**Update** The date of the meeting has been changed to November 12th.

On November 12th, from 7:00 to 9:00 pm, Senator Flanagan will be hosting a forum for his friend John King to address the Common Core.  This is one of the forums that is being held in place of the PTA Town Hall meetings that King cowardly canceled earlier this month.

In the least surprising news of the morning, the meeting will not be open to the public.  I repeat it will NOT be open to the public.  Senator Flanagan, no friend of ours, has called each school district in his senatorial district and told them that they can invite two people to speak for two minutes each at this forum.  Each district will be allowed to have 50 people total attend.  No word on what will happen if somebody tries to speak for longer than two minutes.  Or if thousands show up and attempt to get inside.

Once again John Flanagan is standing up for his friend John King.  Placing the protection of King’s ego above giving his constituents a voice in their democracy.  This is Flanagan and King’s way of placating parents and educators.  Of throwing them a bone.  They don’t really wanna hear from anyone, so they’ll only give a handful of people two minutes each to speak… then they’ll hope those people stop sending letters and making phone calls calling for King’s resignation and New York State’s withdrawal from Race to the Top.

John Flanagan is a politician of the worst kind.  This is just one more reason to vote him out next November.  Typically the Democrats run only a warm body against Flanagan.  Hopefully next year they will choose more carefully and select a candidate who supports not just public education, but somebody who is interested in giving their constituents an opportunity to have their voice heard.

As a reminder, we will be picketing at Senator Flanagan’s office in Smithtown tomorrow afternoon from 3:30 to 5:00.  Rain or shine.  Please come.  Tell everybody you know to come.  We promise to give you more than two minutes to express your feelings!