atlanta.
http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/nge/Article.jsp?id=h-2221
April 17th, 2007 at 12:02 pm
How did I get on your e-mail list? I’m not a math teacher and have no kids in school, and my own experience with learning math is 50 years in the past. Math is no more a natural ability than music - neither had any survival value over most of human history. These are wild talents, and no one should be afflicted with trying to learn more than he has the inate ability for - I always liked math, but could not grasp the material in “Foundations of Differential Calculus”, a senior-level course at Georgia Tech in 1959. What the schools need is a test to determine which students should even open a book on algebra or geometry - but math is a language, and as with any language is more easily learned when young.
April 17th, 2007 at 12:19 pm
Cuyler Brooks: I’m not sure I agree that math has had little survival value over most of our history (I’m glad some people understand it).
But I certainly do agree that advanced math’s not for everybody and shouldn’t necessarily be forced.
April 17th, 2007 at 4:23 pm
I have 2 children, one that could benefit one that is math-challenged and could benefit from this and one that loves math and I believe would be hurt by this. What I have been asking my daughter’s teachers (she is math-challenged one) is where is it written that math is mandatory for college entry? I assume SATs, ACT, and passing high school grades should be adequate for college entry, but these days does it has to be a certain type of high school math? I ask because when I went to college my school had their own entry exams, and placed you in whatever math you scored on them, regardless the level of math you completed in high school. Many of my classmates were placed in Math 055, remedial math. I know alot may have changed in 25 years, but I am curious.
April 17th, 2007 at 4:52 pm
“standardization” is ridiculous.
April 17th, 2007 at 5:05 pm
A letter about the essay
Thank you for sending! This is horrible…but does not surprise me.I sent a note to Sonny in opposition to this idea. The public school system in Atlanta (and we are at one of the best - Medlock Bridge Elementary) is mediocre at best. I have one child who is in the “TAG” program and one who is special needs (Dyslexic). In both instances, the school system tries to “teach to the middle” to get as many kids though. Excellence is not revered and kids ARE being left behind.
Thanks for sending & please keep us posted! I will support your efforts in any way possible!
April 18th, 2007 at 12:33 pm
A letter about the essay.
John,
Thank you for the heads-up on Kathy’s new mess with education plan.
April 21st, 2007 at 6:18 am
A letter about the essay.
That’s what happens when people vote Republicans into state government postions. We have a budget stalemate, and as you point out, chaos in the school system.
April 21st, 2007 at 7:16 am
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