Proponents of Common Core State Standards adamantly assert that these standards are "state-led," "rigorous," and lead to "college and career readiness." They repeat the mantra but provide no meaningful evidence to support their assertions. There were no pilot studies before Common Core was rolled out. The marketing and propaganda are powerful, but the rhetoric doesn't match reality. And the lemming-like behavior of some elected officials in supporting Common Core is staggering. It's the "implement it, then we can find out what's in it" routine.
I first heard about Common Core while at a school board meeting and I was compelled to learn more. Hours of on-line research and review of information both for and against Common Core, led me to a blog post by Alyson Williams called "Children for Sale." Next, I discovered Diane Ravitch's blog. After first supporting Common Core, Ms. Ravitch came to realize that there are serious flaws not only in the way in which it came about but also in its practical application in the classroom.
There are enough red flags for anyone who is an honest broker in education to put politics aside and voice concern. We may disagree on solutions, but we agree that something about Common Core just does not pass the smell test. And whenever we, as concerned parents and citizens, pose legitimate questions to our state officials about Common Core, we are told that they're good, rigorous standards and that any information to the