DESE's Facebook Postings, change.org petition and the Use of its Official E-Mail List for Political Purposes

Check out the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's Facebook recent postings:

Sign the petition to support the Common Core State Standards in Missouri! http://www.change.org/petitions/state-of-missouri-support-the-common-core-state-standards-2

State of Missouri: Support the Common Core State Standards

www.change.org

We, the undersigned, state our support for Missouri’s implementation of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS).

 

The comments and questions are not overwhelmingly positive about this petition and many questions are raised by Facebook members that have not yet been answered.

Here is another Facebook posting by DESE:

Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

Thursday

Got Common Core questions? We have answers! http://on.mo.gov/11nVpMd

 

Again, the many questions coming from Facebook users have not been answered by DESE nor are referenced in the press release provided by DESE.

 

 

What is of particular interest about the change.org petition was noted by several Missourians and sent to me:

DESE IS USING YOUR TAX DOLLARS TO WORK AGAINST YOU!

 

Below (in italics) is an e-mail that the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education sent out on Friday, May 10, to people on its TAXPAYER FUNDED OFFICIAL COMMUNICATIONS LIST and sent it from its mo.gov address encouraging recipients to sign a petition in support of the Common Core State Standards – that is, against Senate Bill 210.

 

From: DESE Communications <communications@dese.mo.gov>

Date: May 10, 2013, 3:01:17 PM CDT

To: "'dese-bulletin@lists.mo.gov'" <dese-bulletin@lists.mo.gov>

Subject: Petition to Support the Common Core State Standards

On Monday, May 13, the House Education Committee will discuss the Common Core State Standards in a hearing. We need to accurately express the support for these Standards in Missouri.

Please show your support of the Common Core State Standards in Missouri by signing this online petition: <http://www.change.org/petitions/state-of-missouri-support-the-common-core-state-standards-2>

Feel free to pass along this link to other supporters of the Standards.

Thank you,

Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Communications | 573.751.3469 | dese.mo.gov

 

 

The Department communications system should not be used for political purposes, that is, it should not be used as a lever against those who do not agree with the Department’s actions.

 

If you are concerned about the use of this taxpayer funded list for political purpose, have concerns about Common Core standards, and the lack of answers forthcoming to citizen questions about Common Core:

 

DESE's ABUSE OF INFLUENCE and YOUR TAX DOLLARS makes it all the more important for YOU to complete a witness form BEFORE 8 AM on MONDAY, May 13, when the House Education Committee meets consider SB 210.

 

You can access the witness form and submit it online at:

http://www.libertytools.org/LibertyTools/witness/witness2.php?template=28

Help keep YOUR state government accountable to its citizens.