We recently gave a talk about education, common core standards adopted in Missouri, and the ramifications of this decision. We received a comment from someone in attendance and wanted to share his point of view:
By now, we should all know that there really is no such thing as a free lunch, even at a public school. However, have you ever wondered what we really give up for all that “free” stuff from the federal government?
The real deal is that we agree to exchange our sovereignty for their dollars. If you have never been forced to read the “Other Certifications and Assurances” that state and local governments cede when they sign off on federal grants, you might be surprised by what we agree to do for money ( or maybe not ). Here are a few examples directly from page 5 of Missouri’s unsuccessful Race to the Top application:
Other Assurances and Certifications
The Governor or his/her authorized representative assures or certifies the following:
The State will comply with all applicable assurances in OMB Standard Forms 424B (Assurances for Non-Construction Programs) and to the extent consistent with the State’s application, OMB Standard Form 424D (Assurances for Construction Programs), including the assurances relating to the legal authority to apply for assistance; access to records; conflict of interest; merit systems; nondiscrimination; Hatch Act provisions; labor standards; flood hazards; historic preservation; protection of human subjects; animal welfare; lead-based paint; Single Audit Act; and the general agreement to comply with all applicable Federal laws, executive orders and regulations.
.
Most of these additional “Other Certifications and Assurances” also have little to do with the original purpose of the grant application. The Feds insert this type of language into all federal grants. This contractual language provides a fail-safe way to twist our arms into “voluntary” compliance with un-Constitutional federal initiatives. Failing to comply with these provisions simultaneously jeopardizes funding for many federally-sponsored activities.
Some Missourians may think that ceding sovereignty is a small price to pay for education reform. Perhaps, but I cannot understand the motivation of any liberty-inclined conservative who would willingly relinquish sovereignty at the state, local, or personal level to accept national standards, the so-called Common Core Standards, for education. I can only assume the motivation to accept these Common Core Standards has some relation to these “Other Certifications and Assurances” made in exchange for federal funding for education or other purposes.
I understand Missouri’s acceptance of these Common Core Standards in math and was made by members of the State Board of Education and was not made directly by our political leadership. But the Board’s actions still require the consent of the governed. Do liberty-inclined conservatives consent to this? Do we really think this national, metric-centric approach to education reform will enhance liberty and its companion, innovation?
If there is some liberty-inclined-conservative reason, other than money, to relinquish sovereignty and to accept these standards, I’d sure like to hear it.
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We echo our guest editor's last sentence. Why is our State Legislature willing to relinquish sovereignty by accepting these standards? We didn't like the Federal Government directing our health care; why is our Legislature making no effort to block this takeover of the educational sector? Why won't our legislators address these questions?
Many of us in Washington state are fighting against the permanent adoption of the Common Core Standards. The local control issue is big with us but we also believe that the CCSS math standards are inferior to our newly adopted state math standards based on clarity, lack of organization at the high school level, and that they are written in language that makes them unusable for most stakeholders.
ReplyDeleteThe push to adopt these standards came from our Governor. She was able to get the legislature to allow our state superintendent of public instruction to provisionally adopt the CCSS last March before they were even written.
It is obvious that the desire to adopt the CCSS is not based on merit. The claimed benefits of these standards are easy to refute. The real motive is that there are numerous educators and some politicians who simply want to nationalize our education system. Of course this is reinforced by a great amount of money from Bill Gates and the publishing industry.
Last Friday at the hearing of a bill to make our provisional adoption permanent, I heard the phrase, "this is our one chance to obtain national standards" several times. It is obvious to me that this really is a fight over local vs national control no matter how much the proponents of the CCSS try to deny that it is not. No matter what happens in our "blue" state, I do not believe this movement will ultimately succeed.
No matter which side of the political fence you are on there are political realities that are in force. For the last two years we have been under one set of political realities. For the next two and probably four years we will be under a different set of political realities.
Two things happened in last November's elections. Control of the house of representatives changed from the democrats to the republicans and the republicans also now have a majority in the National Governors Association. The new leadership in the NGA will take over this month. While the President sets agendas, the house of representatives controls the purse strings.
Take a look at the mission and agenda of the current house education committee below.
PreK-12 Education
To ensure student success in the 21st century, Republicans are focused doing on what’s best for students, parents, teachers, and communities. This means helping children achieve their full and unique potential by equipping them with the tools and knowledge to succeed in the 21st century and ensuring America’s educational system is the best in the world.
To accomplish these objectives, Republicans believe Congress must:
Restore local control,
Empower parents,
Let teachers teach, and
Protect taxpayers.
These principles will guide Republican efforts to reform federal education policy and protect the rights and responsibilities of states and local communities when it comes to educating the next generation.
