Chamber Watch: Keeping an eye on the Chambers of Commerce Core
Today’s Article: Chamber Of Commerce Grades States On Education (Focus on 2 and 4 year colleges)
Excerpt:
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation has released its Leaders and Laggards report on education, turning a business-centered eye to the successes and failures of modern education.Its message is clear: U.S. schools are improving quickly, but have a long way to go before competing effectively with global peers.
Although primarily focused on economic, regulatory, and business issues, in recent years the Chamber of Commerce has increasingly waded into education, arguing that businesses have a crucial interest in making sure schoolchildren are prepared to compete in the modern global economy.
*SNIP*
Schools are improving quickly? Show me the raw data before it was mixed with the chambers ‘own research’.
The Daily Caller article doesn’t link to the ‘Leaders and Laggards’ report. I tracked it down. It’s worth noting that on transparency and openness, most states failed. GEE, go figure.
North Carolina’s report card, according to the Chamber, was miserable. NC only earned 2 B’s, a slew of C’s, a D and two F’s. The F’s were in transparency and efficiency/cost effectiveness. Ouch.
Obligatory Snark for one of the biggest Common Core cheerleaders out there:
Leaders and Laggards? Because when I think ‘grading’ of our schools, I think US Chamber of Commerce? http://t.co/Xvco0OrPD0 #stopcommoncore
— LL1885 – A.P. Dillon (@LadyLiberty1885) September 13, 2014
Why We Keep An Eye On The Chambers Of Commerce Core
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is heavily vested in promoting and pushing Common Core. As push back has grown, Department of Education Secretary Arne Duncan has been pushing the US Chamber to apply more pressure. State and regional Chambers have followed this lead, blanketing papers with op-eds, running television ads and billboards. In North Carolina, the NC Chamber of Commerce has been documented as a clear supporter of Common Core and have created a special education initiative called “Hire Standards” to push Common Core.
How big and hard is the NC Chamber pushing Common Core? Public Schools Forum NC board member and former NC Legislator, Gene Arnold, said outright on local television show, NCSPIN, that the Chamber would choke off campaign contributions to candidates who did not support the Common Core. Direct quote:
“The big stick the business people are using is the threat with campaign contributions could slow down.” – Gene Arnold, NCSPIN 5/15/14 (video)
Read about the US Chamber of Commerce:
- US Chamber’s “Learn More, Go Further” Common Core Site
- LL1885 Chamber Watch Articles
- StopCommonCoreNC’s Chamber Watch Articles
Read about the Chamber in North Carolina:
LL1885 
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