Central New York parents protest: National Keep Your Child Out of School Day
Elbridge, NY - On Nov. 18, Danielle and Tim Karlik plan to keep their teenage daughters home from the Jordan-Elbridge schools for National Keep Your Child Out of School Day, a nationwide protest of the Common Core educational standards.
Nov. 18 marks the start of American Education Week. That day the Karlik girls, Tatum, 15, and Abbey, 13, will stand with their mother in silent protest at the New York State Department of Education in Albany.
"I will use this as my way of teaching them we have freedom of assembly and freedom of speech and that's how they will get their education that day," Danielle Karlik said.
The Common Core is not without controversy. In New York, parents have opted their children out of state testing in protest, some have begun to home school their children, and others have called for the education commissioner's resignation.
The Karliks took part in the protest outside stateEducation Commissioner John King's appearance Thursday at a question and answer session about the standards on WCNY.
The couple object to the Common Core because of the "iron fisted" way it is being implemented, Danielle Karlik said. They believe it doesn't allow for an individual student's learning style, takes away local school board control