Saturday Open Thread [2.21.15]
I now think Chris Christie is not even going to run for President. Perhaps he will run for Senate instead. Maggie Haberman and Nicholas Confessore:
He does not return phone calls. He does not ask for support. He arrives late for meetings. And he acts as if he has all the time in the world. The complaints have piled up for weeks, dismaying many longtime supporters of Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey and sending others into the arms of his rivals for the presidential nomination, according to interviews with more than two dozen Republican donors and strategists. As a half-dozen other candidates aggressively raise money and chase endorsements in Iowa and New Hampshire, friends and detractors alike say Mr. Christie’s view of his status and pre-eminence within the Republican field is increasingly at odds with the picture outside his inner circle.
Jake Miller at CBS examines how Common Core may become a primary issue for Republican presidential candidates. Eventually, I think it will become an issue in Democratic politics as well. If Kavips has his way, it already has:
Common Core federal education standards are riling the conservative base, and as the 2016 Republican presidential field takes shape, the standards — seen by right wing activists as a federal overreach and a threat to parental rights — are poised to play a big role in the GOP nominating process. That’s doubly true in Iowa, where the kinds of Republican voters most vehemently opposed to Common Core — evangelical Christians, home-schooling advocates, states-rights conservatives — exert considerable influence over the state’s first-in-the-nation presidential caucus.
Rudy Giuliani’s correct. Obama’s family is NOTHING like Rudy’s family:
http://www.nydailynews.com/opinion/wayne-barrett-rudy-giuliani-love-article-1.2122253
There’s a difference between Common Core and the Smarter Balanced Assessment (where the money is). I have no problems with universal standards… the test is an utter mess.
In the post above “Common Core federal education standards are riling the conservative base” is different than the Jake Miller article where Jake says “Common Core education standards are riling the conservative base.” So who replaced the word “education” with the word “federal”?
The problem I have with people is that they are lazy. Or rather they take the lazy (often popular) way out. The “Common Core federal education standards” were developed by the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices (NGA Center) and the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO).
Now it may be that those organizations are now part of the federal government, but I seriously doubt it. If they were federal standards they would be applicable in all 50 states and not just 45 states. So is someone just repeating what they heard or read somewhere? Are they being lazy? Or is this a strategy to create opposition to Common Core by promoting the meme that it’s the federal government encroaching on local control and brainwashing children.
What’s wrong with the truth? It neither enhances or detracts from the efficacy of Common Core. The standards should stand or fall on their merits and not covered in the blanket of federalism because it promotes one’s position. The federal government played no role in the development of the Common Core. State adoption of the standards is in no way mandatory.
So why do folks keep stating that they are federal standards? Many right wing people and organizations hold up Common Core as an example of federal overreach and I keep saying Huh?! I have no love for Common Core, but I value telling it like it is. Yeah, I get that the truth is often inconvenient but whether it’s laziness or a deliberate act, it does a disservice to those who read what someone has written but also to build or tear down anything based on falsehoods is to suggest that the end justifies the means.
“There’s a difference between Common Core and the Smarter Balanced Assessment (where the money is).” Nailed it.
Once this gets the Fox News treatment, nobody will be able to recognize it. Unless, of course, Fox lines up behind Jeb Bush. Then it will be a non-story.
Dave. I’m not sure if you are being purposefully deceitful or are just naive… You could not have bent over backwards to state the “official” common core verbiage any better.
In case you are naive, let me walk you through what happened. You may not know, but the FED (as in the Department of Education) is barred in its founding charter from establishing any curriculum.. Therefore, they farmed it out with federal money, to private interests to do just that… establish a new curriculum. Just so people like you could say: the Fed didn’t make the standards; private corporations hired by them did.
