Chances are if you say the two words “Common Core” to a parent they will likely evoke strong opinions, and generally not favorable ones. The academic standards that focused on math and English and which many states adopted have been an epic fail and have left several states with a change of heart.
But while it’s been a disaster academically, from an agenda-driven perspective Common Core has been a huge win for the politically correct propaganda being peddled.
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Want proof? Look no further than any college campus over the past couple of years: the rejection of free speech and violent attempts to stifle it; the embrace of socialism out of pure ignorance by a generation who can’t even define it; and the complete lack of tolerance and unwillingness to engage in a civil debate with those who embrace center-right ideas.
All while running for the nearest “safe space” when something offends them.
Common Core has given us snowflakes instead of students. Screams and protests have become their coping mechanisms. And the lack of high-quality secondary education coupled with indoctrination has undoubtedly contributed to this disaster.
A de facto degree in political correctness may earn you an honorary membership into the elite liberal “resist” movements of your choice, but you’re in for some shock and awe when you leave your safe space for the real world.
The real tragedy is that so much money has been spent by politicians lying to us at the expense of our kids’ education to promote their indoctrination.
Before Common Core was even written, President Obama promised it would “not only make America’s entire education system the envy of the world, but we will launch a ‘Race to the Top’ that will prepare every child, everywhere in America, for the challenges of the 21st century.”
“Race to the Top” was a catchy phrase his administration tagged to a grant attached to a $4 billion carrot they dangled in front of states to sucker them into adopting Common Core and its “tougher” academic standards. The carrot initially worked. Forty-six states bought into Common Core – but fast forward to 2019 and 11 of those states are running for the nearest exit.
Turns out the amazing race to the top we were promised isn’t so amazing after all. Not unlike President Obama’s promise that if we liked our doctor we could keep our doctor.
Common Core has infiltrated both our public and private schools over the last several years and has left parents in the dust, scrambling for reinforcements to help them solve otherwise simple math problems.
Turns out the amazing race to the top we were promised isn’t so amazing after all. Not unlike President Obama’s promise that if we liked our doctor we could keep our doctor.
For example, simple multiplication, addition and subtraction problems can no longer be learned from the back of flashcards. You must now show how you arrived at the answer. For example, lest you think that 5x3 is merely just 15, you’d be wrong unless you add fives and add threes and show why it’s 15. Silly me, I always thought the whole point of multiplication was that it helped to circumvent endless addition.
It’s all led to needlessly prolonged homework times, frustrated children and equally frustrated parents who are keeping Google, Siri and Alexa working overtime. To what end?
Turns out the return on investment isn’t what we were promised. Not only has embracing these new academic standards not made our kids more prepared, but it’s done the opposite — it’s made them even less prepared.
Last year’s ACT scores were revealing. Students were the least prepared for English at a college level since ACT started keeping track in 2002. They had the lowest levels in math in two decades. And English scores declined since 2007.
While student achievement is going downhill, here’s what is on the rise thanks to Common Core — indoctrination.
How on earth can screwing up basic math concepts possibly be linked to indoctrinating our kids? Have no fear, they found a way.
The mandatory taxpayer-funded conferences that teachers are required to attend now often include Common Core. However, rather than keeping their workshops focused on education, the platform has been used to promote politically correct propaganda.
The organization UnboundEd, for instance, fuels the flames of racial injustice and inequality under the guise of Common Core. At a conference last year, UnboundEd CEO Kate Gerson reportedly told teachers, “If you are under the impression that there are good white people and bad white people, you’re wrong.”
Fun fact: Gerson was an early creator of the Common Core-compliant curriculum that’s now available all over the country.
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This is what happens when government is put in charge: 5x3 no longer equals 15 and good white people + bad white people = all white people bad.
As with most things the government hijacks, this entire experiment began as a way for the government to ultimately have more control over not just our kids’ education, but over our kids’ thinking and ideals. We’ve been played.
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