Common Core Standards – the other side of the story

Jennifer Lindberg, a mother of two elementary-age children, has been researching Common Core Standards and she is very concerned. Billed as the future of education, the standards have other consequences not advertised by its proponents. If you are interested in the future of the U.S. education system, the possible outcomes of Common Core may shock you.

According to Lindberg, “Parents, teachers and residents of our school district need to know there is troubling information on the Common Core Standards that our state is now implementing for kids K-12.” It is the other side of the story that has not been widely communicated and parents need to be aware of what children are being taught. Viewpoints from places other than the Department of Education are essential to providing a well-rounded view of what the standards actually mean for our kids.

Voters had no input prior to these standards being implemented, and it is not too late to educate yourself on these standards. Lindberg first learned of Common Core when everyone was talking about Race to the Top. Washington state accepted Race to the Top money from the federal government under the condition the state must adopt Common Core Standards. So, we now have them, but who wrote them? It wasn’t our state legislature, local school board, teachers or parents.

“Common Core was not developed by the states but rather by a D.C.-based nonprofit called Achieve, Inc., under the auspices of the National Governors Association (NGA) and the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO),” explains Lindberg. Common Core was developed without state legislative authority, which is astounding that something this major bypassed so many parents and educators.

There was a severe lack of debate about how these standards will impact education system. We are told how wonderful the program will be for our kids. We are told that it will make them more competitive globally, that the standards are more rigorous and that it will be easier for them to move from state to state, etc. However, there is another side to the story that has been left out of the dialogue. The quick and covert implementation of Common Core left out several key questions.

Do the standards really do what they are intended to do? Will kids really be more competitive globally or is this simply a way of funneling them into a managed economy? Is this a subtle attempt at centralized planning of our education system? In the future will our kids determine their careers or will their careers be determined for them?

Lindberg and other parents are asking these questions and news is starting to surface that Common Core actually has a negative impact on our children. We have to look at both the pros and cons of the debate. We have to stop massive legislation from being passed until we fully understand the impact it has on our lives and on our children’s lives.

If you have not heard both sides of the debate, more information on the negative outcomes of Common Core can be found online at http://stopcommoncore.com and http://truthinamericaneducation.com. States like Indiana have recently put Common Core on hold to allow more time for review. Maybe it is not too late for Washingtonians to take action. If it is too late, and we are too far into implementation, then parents, we have to monitor this every step of the way. Communicate with your child’s teacher and be a watchdog. Last but not least, let’s not be afraid to debate this and ask questions. Remember our state and U.S. legislatures work for us; we do not work for them.

Luella Dow is a Cheney-area author. She can be reached at lotsaplots1@aol.com.