Are You Anti-Core Curriculum? Here's your chance to help - act quickly!

Fellow ATS members,

Based on your AMA responses to JesseVentura, I know that the Federal Common Core Standards concerns are important to at least some of you.

Indiana has become the first at the state level to withdraw from Common Core Standards under the belief that students are best served by state and local level decisions on education. This legislation was signed by Governor Mike Pence; however, the bill's original author pulled his name off at the last minute when he learned that the measure was altered to the extent that it wouldn't lose federal funding.

www.huffingtonpost.com...

I think state/local educational boards, generally, know best on how to meet their students' needs better than the Feds.

I was fortunate enough to grow up in a public school system state that doesn't need the Common Core. This is not the case for us currently in Indiana status quo. My school-age son goes to private school right now; but that is only K-8, so we'll have to see what the future holds. I am willing to deal with potholes if it means that educational funding has to be provided through local/state resources! The Fed is going under! Way under!

Are you for or against Federal Common core?

Why/why not?

Are you a parent, teacher, concerned citizen?

Are you willing to contact your Representative and Senator? Or, is it a waste of time? If you are willing, information is listed below.



Additional resources: www.wdrb.com...
caffeinatedthoughts.com...

truthinamericaneducation.com/common-core-state-standards/help-recruit-cosigners-for-grassley-and-kings-common-core-defunding-letters/

U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) needs our help. He is leading the charge in the U.S. Senate to defund the Common Core State Standards. He is looking for co-signers for a letter that will be sent to the leaders of the Senate Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Subcommittee – Senators Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) and Jerry Moran (R-Kansas) asking that they include language in their next appropriations bill to block the further use of any funding from the U.S. Department of Education to incentivize or otherwise coerce states into adopting and retaining the Common Core State Standards.

Congressman Steve King (R-IA) has a similar letter in the House of Representatives.

As of Monday, Senator Grassley’s letter had only two confirmed co-signers: Senators Pat Roberts (R-KS) and James Inhofe (R-OK).

The deadline for both letters is the close of business tomorrow. So please contact your Representative and Senators TODAY!
The text of Grassley’s letter is below (King’s letter is practically identical):

Dear Chairman Harkin and Ranking Member Moran:

We ask that the Fiscal Year 2015 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriation Bill include language to restore state decision-making and accountability with respect to state academic content standards. The decision about what students should be taught and when it should be taught has enormous consequences for our children. Therefore, parents out to have a straight line of accountability to those who are making such decisions. Those decisions should be made at the state or local level, free from any pressure from the U.S. Department of Education.

We support eliminating further interference by the U.S. Department of Education with respect to state decisions on academic content standards by including the following language in the Fiscal Year 2015 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Bill

edit on 2-4-2014 by watchesfromwall because: (no reason given)

edit on 2-4-2014 by watchesfromwall because: Title

edit on 2-4-2014 by watchesfromwall because: Title,sorry

I need to finish working presently, but I intend to come back in afterwards to expand on my statements. I agree with you and the states being the appropriate purveyors of educational standards. In fact I believe that to be true in the case of taxes and frankly everything outside of certain international issues (however with the understanding that individual states and their citizenry make their own decisions and a majority rule being applied to National stands on International issues).

All power and taxation should be generated from the local communities and filter outward to the National...we have it backwards presently. Forgive my half-baked reply I intend to come back and write further.

reply to post by watchesfromwall


I have seen many changes to the Core Class the kids take, why are they not teaching writing, asked my son to sign his name and he did not know how, we practiced for a few days until he could. What's up that.

When was the last time any of you picked up a history book, back in the 70-80 there was a whole chapter on Revolutionary War, Civil War, WWI, WWII, Korean War, Vietnam was briefly mentioned, but today you look and your lucky if there is a paragraph about the wars.

Most of the stuff they are teaching are about Civil Liberty's and equality for History, Go ahead ask any kid today what happened on Dec 7th 1941 and see what there answer is.

They are taking all these felly touchie classes such as the 7 Pillars, something doing with respect, kindness ect, its a waste of money if you ask me.

I believe todays course structure is leading us as a Nation down the wrong road, we need to get back to the basics

I'm glad that some states are doing something about the BS coming out of DC, falls right in line with that Federal Lunch Program which is another Joke

reply to post by 19KTankCommander


"They" say that generational amnesia only requires 20 years. Meaning, that the establishment only needs repeat the same information for 20 years before it is the accepted paradigm.

Years ago when languishing in corporate retail management I was subjected to this same dynamic as my small regional company was bought out by a large national chain. They went about doing study groups, taking polls and making nationwide decisions based on the results of these "studies." Interestingly enough they relied on 2 demographic groups: Boulder Colorado, and one other and chose to take those consumer results and apply those findings to all of the stores and all of the demographics in the country. It took about 5 years before the entire chain was almost entirely bankrupt, finally selling there retail brick and mortar buildings to another, more "successful" corporation.

The point being, they couldnt see the forest through the trees, they decided that their more comfortably understood dynamic was not just the right one, but the only one and that all of the other demographics would fall into lockstep. What happened instead was all the loyal consumers who had helped develop the retail venues inventory based on needs and turns stopped shopping that chain and a new local one, built by the originally bought out chains owners began opening stores locally and entirely usurped all of the business by appreciating and understanding the needs of their local demographic and appealing to it...

Standardization of philosophical ideals never works, its like asking fish to fly and expecting them to take to it as naturally as you do being a bird. The results are standardized mediocrity. In regards Common Core...its symptomatic of the aforementioned issue. You simply cannot assume to create a national, or international vision with any level of success by reason of the same....01% cannot possibly aggregate the entirety of regional tastes and flavors into one giant homogenized global system.

