Earlier this week the NC Common Core commission or Academic Standards Review Commission (ASRC) met and allowed for parents to comment.  See my earlier article, NC Common Core #ASRC June Meeting Update for reference.

In my prior article I mentioned a particular “parent” who spoke to the commission. That parent was Kim Arwood. Her commentary gave everyone in the room pause as she suggested that parents “shouldn’t be expected to teach curriculum”.

“We shouldn’t expect parents to teach any curriculum” – Kim Arwood #ASRC WOW.

— A.P. Dillon – LL1885 (@LadyLiberty1885) June 15, 2015

Say what?

Parents are inherently teachers. We are their first and primary teachers. Not only should we should be able to teach any curriculum to our children, we have the right to do so. Children are not the creatures of the state, Ms. Arwood. They belong to their parents.

So Who Is Kim Arwood?
Arwood presented herself as a UNC grad with kids in 7th and 8th grade. Common Core has been in NC schools for 3 years. This means that her children had a foundation in non-Common Core math instruction for 4 and 5 years respectively.

I wonder if that fact occured to Ms. Arwood when she presented an example of one of her children musing about square root equations as an example of the wonder of Common Core math. Also, the fact Ms. Arwood is a math teacher might have something to do with her children’s math skills? Just a guess there.

Ms. Arwood is also on the board of “Red4EdNC“, which is, according to their site, “an unincorporated non-profit association registered with the NC Secretary of State”. I located their records at the Secretary of State under the Corporations division. Remember that, I will return to it.

Arwood’s Bio reads as follows, emphasis added:

Currently a math teacher, Multicultural Club sponsor, and math team coach at Leesville Road High, Kim is a graduate of the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics in Durham, NC, and UNC-Chapel Hill.  She earned National Board Certification in 2011. Before taking time off to be with her two children, she was also a math teacher, coach, and International Baccalaureate Program Coordinator for several years in Durham. She plans to go back to school to pursue a master’s degree once her children finish elementary school. Kim joined Red4EdNC because she believes a high quality public education should be available to every child and that attracting, supporting, and retaining high quality teachers is the best way to provide quality education.

To add to this bio, one should take note that it is her picture plastered as the banner for the EducationNC Op-ed by a group of teachers from Leesville road praising Common Core math. That op-ed coincidentally was posted on the same day as the ASRC meeting at which Arwood spoke.

Returning to the non-profit status
On The Red4EdNC site, there is a little notation and icon that says “A SPECIAL PROJECT OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS FIRST NC“.

While the Public Schools First NC (PSFNC) site says it is non-partisan, let me assure you that’s not really true. Let it also be said they are 100% for Common Core.

PSFNC is aligned with far left organizations, including BlueprintNC.

It was Public Schools First NC who was assisting to organize the “Walk-In” Protests in our schools last year. PSFNC organized many of these walk-ins in conjunction with NC Justice Center.

http://www.travislongphoto.com/2011/02/07/school-board-in-turmoil/candlelight1-ne-032210-tel/

PSFNC’s records at the Secretary of State show that it was started by Yevonne Brannon and she also owns and registered the website.

View the 2012 PSFNC IRS 990 form.

Brannon is a former Wake county commissioner and is also behind ‘Greater Schools In Wake’ which is in turn a project of  ‘WakeUP Wake County‘.

Both of these groups are arguably very political and left leaning in nature.As one can see from the photo, Brannon is a fan of Moral Monday.

Check out the awards given out by ‘Greater Schools in Wake’ to Brannon and awards given out by BluePrintNC and NC Justice Center.

Fun fact, Brenda Berg left ‘Greater Schools in Wake’ to form BEST NC. Berg told me ‘things got too political’ at ‘Greater Schools In Wake’, so she left.

Another fun fact, PFSNC is an ally and partner of the NC PTA, which has gone to great lengths to support Common Core. Lengths such as President Donald Dunn showing up to this past Monday’s ASRC meeting and weaseling in talking time during the parent comment forum.

To Recap: Red4EdNC is run by Public Schools First NC, who is run by WakeUp Wake County. WakeUP Wake County also runs Greater Schools in Wake.

Common Standards Makes Common Children and Common Teachers
On a broader topic, I reject the idea that Common Core makes teachers better. Supporters, including teachers who support Common Core, repeatedly state to the opposition that Common Core is “just a set of standards”. Yet, when defending Common Core, those same supporters and teachers claim Common Core has magical properties that make them better teachers.

So which is it? Is it just a set of standards or some miracle teaching guide?  You’re either a good teacher or you aren’t. If “just a set of standards” is what it took for you to be a better teacher and do all kinds of miraculous things in the classroom, then perhaps our teacher colleges are in bigger trouble than we thought.