"Money for Nothing"--Anthem of the Department of Education

This article from American Thinker on the absolute fallacy of national standards is a must read. This is the most common sense definition of the disaster awaiting Missouri schools I've seen yet:

http://www.americanthinker.com/2010/08/the_education_gimmick_of_the_y.html

Love the title, too. "The Education Gimmick of the Year". Perfect. The article covers the problems encountered with this newest "gift" from Washington:

• increased cheating
• increased politicization of curriculum
• financial ruin for school districts

If you are truly interested in learning the basic ABC's of why we are vehemently opposed to common core standards, read this fine article. Scroll down to the comment section as well. Reading what the people in the trenches are experiencing lend validity to the author's points. And thanks to Jon, a reader who suggested it reminded him of "Money for Nothing":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ACGUasFWVsI

The New National anthem of the Department of Education. Heck, it should be nominated for the entire Federal Government. That's what we're getting: nothing. The band's name is what we are finding ourselves in...Dire Straits.

Education "Reform" is identical to Health Care "Reform"

I've taken a break the last few days to focus in our primary races in the St. Louis area...what an election! Proposition C passed with 71% voting YES to health care freedom. I was an assistant supervisor at a liberal leaning precinct...and many people told me they came in to vote specifically against the health care mandate.

I hope our legislators can now focus in on what's going on in the state with the educational mandates. I've said all along the Race to the Top and other federal mandates are the educational versions of the Health Care bill. Let me outline why I say this:

• The educational and health care bills were formulated behind closed doors.
• Both bills bypassed state legislatures. Legislatures have to come up with money they don't have to fund the programs the Federal government has mandated states must follow.
• Both bills had little or no input on the specifics from the taxpayers who are told how their tax dollars are to be used.
• Both the health care and educational mandates do not resolve the failures of each program; they create more bureaucratic levels and more control.
• Both programs were pushed through because the health care and educational programs "were in crisis". Politicians and educators signed onto programs before they even knew what they entailed.

Missouri Education Watchdog has plans to engage state legislators on this issue. The voters have spoken on the health care mandate, now let's raise our voices on the educational control Arne Duncan and company wants us to buy (literally and figuratively) into.