Georgia House of Representatives



To: GA General Assembly House Committee, 4th meeting of the Role of the Federal Government in Education at U. of N. GA College, Oakwood, GA, From: Mrs. June Miller, retired El. Teacher, Date: October 21, 2014, Title:“Federal Common Core Standards Need to Be Left Behind”Hello, my name is June Miller. I am a retired elementary teacher who taught 5th grade for ten years in another state and 6th grade in GA. I have been studying Common Core Standards for over two years and here is my report. Ten Reasons to Oppose Common Core Standards (I elaborate on each statement.)1. Common Core is the federal takeover of Education. They are a set of nationalized standards in Math and English/Language Arts. Who do you want to be involved in education for your child: the huge, wasteful and controlling federal government OR the state of GA? States have to balance their budget every year, which the federal government does not. The federal government has run up a national debt of over $17 trillion dollars. Education is better when it is localized. Who knows better how to educate your child and student better than parents and teachers?2. Common Core is bad for STUDENTS. One size does not fit all. Common Core assumes all students learn in the same way. Every student is different and unique. Individual styles, preferences and pace of learners need to be respected. Subject matter is not age appropriate. Children in primary grades are being asked to think abstractly and their brains have not developed that early. This is like asking a 3 month old baby is get up and walk. Students need to build a strong foundation of basic reading and math skills before more complicated subject matter is taught. The pace of learning is often so fast, there is no time for review to allow for students to have confidence that they have mastered the material. To do their homework, students are having to stay up way past their usual bedtime. Some child psychologists report some students are so miserable, they are even cutting themselves and threatening to commit suicide. See , made up of 108 professionals, who request that Common Core Standards should be gotten out of primary grades, at least.3. Common Core is bad for PARENTS. Parents have less say over their child’s education. If educated is localized, parents can express their concerns. They can be involved and lobby for any needed changes. Under Common Core, a concerned parent’s voice is just one of millions to a faraway bureaucrat in Washington, D.C. Principals and local boards of Education can't change much. Common Core standards are copyrighted and only 15% can be added to them. More and more parents are choosing to home school their children because they are opposed to frustrating Common Core Standards and sometimes shocking, inappropriate suggested reading material. Ex. "The Giver"4. Common Core is bad for TEACHERS. Teachers will have less control over their own classrooms. They must comply with the same standards. Teacher evaluations will be tied to these standards so teachers must “teach to the test”. Teachers won't be able to experiment with new teaching techniques or be innovative. They won’t be able to meet the needs of individual students at the level where they are and allow them to work at a pace that is tailored to them.5. Common Core is bad for TAXPAYERS. These Common Core Standards are very expensive. It costs a lot of money for teacher training, textbooks, remedial materials, software, computers for digital learning and testing and evaluation of test results. Why are we citizens paying for Common Core Standards that seem to be a money-making scheme?6. Common Core violates PRIVACY RIGHTS. With states accepting money from federal grant money from Race to the Top, there will be data mining about students that will follow them the rest of their lives. It will track political beliefs, religious beliefs, sexual orientation and a lot of other creepy things. 7. Common Core resembles “No Child Left Behind” and nearly everyone hated that. A lot of No Child Left Behind has to do with nationalized testing that students are required to take, also, under Common Core Standards. Teaching to tests and memorization is emphasized, rather than helping students with learning critical thinking skills to solve problems and understand information.8. Federal Common Standards are UNCONSTITUTIONAL. The federal government should not have control over Education. That power is not delegated to it under our U.S. Constitution. There are 3 federal statute against federal control in education.9. Under Common Core Standards, some STATES will move BACKWARD. Some states had advanced standards. These states will have to “DUMB DOWN THEIR STANDARDS" in order to comply with Common Core Standards. Ex. Mass. Sandra Stotsky, a well-known professor at the University of Arkansas, who served on the committee to validate Common Core Standards said, "The standards dumb American education down by about two grades worth."110. Last, but not least, have you seen the Common Core MATH PROBLEMS? Under Common Core Standards, the emphasis and credit is not for getting the right answers for MATH PROBLEMS. In order to get credit, the students must use Common Core’s regimented process and even make drawings and construct the problem. This process is long and complicated and students, teachers and parents are frustrated. Students will be two years behind by graduation and won’t be ready for selective colleges for majors in S.T.E.M. (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) We must get rid of "fuzzy Math".For my conclusion: Common Core Standards are bad for students, parents, teachers and taxpayers. America should have the goal of educating our students to build basic reading, math and English/Language Arts skills to have a solid foundation for future learning. America was built on the concept of "rugged individualism". That is why our country and citizens have prospered so well. and so many inventions have been made. Parents and teachers should be free to inspire students to be life-long, independent learners and even be leaders and not produce dependent, compliant robots for a controlled economy. Without Common Core Standards, our country will be much better off, as, upon graduation, hopefully, students in the United States of America will be informed, educated voters who will be prepared and involved in what happens in this wonderful country.Our elected state and federal representatives need to represent the people, not far away bureaucrats. Federal Common Core Standards need to be left behind. We need to withdraw Georgia from Common Core Standards and go back to previous GA Performance Standards that could be improved upon by looking at a superior state, like Mass. These Common Core Standards are frustrating, time wasting, academically wrong and costly. We need to stop an out of control, over-reaching federal government that is pushing this country toward Socialism and get it out of education. In this way, citizens' God-given rights and liberties will be protected and students can love learning again. Index: Freedom Each of ten statements for Ten Reasons to Oppose Common Core Standards. Then Mrs. Miller elaborated on each statement.1 17 Jun 2013, Soave, Robby. "States push back against Common Core Standards." Daily ................
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