Common Core seeks to take a one sided guilt ridden approach to correct perceived wrongs done, rather than learning from the mistakes and teaching candidly regarding successes and folly. It is indicative of our individual challenges rising above our own passions and fear of being seen in unfavorable light. We seek to hide from our failures as a society by teaching our children from a perspective of ignorance...the result...doomed to repeat the same mistakes by not facing and rectifying the basic human frailty that consumes us all...

I just asked my daughter who is a freshman in High School if she has learned about the civil war,WW1,WW2 and Vietnam and to my surprise she said no. She says they learn more about world events in history and not really anything about or country's history. I have noticed a change in the Schools policy on not offending anyone more apologetic if they offend anyone. A good friend of mine who I grew up with is a teacher and since he became one his political views have changed a lot for a liberal view and a lover of Obama. The liberal loony lefts agenda to control or kids mind.

watchesfromwall
Fellow ATS members,

Based on your AMA responses to JesseVentura, I know that the Federal Common Core Standards concerns are important to at least some of you.

Indiana has become the first at the state level to withdraw from Common Core Standards under the belief that students are best served by state and local level decisions on education. This legislation was signed by Governor Mike Pence; however, the bill's original author pulled his name off at the last minute when he learned that the measure was altered to the extent that it wouldn't lose federal funding.

www.huffingtonpost.com...

I think state/local educational boards, generally, know best on how to meet their students' needs better than the Feds.

I was fortunate enough to grow up in a public school system state that doesn't need the Common Core. This is not the case for us currently in Indiana status quo. My school-age son goes to private school right now; but that is only K-8, so we'll have to see what the future holds. I am willing to deal with potholes if it means that educational funding has to be provided through local/state resources! The Fed is going under! Way under!

Are you for or against Federal Common core?

Why/why not?

Are you a parent, teacher, concerned citizen?

Are you willing to contact your Representative and Senator? Or, is it a waste of time? If you are willing, information is listed below.



Additional resources: www.wdrb.com...
caffeinatedthoughts.com...

truthinamericaneducation.com/common-core-state-standards/help-recruit-cosigners-for-grassley-and-kings-common-core-defunding-letters/

U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) needs our help. He is leading the charge in the U.S. Senate to defund the Common Core State Standards. He is looking for co-signers for a letter that will be sent to the leaders of the Senate Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Subcommittee – Senators Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) and Jerry Moran (R-Kansas) asking that they include language in their next appropriations bill to block the further use of any funding from the U.S. Department of Education to incentivize or otherwise coerce states into adopting and retaining the Common Core State Standards.

Congressman Steve King (R-IA) has a similar letter in the House of Representatives.

As of Monday, Senator Grassley’s letter had only two confirmed co-signers: Senators Pat Roberts (R-KS) and James Inhofe (R-OK).

The deadline for both letters is the close of business tomorrow. So please contact your Representative and Senators TODAY!
The text of Grassley’s letter is below (King’s letter is practically identical):

Dear Chairman Harkin and Ranking Member Moran:

We ask that the Fiscal Year 2015 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriation Bill include language to restore state decision-making and accountability with respect to state academic content standards. The decision about what students should be taught and when it should be taught has enormous consequences for our children. Therefore, parents out to have a straight line of accountability to those who are making such decisions. Those decisions should be made at the state or local level, free from any pressure from the U.S. Department of Education.

We support eliminating further interference by the U.S. Department of Education with respect to state decisions on academic content standards by including the following language in the Fiscal Year 2015 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Bill

edit on 2-4-2014 by watchesfromwall because: (no reason given)

edit on 2-4-2014 by watchesfromwall because: Title

edit on 2-4-2014 by watchesfromwall because: Title,sorry

I read that the other day in a local newspaper.

I had a discussion with a teacher just this week and she told me that her days are not spent educating, but preparing students for exams, of which they really don't know the material.

The purpose of Common Core was just to push test preparation above education, so some school districts would get more money. Indianapolis now has a higher crime rate than Chicago. I am sure there's no correlation though....

Here is an example of a Common Core Test Question

And these kids might need a job someday.

My sincere apologies for being AWOL from ATS as of late ( result of power loss and caring for my children); I'm irritated that the deadline for my OP passed as quickly as I posted it. Yet it is never too late to examine the current situation and talk to our reps (local, state and or federal)!

For the record, and surprisingly, I totally support and agree with all of your thoughts and positions. Thank you for your feedback and contributions. :-)

This example caught my eye this morning:

A poignant resignation letter that Colorado Springs teacher Pauline Hawkins wrote and posted on her blog Monday talks about her love of teaching and the pride she has in her students, colleagues, school and district.

And yet, she writes that she is resigning her post after 11 years as an English teacher at Liberty High School at the end of the school year for reasons that reflect a flashpoint for many frustrated educators here and nationwide.

The letter has gone viral, and her blog, paulinehawkins.com, has received more than 9,000 online hits in less than two days.

Her letter is a sad farewell to her administration and her students, laying bare her feelings about what she sees as the federal and state government overstepping local control of schools. At the heart of her distress are the new Common Core standards, low teacher pay in Colorado and endless testing and teaching to the test, which she and many others believe is making students fail rather than succeed.

Hawkins' letter says in part: "I can no longer be a part of a system that continues to do the exact opposite of what I am supposed to do as a teacher - I am supposed to help them think for themselves, help them find solutions to problems, help them become productive members of society. Instead, the emphasis is on Common Core Standards and high stakes testing that is creating a teach to the test mentality for our teachers, and stress and anxiety for our students."

She added, "Students have increasingly become hesitant to think for themselves, because they have been programmed to believe that there is one right answer."

Read more at gazette.com...

gazette.com...