“The biggest fallacy of the Common Core standards is that they have been sold to the nation without any evidence that they will accomplish what their boosters claim.”  – Diane Ravitch

 

The next biggest fallacy is that somehow states pulling out won’t be able to replace the Common Core with something better. There will always be something better — that is, unless you’re a state locked into a copyrighted set of standards controlled by outside entities. To be clear, Common Core Standards are a race to the middle. This is what Common Core supporters are bracing for next: states who pull out and put together superior standards which include continual and best practices integration.

The question that should be turned back on the Common Core supporters is: How can we NOT do better?

Quickly,a look at two of the latest Common Core talking points regarding replacement and then a closing argument.

1. ‘This is politicizing education’

Trade organizations and billionaires in bed with the US Dept. of Education and the US Chamber of Commerce already fired that shot. States taking back control are cutting off that politicizing.  State legislators who think they can use this new messaging scheme should think twice and recognize the stark hypocrisy they are committing. 

But don’t believe what you’re read or researched. Don’t believe your lyin’ ears, eyes and mind because Common Core is great because… shut up, or something.

2. ‘It’s troubling to wonder what it will be replaced with’

 How did states survive until now without the Common Core? What’s troubling is why most states replaced their old standards with Common Core when in most cases, their standards were superior to begin with. Oh right – big Federal dollars were dangled. At the mention of the monetary coercion, you’ll see the supporters change course and point to those “experts” who said our standards were worse than the Core.  Some advice: Do not buy what the Gates Foundation’s paid ‘Grading report‘ created by Thomas B. Fordham Institute. One should definitely not buy that in the case of Missouri.  One should especially not buy it in the case of Indiana, Massachusetts, North Carolina, and Tennessee, as stated by Terry Ryan, Vice President for OH Programs and Policy – of that very same Thomas B. Fordham Institute. 

NC State Superintendent Dr. Atkinson, ironically has touted customization and personalizing education, has been the biggest proponent for the one-size-fits-all Common Core. She’s also now the President of the CCSSO, which is one of the two trade organizations holding that copyright on the Common Core.  Dr. Atkinson has served in public education for 25 years and proudly stated in the opening of her comments at the Common Core LRC meeting that she has had a hand the last four revisions to them. Yet, she turned right around and said Common Core was far superior to what North Carolina had.  So, if she’s been so involved and our standards were allegedly so bad, what have we been throwing money at the Department of Public Instruction for and what has Dr. Atkinson been doing all this time then? Maybe the problem isn’t with NC standards, but it’s Department of Public Instruction and it’s leadership.

The premise that the individual states do not have the talent, skills and common sense to create, maintain and improve upon their own education system is ludicrous. The complaint that we’ve gone to far to abandon Common Core now is equally dumb.  Think about that a moment. The message there is keep it because it’s easier than changing? That’s higher standards?? That’s a disgustingly defeatist attitude and had this great nation followed that type of thinking we would not be ‘this great nation’ or for that matter, the Great State Of North Carolina.

 

North Carolina Must Lead, Not Follow

It’s been proven that more federal intrusion and money pumped  into the way states orchestrate their schools has given us continued decline in achievement and exponentially increasing costs. More centralization will not bring innovation and higher standards, it will bring stagnation and conformity. A centralizing, government tied approach is a broadsword, but true education and higher standards require a scalpel.

North Carolina is on the cusp of freeing itself from this stifling set of sub-par standards, scripted curriculum and the high stakes testing that joined at the hip with the Common Core. The rhetoric you will hear from the supporters will not be a defense of their product, but casting doubt on those questioning it. A great product sells itself, yet here we have Chamber of Commerce taking out TV ads to convince us. Common Core — As Seen on TV!  That’s the winning ticket to prove these are high standards, an infomercial.

Bottom line,  North Carolina is choosing to lead, not fall in line with the herd and Replace Common Core To Meet NC’s Needs.  What needs to be questioned here are those trying to stop that and why.