Again, no matter which side of the political fence you are on, the realties are that the republicans are going to fight for local control. They will fight by not funding the current administrations push towards national standards. Although there will be some compromises made, I believe the funding that will be needed to expand or even maintain this push will not be there. It's just my opinion, but I believe that this "one chance" for national standards is going to fall short, just as they have in the past.
www.BobDeanTalk.com
Thank you, Bob, for your comments. I wish you luck in your state legislature and the Republicans wanting to take local control back. We have a Republican controlled House and Senate here in Missouri, however, the legislators heretofore have refused to engage in the issue of common core standards and their ramifications. They instead are focusing on "school choice" issues which include open enrollment, expanding charter schools and the trigger option.
ReplyDeleteWe are puzzled why our senators and representatives who campaigned on sovereignty and fiscal issues are not addressing the clear attempted takeover of education.
Many states are already on a slippery slope when it comes to losing local control. When a parent goes to the teacher, they are referred to the principal, who refers them to someone at the district office who tells the parent the standards are required by the state and it’s out of their control. The adoption of the CCSS will put a state’s loss of local control into free fall. The CCSS parachute is being issued without a ripcord.
ReplyDeleteTypically, standards adopted by states have been in the public domain. That is not the case with the CCSS. The CCSSI website states that the NGA Center/CCSSO groups own the copyright protected CCSS. Both organizations are non-government groups. Control over changes to the CCSS will lie in the hands so called “experts” outside of any state and outside of the federal government. Who do people with concerns turn to? It’s hard enough to get decision makers at the state level to hear the voice of parents and taxpayers.
i4realmath:
ReplyDeleteThank you for your posting. I would be interested in finding out more about what you have discovered about the CCSS and the standards not being in the public domain.
Do you have a website or links you can point me to? I will go directly to the CCSSI website you referenced above and would appreciate any other links.
This sure doesn't sound as if this a good decision we are being saddled with in terms of sovereignty and having access to the standards being taught to our children.
“We didn't like the Federal Government directing our health care; why is our Legislature making no effort to block this takeover of the educational sector? Why won't our legislators address these questions?”
ReplyDeleteEither, as you said, they don’t understand that accepting the extra requirements means ceding sovereignty, or they don’t care – either one is hard to believe.
What’s even harder for me to believe, is that people aren’t as upset, and more, about distant bureaucrats controlling the lives and education of their own children, as they are about their right to determine their healthcare.
Is ‘Education without Representation’, any less tyrannical than ‘Taxation without Representation’?
stlgretchen,
ReplyDeleteThere are some of our Republicans who aren't that concerned about going to Common Core Standards either.... And quite frankly, it would be a big upset for us to win the fight in this blue state. However, we are making sure that legislators and the people understand this: A vote for the CCSS is a vote for national standards and a vote against state and local control of education. A vote against the CCSS is a vote for local control and a vote against a national education system.
My question is this: What gives legislators the right to give away the rights of the people to affect the education of their children? When things start going south, we want people to know who gave those rights away.... then we will see how accountability really works.
www.BobDeanTalk.com
stlgretchen,
ReplyDeleteIf one scrapes around a bit on the Common Core State Standards Initiative website some interesting tidbits of information can be found amongst the blather of boilerplate propaganda. The statement about ownership and copyright can be found at the following URL:
http://www.corestandards.org/commercial-license
I would also point you in the direction of one page on the Mathematically Sound Foundations website that can link you to other information related to the CCSS. Never mind the focus on WA State, most of the information applies to any state in general. Be sure to scroll and scan the whole page.
Washington State & the Common Core State Standards
http://soundmath.wetpaint.com/page/Washington+State+%26+the+Common+Core+State+Standards
You may also be interested in the following article:
Let’s Get Off the National Standards Train
By Henry Burke and Donna Garner – Feb. 2, 2011
http://isdinitiative.org/wordpress/?p=2002
stlgretchen, check with dsm and see if he received an email to share with you from WA.
I appreciate the Missouri Education Watchdog. Keep up the good work!
stlgretchen,
ReplyDeleteIf one scrapes around on the Common Core State Standards Initiative website some interesting tidbits of information can be found amongst the blather of boilerplate propaganda. Information about the ownership and copyright of the CCSS can be found on the following page.
http://www.corestandards.org/commercial-license
I would also point you in the direction of a page on the Mathematically Sound Foundations website that has information and links to more info about the CCSS. Never mind the focus on WA state since most of the information would apply to any state. Be sure to scroll and scan down through the whole page.
Washington State & the Common Core State Standards
http://soundmath.wetpaint.com/page/Washington+State+%26+the+Common+Core+State+Standards
You may be interested in the following article as well.
Let’s Get Off the National Standards Train
By Henry Burke and Donna Garner – Feb. 2, 2011
http://isdinitiative.org/wordpress/?p=2002
stlgretchen, check with dsm and see if he received an email to share with you from WA.
