STTPP BEACON
A publication of Southern Tier TEA Party Patriots
March 2014, No. 30
Governor Cuomo and Legislators:
On YOUR watch, are you willing to sacrifice a generation of children,
and abandon more than 200 years of federalism and states’ rights
established in our United States and NY State Constitutions,
for sake of the constitutionally illegal Common Core?
**********
James E. Cottrell, Wade S. Norwood, Christina D. Cea—recognize these names? These individuals were re-elected to the Board of Regents by our Legislature (Josephine Victoria Finn was elected to replace Regent James Jackson). Along with the other members of the board, these re-elected members violated our Constitution and laws. They aided and abetted the federal government in usurping education in our state—yet, they were re-elected! All were responsible for implementation of the constitutionally illegal Common Core subterfuge. Their continuance on the board ensures that the illegal Common Core will remain in our public schools—unless action is taken by a responsible governor and legislature. Critically, handwriting is on the wall that there will be complete federal control of New York education, and it will be tied to annual federal funding unless there is state legislative intervention to repeal Common Core.
Where was the backbone of the majority legislature who voted to re-elect Regent lawbreakers? Isn’t breaking our laws considered criminal action? Aren’t we a state and nation where Rule of Law is the basis for our government? Members of Southern Tier TEA Party Patriots are law-abiding citizens who know well that All—that includes governor, legislators, Board of Regents, commissioner of education—are subject to Rule of Law. Why was there no outcry, then, against this illegal grab of our educational system? Money and politics played a key role in federal usurpation of education in New York State. Yes, education in New York needs improvement, but not through illegality and political and economic expedience.
A New York legislator stated students under Common Core, regardless of their geographical location or economic status, will have access to an “education that is consistently held to a national standard.” Unfortunately, the national standards are weak and not up to par with other developed countries that far surpass our state and nation academically. A diverse nation needs models of excellence, not an illegitimate “one size fits all.” Under Dr. Sandra Stotsky, Massachusetts ranked number one in our country. Tragically, Massachusetts lowered its standards to comply with Common Core. Pathetic!
Common Core English Language Arts is poor, weak, and politically biased. Legislators are putting their heads in the sand if they think it will raise academic achievement to any significant level. Why have we abandoned English, History, and Geography as individual subjects? Or, individual science courses as subjects? These were courses in the past that truly educated our youth! Art and music? Gone from many schools. Common Core expense is overwhelming school budgets and taxpayers.
Common Core EngageNY Mathematics is ELA’s partner in weakness—maybe even worse. It is a badly conceived program inflicted on our children and grandchildren. In reality, it is an example of an incompetent instructional mathematics program. Dr. Jason Zimba is not an inept person—that is, in his field of physics where he holds a Ph.D.—but he is inept when it comes to writing a math curriculum for young children and beyond. He had no prior experience in working with, nor writing curricula for, young children. He does not know how young children learn! This is demonstrated repeatedly throughout his program (see below for Common Core problem’s 10-step solution versus a 1-step traditional solution, solved by a frustrated parent).
In March, Brookings Institute released its 2014 Brown Center Report: “A Progress Report on the Common Core.” Note: their words are important because Brookings is regarded as a liberal-leaning organization:
[A] statistically significant finding from an analysis of state-level NAEP scores, the variation among states being relatively small, often fades to insignificance when considered in the more practical, real world terms of how much math students are learning. It is doubtful that even the most ardent Common Core supporter will be satisfied if the best CCSS can offer..is a three point NAEP gain [emphases added] (p. 34).
The report continues:
The 2012 Brown Center Report predicted, based on an empirical analysis of the effects of state standards, that the CCSS will have little to no impact on student achievement. Supporters of the Common Core argue that strong, effective implementation of the standards will sweep away such skepticism by producing lasting, significant gains in student learning. So far, at least…there are no signs of such an impressive accomplishment [emphases added] (p. 34).
Isn’t it your responsibility as governor and legislators of New York State, your legal duty, your moral obligation to ensure that the children of New York State receive the best STATE education that can be rendered? We know what solid education looks like—and—we know the kind of teaching and learning that is required for its achievement! It’s not more and more money. All we need do is look to countries who far out-perform us and see how much lower is their per-pupil-cost.
It’s not computers, ipads, and optical wiring of buildings. These are incredibly expensive to purchase and maintain, and research reports that they have done nothing to raise achievement levels. In fact, achievement testing scores flat-lined after these were implemented. And, please, do not use the tired argument that this is how 21st century youth learn best because that’s a convenient cop out. Teachers and administrators simply capitulated to yet another Fad that lurched down the pike. Unfortunately, fad-lurching has a less-than-stellar (read as, miserable) history for promoting excellence in education. Moreover, it’s not extracurricular sports. These only add to the taxpayer bill without adding a single iota to achievement levels. And, it’s not teaching through fun and games, team teaching, and other gimmicky “engagement” activities, currently labeled as the “new” way of teaching.
Governor and Legislators, isn’t it time to uphold our New York State Constitution and laws, repay Race To The Top money, and repeal Common Core?
Written by Deann Nelson, Ed.D. for Southern Tier TEA Party Patriots
Box 244, Jamestown, NY 14701 sotierteapatriotswww.sttpp1776.wordpress.com
Common Core Math Problem Solved by Frustrated Parent
"Freedom had been hunted round the globe; reason was considered as rebellion; and the slavery of fear had made men afraid to think. But such is the irresistible nature of truth, that all it asks, and all it wants, is the liberty of appearing." –Thomas Paine, Rights of Man, 1791
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