Another, among many, efforts to bring an erstwhile free country under the unified control of the federal government is what is called “Core Curriculum.” Regardless of what may appear on the surface to be merely an establishment of higher standards for K-12 schools, it is a one-size-fits-all approach to education that is ill-advised at best and totalitarian at worst.
Congressman Blaine Luetkemeyer of Missouri and Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa have sent letters to Secretary of Education Arne Duncan requesting clarification of changes in education policy and funding.
The following quote from Rep. Luetkemeyer’s letter expresses one of his concerns:
“In addition to expressing our concern with the department’s circumvention of Congress to reform education policy, we are writing you to express our concerns with the implementation of Common Core standards and changes to federal data collection and disbursement policies.”
If you are unconcerned about the federal government’s determining the curriculum for all K-12 schools in the nation (and by the way rendering your local Board of Education irrelevant), move on; there’s nothing to see here.
If, like me, you find Common Core an alarming development, you should contact your Legislative Representatives and urge them to support Grassley and Luetkemeyer’s efforts to get the Education Department –
“[to work] with the Legislative Branch to implement any changes to education standards and student privacy policy.”
You can contact your representatives through this web site: http://www.contactingthecongress.org/
Never doubt that the price of freedom is eternal vigilance.
Dwight Boud
TheMiddleofSomewhere 