"Common Core": An Education Disaster in the Making

(Editorial published 11/13)

Let me unceremoniously come to the point.

Objective research clearly demonstrates that Common Core is a terribly misguided and destructive program intended to standardize political correctness, advance ideological agendas, eliminate parental and local control of education, and to robotize our children. In short, Common Core is nothing more than an uninspired political and corporate scheme, not an educational solution.

What Common Core so irresponsibly promotes is a dangerous lowering of achievement standards by “re-norming” (lowering) those standards, thus further dumbing-down our children and imperiling creative thinking, individual innovativeness and intellectual competitiveness, the indispensable building blocks of a dynamic and prosperous society. 

If real education of our children is the goal, then I urge everyone--both opponents and proponents alike--to compare 8^th grade testing standards and outcomes in 1895 with those of 2013. In truth, not even today’s university seniors could successfully compete with American 8^th graders in 1895, thus illustrating how far we’ve strayed from common sense and academic excellence. (In this regard, I urge readers to check out David Barton's critical and instructive analysis of Common Core on the internet.)

So, what's the answer to our education woes? Well, it certainly isn't more fanciful experimentation.

The obvious solution to our education shortcomings is to promptly embrace those common sense educational standards which have worked so spectacularly well in the past! Let’s permit teachers to teach, to encourage critical thinking, inculcate pride in learning, and to promote academic competitiveness! Let’s stop indoctrinating, experimenting with and dumbing-down our kids. Going forward, let educational excellence and academic achievement--not ruinous experimentation and the crass promise of more corporate and government funding--be our guide. Why? Because our kids and our future as a viable and prosperous nation are at stake.