Aiming to set the record straight about 'the Common Core lie'
In “Republicans continue to peddle the Common Core lie” (June 8), the editorial board lamented that Missouri took two steps back in education policy. The piece was such a work of fiction, it barely qualified for the opinion page.
We’d like to set the record straight about “the Common Core lie” and ask questions of clarification.
Fiction: Missouri legislators (especially Rep. Kurt Bahr) are playing their constituents for chumps because HB 1490 did not eliminate Common Core.
Fact: Gov. Jay Nixon would not to sign a bill with language explicitly eliminating Common Core. HB 1490 instructs work groups constituted in 2014 to develop academic learning standards, not rubber stamp copyrighted ones. Rep. Bahr sent a written communication to the work groups stating that the intent of the bill is for Missouri to have standards in public domain. According to the editorial, “Those standards are likely to mimic Common Core. And even if they don’t, the Board can (and will) dismiss them.”
Question: Is the Post-Dispatch suggesting that the State Board of Education intends to defraud the public, by rejecting the work submitted by the work groups a priori?
Fiction: The Republicans, responding to wealthy campaign donors, are off-loading Common Core as an Obama initiative.
Fact: Several Republican presidential candidates and governors have been stalwart in their support of Common Core, even in the face of increasing public rejection of the standards.
Question: Is the board making a back-handed endorsement of Republican presidential candidates Jeb Bush and Mike Huckabee, who support the Common Core standards? Why did the board finger wealthy campaign donors for messing with education policy and, not mention funding from wealthy private (Gates) and corporate (Pearson) underwriters of the Common Core State Standards Initiative? Is the Post-Dispatch suggesting that the 1 percent is only philanthropic in giving?
Fiction: Legislative meddling caused a succession of tests that inhibits comparison of scores.
Fact: In February, Cole County federal judge Daniel Green, ruled that the SBAC Consortia is an unlawful interstate compact and prohibited payment of SBAC membership fees. Further, SBAC Aiming to set the record straight about 'the Common Core lie' : News:
Mary Byrne • Springfield, Mo.
Anne Gassel • Ellisville
Gretchen Logue • Kirkwood
Co-founders, Missouri Coalition Against Common Core
