A Point/Counterpoint Approach to Common Core Communication | LFA: Join The Conversation - Public School Insights

A Point/Counterpoint Approach to Common Core Communication | LFA: Join The Conversation - Public School Insights:

A Point/Counterpoint Approach to Common Core Communication

By National School Public Relations Association on August 29, 2013

By Jim Dunn, APR, Past President of the National School Public Relations Association(NSPRA)/Current Communication Consultant
The battle lines seem to be drawn concerning Common Core State Standards.
On one side are the likes of media personalities Glenn Beckand Michelle Malkin, billionaires Charles and David Koch, the Republican National Committee, the Tea Party, and a whole bevy of angry people who feel like their country has taken a very wrong turn.
On the other side of the debate, and solidly pro-Common Core, are seventy-plus percent of teachers nationwide, conservative political leaders such as former Republican Governor Jeb Bush, 45 state boards of education, theNational Chamber of Commerce and a horde of bewildered education advocates who thought their country, at last, was going to improve K-12 education.
Boards of education, superintendents and school communications professionals now are caught squarely in the middle of an intense political/ideological battle that could derail years of thoughtful efforts to improve U.S. education. The grassroots consortium of professionals who led the development of Common Core standards – from superintendents to teachers to national education experts – believed they were on track to deliver a K-12 education model that would ensure every United States high school graduate is able to compete with anyone in the world to find a worthy job and/or succeed in college.
More Communication Needed Now
The frustration of those who oppose Common Core is both palpable, and in some cases,