I like what you are doing with the Missouri Education Watchdog. Keep up the good work!
stlgretchen,
ReplyDeleteIf one scrapes around on the Common Core State Standards Initiative website some interesting tidbits of information can be found amongst the blather of boilerplate propaganda. Information about the ownership and copyright of the CCSS can be found on the following page.
http://www.corestandards.org/commercial-license
I would also point you in the direction of a page on the Mathematically Sound Foundations website that has information and links to more info about the CCSS. Never mind the focus on WA state since most of the information would apply to any state. Be sure to scroll and scan down through the whole page.
Washington State & the Common Core State Standards
http://soundmath.wetpaint.com/page/Washington+State+%26+the+Common+Core+State+Standards
You may be interested in the following article as well.
Let’s Get Off the National Standards Train
By Henry Burke and Donna Garner – Feb. 2, 2011
http://isdinitiative.org/wordpress/?p=2002
stlgretchen, check with dsm and see if he received an email to share with you from WA.
I like what you are doing with the Missouri Education Watchdog. Keep up the good work!
stlgretchen,
ReplyDeleteIf one scrapes around on the Common Core State Standards Initiative website some interesting tidbits of information can be found amongst the blather of boilerplate propaganda. Information about the ownership and copyright of the CCSS can be found on the following page.
http://www.corestandards.org/commercial-license
I would also point you in the direction of a page on the Mathematically Sound Foundations website that has information and links to more info about the CCSS. Never mind the focus on WA state since most of the information would apply to any state. Be sure to scroll and scan down through the whole page.
Washington State & the Common Core State Standards
http://soundmath.wetpaint.com/page/Washington+State+%26+the+Common+Core+State+Standards
You may be interested in the following article as well.
Let’s Get Off the National Standards Train
By Henry Burke and Donna Garner – Feb. 2, 2011
http://isdinitiative.org/wordpress/?p=2002
stlgretchen, check with dsm and see if he received an email to share with you from WA.
I like what you are doing with the Missouri Education Watchdog. Keep up the good work!
stlgretchen,
ReplyDeleteIf one scrapes around on the Common Core State Standards Initiative website some interesting tidbits of information can be found amongst the blather of boilerplate propaganda. Information about the ownership and copyright of the CCSS can be found on the following page.
http://www.corestandards.org/commercial-license
I would also point you in the direction of a page on the Mathematically Sound Foundations website that has information and links to more info about the CCSS. Never mind the focus on WA state since most of the information would apply to any state. Be sure to scroll and scan down through the whole page.
Washington State & the Common Core State Standards
http://soundmath.wetpaint.com/page/Washington+State+%26+the+Common+Core+State+Standards
You may be interested in the following article as well.
Let’s Get Off the National Standards Train
By Henry Burke and Donna Garner – Feb. 2, 2011
http://isdinitiative.org/wordpress/?p=2002
stlgretchen, check with dsm and see if he received an email from WA to share with you and your fellow bloggers.
I like what you are doing with the Missouri Education Watchdog. Keep up the good work!
stlgretchen,
ReplyDeleteIf one scrapes around on the Common Core State Standards Initiative website some interesting tidbits of information can be found amongst the blather of boilerplate propaganda. Information about the ownership and copyright of the CCSS can be found on the following page.
http://www.corestandards.org/commercial-license
I would also point you in the direction of a page on the Mathematically Sound Foundations website that has information and links to more info about the CCSS. Never mind the focus on WA state since most of the information would apply to any state. Be sure to scroll and scan down through the whole page.
Washington State & the Common Core State Standards
http://soundmath.wetpaint.com/page/Washington+State+%26+the+Common+Core+State+Standards
You may be interested in the following article as well.
Let’s Get Off the National Standards Train
By Henry Burke and Donna Garner – Feb. 2, 2011
http://isdinitiative.org/wordpress/?p=2002
stlgretchen, check with dsm and see if he received an email from WA to share with you and your fellow bloggers.
I like what you are doing with the Missouri Education Watchdog. Keep up the good work!
I4realMath said "I would also point you in the direction of a page on the Mathematically Sound Foundations website..."
ReplyDeleteI wonder if that's the same site that had a lot of useful info when I was trying to battle our district using "Connected Math CMP" garbage? That was when we told our then 12 yr old (18 now) to just ignore what they said in class, don't even try to learn it, it's harmful, and just began re-teaching the material at home. Tax dollars at work.
Very good site, if that's the same one... but it was many moons ago... the memory fades....
Van,
ReplyDeleteWhile you give a great compliment to Mathematically Sound Foundation (MSF), the site you used in battling CMP may have been one with a name that starts the same--- Mathematically Correct, which is/was truly an incredibly helpful site. MSF isn't old enough---it didn't exist when your now 18 yr old was 12.