Anonymously Registered Website Fear Mongers On #HB657

Potemkin Village Is Back
Parents, the same forces that came out to kill the Academic Standards Review Commission’s (ASRC) math recommendations have now come back out to try to kill HB 657. (It was on the calendar for 6/13 but was moved to 6/15).

It’s basically the same groups who pressured various members of the ASRC to attack the Math workgroup leader, Dr. Scheick.

I’m talking about groups like Core Advocates, Hope Street Group’s ‘Fellows‘, NC Chamber of Commerce, Public Schools First NC, NC Public School Forum, WakeEd Partnership, NCAE, SAS, NC Chamber of Commerce, BEST NC.

Don’t forget the selective smattering of math teachers, who are probably spurred on by unhinged Jere Confrey.

Basically, a collection of well-funded, unelected, special interest non-governmental organizations who are Hell being on keeping Common Core and intent on drowning out parents and the public. Shorter: The Potemkin village is back.

Various people associated with these groups I’ve just mentioned have been dropping flashy infographics on Twitter. They seem well produced, only the content is misleading. But I’m apparently “rude” for pointing that out.

This collection of folks have also dropped a website address, so I chose one who tweeted it and went to the site:

#hb657 – WRONG for NC Math students – help us be heard! https://t.co/ulewlnwO98 @NCCoreAdvocates @HopeStreetGroup #mathchat #ncmath

— stefanie buckner (@stefanieBnc) June 11, 2016

It’s called “NC High School Math 2016” and it’s all about killing HB 657. Buckner is apparently a known Common Core shill in the Buncombe area. Paging Lisa Baldwin…

I have a good idea that a teacher probably put it up given that used that crappy Weebly platform that seems so popular with schools, but I can’t be certain since it’s registered anonymously. How brave. Reminds me of NC Chamber ~~weasel~~ lobbyist, Andrew Meehan.

Misleading From The Start

Below is the opening paragraph from the website:

“On June 2, 2016, the NC State Board of Education voted unanimously to adopt new standards for high school mathematics. The day before, the NC Senate Education committee amended HB 657 to mandate high school mathematics standards from 2003.”

This is misleading viewers right from the start.

No, the State Board did not unanimously adopt new standards for High School Math. What they adopted was DPI’s rebrand of Common Core Integrated math. It was, in short, a lipstick on a pig moment.

No, HB 657 is not mandating standards from 2003, it’s mandating offering the CHOICE to use them. It’s a choice many parents want for their kids after witnessing them struggle through Math I, II, II and emerge on the other side with little to no mastery in any given area of algebra or geometry.

I’ve listened to parents complain about the thousands of dollars they had to spend on tutors because the Integrated math was that bad.

Their main concern was that their kid wasn’t going to be able to take more advanced courses in college.

These parents were right to be concerned, Common Core’s math is not designed for advancing to higher math, or supporting a STEM path at a 4-year college.

It’s meant to send them to a non-selective two-year college. This problem is outlined in a white paper by two former Common Core Validation committee members.

But don’t take it from me take it from the lead Common Core math standards writer, Jason Zimba:

Misleading Legislators

The NC High School Math 2016 site also misleads again in the talking points to use with legislators:

“This bill will create chaos for schools, teachers, and students. By conflating standards with curriculum, It essentially creates two sets of standards for high school mathematics.”

Pardon the salty language, but these two statements are a load of bullshit. Also, whoever posted it didn’t proofread it. There should be a period after curriculum and not a comma.

Integrated math and our traditional math overlapped for at least two years when Common Core as implemented. Where were the screams of chaos then?

Teachers all over the country admit they’ve taught a version of math that could be considered integrated math right alongside the traditional progression. The world did not end, oddly.

There would be no conflation, which is ADMITTED in their next sentence, “it creates two sets of standards”. YES, two paths. That’s the point! Kids can go the traditional route or the common core route — you know choice? Hilariously, whoever put this site together also attacks too much choice for students.

Misleading on ACT

Whoever put up this site is also being misleading about the ACT:

“NC students completing the integrated mathematics courses and one additional course scored on average 4.2 points higher on the math portion of the ACT in 2015 than those taking Algebra 1, Geometry, Algebra II, and another advanced mathematics course and were the only group of students to be considered College and Career Ready. In 2014, they scored 4.5 points higher on average (http://www.act.org)“

Oi, where to start…

First, note that Common Core was implemented in NC in the 2012-13 school year.

Second, note that DPI made the ACT mandatory in 2013. North Carolina ‘s participation increased from around 18,000 to near 100,000. Our College ready numbers tumbled in a big way, especially for minorities. The sample is more representative of NC’s graduating classes and shows just how bad the damage really is.

Third, take a look at the NC historical ACT data and benchmarks for Career and College Readiness.

Fourth, in 2015, NC’s ACT Math Benchmark score nationally was 41 and NC scored a 32. NC tied with Kentucky (Common Core’s first adopter) and only 5 states scored lower than us. Related reading: NC’s 2015 SAT Scores and A Look At The 2015 NC ACT Scores.

By the way, ACT just came out with a report that pretty much says Common Core isn’t working. Read about it at Washington Post.

The Big Question & Punching Back
The question has to be asked: What are these Common Core defending people so afraid of?

The horror of parents being able to choose what works best for their child. OH NO, teachers might actually have a choice too! No, we can’t have that, we have to have a one-size-fits-all set of standards.

That is what these folks opposing HB 657 are really saying: ONE SIZE FOR YOUR KID.

So much for the big ‘personalized education’ talk that DPI and the collection of non-profits and Common Core defending groups spout. It’s as empty as their Potemkin village.

Are we going to stand by and let the big ed complex and its foot soldiers kill yet another attempt to save our kids education?

Parent’s it’s time to punch back twice as hard. Get on the phone. Call your Senator. Call your representative.

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