This was done by a few people, mostly from the testing agencies themselves. A few token professors of education were politely asked to join, but were relieved from their duties when all of them said they could not sign off on the final product called Common Core. (All said their opinions during the creative process were dismissed on the spot. Those corporate types had an agenda, and it wasn’t teaching. )
What we received was a overly detailed curriculum from this group. What the Feds did have a say in, was whether states could waiver their schools out of No Child Left Behind. This decision lay strictly with the Secretary of Education, Arne Duncun. Without a waiver, by Federal law all schools in the nation needed to be above 70% proficiency this past year in order to stay open. Since closing 70% of our schools which are below that level of proficiency is not viable, all states had to scramble to be granted waivers from the Fed. These waivers basically acknowledge that some good work is being done by that state so they will be allowed to keep all schools open, and the funding to them will continue to flow intact. However one of the things that did change, was mandatory use of Common Core. All states getting a waiver, meant all states must use Common Core if they want any Federal dollars coming their way.
So when you say the FED’s did not force Common Core to become the law of the land, you are using nefarious arguments, like saying the robber with a gun, did not make the victim hand over his wallet; that victim looking at the circumstances wisely chose to do so voluntarily… which, I think, all of us should do in a similar situation…
So is the robber the one forcing the issue, or is it the victim, since he could have always said “no” and suffered horrendous consequences… Any of those out there not blaming the robber, are the very ones supporting the robbery.
Therefore it is safe to say, with all things considered, that the Feds through their actions forced Common Core upon the states…. even though each state got to make that decision for themselves with just two signatures: that state’s governor and that state’s secretary of education; no General Assembly involvement required.
That should put this issue to rest. Common Core would not be here without Federal strong-armed enforcemen, so I guess a thank you is owed to Dave for offering us the opportunity to set the record straight, again.
On another topic, if you haven’t already decided to opt out your child from the Smarter Balance Assessment, your time is running out… The test begins on March 6th and runs to June.
Steps are… request of your principal when your child is taking that test.
Keep them home on those days. (stomach virus or flu)
Tell your child if he gets tricked into taking the test another day, he is to get sick, go to the nurse, have her call, and get picked up by you later.
Some joker on another thread brought up this was lying. If you took the test, you’d be sick too; guaranteed… Haven’t taken them yet? Take a gander….
So is the robber the one forcing the issue, or is it the victim, since he could have always said “no” and suffered horrendous consequences…
Some robbery, when the “weapon” is acceptance of an enormous pile of money. A better analogy is the drug dealer who threatens to cut off supply, unless the user performs a little favor for him. The user would be better off to just walk away.
Or perhaps you are arguing that Federal money to state education agencies should be no-strings-attached, to use as each state sees fit? Remember, states’ rights has a dark side too. As you note, the Fed has no power over state education except the power of the purse.
The standards are a useful and necessary upgrade… the tests however are where all the evil political fangs and tentacles are, so get rid of the tests, or shrink them to a manageble once-per-year quick check. Throw out the bathwater but keep the baby.
Nonetheless, stick a fork in Common Core, both tests and standards. It is obvious the tea party types have won the propaganda victory with Common Core that they were denied on Obamacare.
“Fed didn’t make the standards” That is correct.
“private corporations hired by them did.” That is not correct.
Unless you are suggesting that any and all Federal dollars spent for any purpose whatsoever means that ultimately the federal government is directing and leading the effort and controls the outcome.
If you have a beef against standardized testing (and it’s clear you do) make your case. If you have a problem with implementation, again make your case. As for the standards themselves, I have heard no argument that demonstrates the standards are inappropriate, unwarranted, or has a negative impact on children.
The most polite thing I can say about “Common Core would not be here without Federal strong-armed enforcemen(t)” is that it’s disingenuous and is intended to rally support to your cause by pandering a narrative of federal overreach and create a single behemoth boogey man because it’s an easy and identifiable target. Since the Bill Gates Foundation was involved, I’m wondering why you didn’t include them in the cabal.
Now if you can show me a smoking gun other than federal dollars; something like federal regulation, legislation, and even strong-armed enforcement, that is driving Common Core, I’ll be happy to retract my comments. But if you are clothing standardized testing (circa 2001) in a Common Core (circa 2007) uniform then j’accuse.
By the way, I what is your opinion of the SAT, ACT, LSAP, PSAT?
@MikeO – Exactly
You’re trying to teach a pig to sing.