I found the OBSERVER’s take on the recent visit to the SUNY Fredonia and JCC campuses by SUNY Chancellor John King to be quite interesting. The Common Core King rolls across the state visiting SUNY colleges in crisis, a crisis due in part to his failed policies as New York State Commissioner of Education.

While in our area, the King makes nice with his subjects. Yet he offers no solution to SUNY’s struggles other than a raise in tuition, while publicly encouraging President Joe Biden to forgive student loan debt. While he glad hands SUNY students, who will soon be paying more for less, local politicians and SUNY officials attempt to flatter him and curry favor so that he might award them with more funding. Funding in the form of taxpayer dollars that will allow SUNY schools to continue their overspending ways.

The OBSERVER states that, during his visit, King experienced a positive view. Of course he did. While certainly not full, SUNY campuses enroll large numbers of exceptional people eager to learn and achieve. The real question is are they prepared for college after King’s Common Core and can they afford the proposed tuition hike?

The OBSERVER also stated that King seemed sincere. There is no doubt that King sincerely believes in his Common Core Curriculum and over testing policies, even though they have been visibly falling short of their goals year after year after year. A sincere belief in policy and real success in policy are two very different things.

It is also apparent that the King is sincerely looking for a Kingdom to rule. His career path has taken him through a number of short lived positions in educational leadership and politics. His failed Maryland gubernatorial run was his latest and deepest foray into the political arena. It is curious as to why, after conducting a nationwide search, the SUNY Board of Regents would hire as Chancellor someone with minimal experience in higher education. Could it be that his old NYSED Regent and Common Core crony Merryl Tisch, who is now a SUNY Trustee, had something to do with this hire?

I hope and pray that I am wrong about the Common Core King. Just as I pray for all of our leaders, regardless of party, that they may make wise decisions that are pleasing to the Lord and good for the people that they wish to serve.

Andrew Ludwig, principal at Northern Chautauqua Catholic School, is a Fredonia resident.