Who is Rick Scott Running Against, and From?

        Just heard for the billionth time the Rick Scott campaign spot in which he appears to be running not against Charlie Crist, but against Barack Obama. The spot uses the phrase "Obama's federal takeover of education." Hearing that, disregard everything else because it is a lie. Common Core (which is what the ad is referring to) is not a federal government initiative. The reality is that Common Core came out of years of discussion between private, nonprofit groups and state education departments.

        The goal was to better prepare students for college and careers and to ensure that students in different states learn the same academic concepts. On a personal note,  over  20 years of teaching, I have seen some of the frustrations placed on students whose family move has placed them in another state's core curriculum framework to their own great disadvantage. In fact, Florida has implemented something very like Common Core across state school districts for just that reason, for student benefit and continuity.  

         The Council of Chief State School Officers -- a national organization of public officials who head state education departments -- discussed developing common standards during its annual policy forum in 2007, a year before Barack Obama won the presidency. In 2009, that council and the National Governors Association agreed to create Common Core. They developed the standards with the help of teachers, parents and experts. Although Common Core is voluntary, the Federal government has had a role in encouraging states to adopt the standards. Why? Because preparing students consistently and with rigor is a good idea, that's why, dumb ass! States earned a small number of extra points (40 of a possible 500) in the competition for grants from Race to the Top, Obama’s signature program that provided added money for education, if they adopted standards to prepare students for college and work.

       So...who could possibly object to this? It turns out that there are numerous  state efforts to refuse to use (which of course any state can do, it isn't mandated!) Common Core. Is it because they teach math? No. How about English? No. It turns out that as one might suspect, those old bugaboos  separation of church and state and political point of view are to blame. Here is a quote from a California "Stop Common Core" website:  "In case you’re wondering, nowhere in the “Rights and Responsibilities” teachers’ guide is there any mention of the founding of America, our God-given rights enshrined in the Constitution or the protection of individual rights through limited government."

       Holy Cow, Mike, who could object to that? Let's start with "God given rights."  If "God"  gives rights, why are women being sold as ISIS whores in Syria today? Unless you live alone in a cave on some island you have those rights accorded you by whatever government you live under, not God. The phrase "God given rights"  Is small consolation to someone living under an oppressive government.   Second, this is a third grade book being criticized, and it isn't a true history book at that, nor is it meant to be.  The founding of America is covered in depth in high school level US History classes, and again in US Government. Last, the construct of the Constitution is difficult enough to teach and thoroughly convey to high school juniors,  I know because I taught it. I can just see the family at the dining table asking little 8 year old Timmy "Hey, son, how about that  separation of powers, huh?".

        Now for the icing on the cake: Don't like the way this text is put together? Don't use it! Now wasn't that simple? in fact there are no standard texts associated with Common Core, and school districts nationwide will continue to do as they have traditionally done  in selecting textbooks . Unfortunately, not all will be as smart as Orange County, Florida, where teacher committees review and recommend text adoption. In some districts, local school boards, almost never consisting of  anyone who really knows education, will select texts. Unfortunately, these districts' students will suffer as they leave school believing that "Creationism" is science, and similar agenda driven drivel.  

        Put in perspective, the total Federal interface with common core is an 8% edge in "Race To the Top" money for states adopting these educator prepared and Nat'l Governor's Association approved standards! Compare that methodology with the Bush II  "No Child Left Behind" catastrophe which actually was constructed so as to withhold money from those schools which needed it most!  States don't have to adopt Common Core, but they are better positioned to secure the federal money if they do. Period. One wonders how many Republican governors are now attempting to distance themselves from their own well thought out prudent and actions in this area for purely political reasons.