Sunday (3/31), while many of us were enjoying Easter at church, with our families, one Daily Oklahoman editorial writer (see PS) was VERY busy doing damage control after the COMMON CORE IS NOT OK rally ROPE had last Wednesday. His article, "Conspiracy theories about Common Core should be ignored", was full of nonsense and name calling. Just like some of the 'research' that comes out of the State Department of Education, this essay had absolutely no legitimate, non-spun truth anywhere inside. In fact, it was so ridiculous, I penned the following response:
Here are some fundamental questions to ask yourself and FACTS to research to see who the "Conspiracy Theorists" really are:
"Would you buy a car sight unseen?" These standards were put into Oklahoma law before they were even available for review in order to get a Race To The Top grant funded by stimulus monies. So, if you're all for making school kids Guinea Pigs in an education experiment that could affect them (and private and home schooled students) for the rest of their lives just to get money from the feds, you're all for the Core!
"Would you show up to buy a car without knowing how much it cost?" The legislature never studied the cost Common Core would place on the state before enacting them into law in 2009/2010. The Superintendent never answered that question when asked by legislators at a 2011 Interim Study, or when asked by Pat McGuigan of Capitol Beat that same year. Since that time schools have had to apply for eRate grants and raise school bonds to pay for the technology costs associated with giving students the tests tied to the Standards. If you're all for having your property taxes raised and the superintendent asking for another140 MILLION dollars more for education spending, you're all for the Core! Sadly, that money won't go to students or teachers, but to buy computer and testing software and wiring. If you're all for having less money in the classroom, you're all for the Core!
As for Gus Blackwell and his voting record on the bill (SB2033 - 2010) that placed the Common Core into Oklahoma state law, read it. You will find that the bill died the first time it went to the floor of the House 60 to 36. Also, you will find that this was a 34 page bill titled "Schools; relating to teacher incentive pay plans; modifying requirements. Effective dates. Emergency." The part about Common Core equals exactly one paragraph on page 30 in Section 11-103.6a B. WOW! I can totally see how Gus Blackwell and all other legislators that signed on to the bill THE SECOND TIME it came to the floor, missed it. Oh, but that's probably a conspiracy theory! What am I thinking? So, if you're all for a set of standards based on zero transparency to the people of Oklahoma, you're all for the Core!
This editorial indicates that the Common Core is voluntary. That is correct. Now you know the process by which they were adopted in Oklahoma. Voluntary for whom exactly? Because the STATE adopted the standards, all state school boards now have to follow the Common Core without any input into their adoption, or risk getting poor grades on state tests aligned to the Common Core. What happens if a district school board doesn't adopt the standards for their schools? They do poorly on their Common Core-aligned state tests. What happens if that brings down their school grade (calculated through the very controversial A-F gradingsystem) to a D or an F? According to the No Child Left Behind waiver for which Governor Fallin and Dr. Barresi applied (against 10 out of 15 comments made on the process), the state can take over the school and either administrate it through the Department of Ed or hire a contractor to do so. So if you're NOT for local education, you're all for the Core and if you're NOT for voluntary standards, you're all for the Core!
What about state led? I guess, if you consider either the National Governor's Association (NGA) or Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSO) NOT private, dues-supported, trade organizations not subject to Open Records, that works.
I definitely hope the writer of this editorial doesn't call himself an advocate for Public Schools, or education, or children. We at Restore Oklahoma Public Education care about teachers and students - that's why we say COMMON CORE IS NOT OK!
PS: The husband of Superintendent Barresi's ex-chief of staff (Jennifer Carter left the department after a tenure in which she referredto Jenks administrators as "dirtbags" in a Twitter post - and a stink was raised by state board members over the fact that her salarywas paid by a private donor prior to acceptance of her employment by the state board) is a writer for the Oklahoman. This editorial certainly argues a connection...yet I don't know that matters so much as the time-worn notion that when you have no evidence to stand on to make your case, you just call others names!
Common Core is another is a list of bad ideas regarding education in Oklahoma. The Daily Oklahoman is what it has always been. . . an unreliable for the truth right side newspaper. In addition, the right has an agenda . . and that is to destroy free public education for the masses. While our State School superintendent and our legislature continues to make decisions based on that goal. EOI tests (I wonder how many legislators could pass those), mandates and funding cuts are perfect examples. Core curriculum will bring subjects like Algebra down to about the 6th grade level. Core curriculum is being used as another tool to destroy education for the masses.
ReplyDeleteHere is a link for some well-made videos that explain the perils of Common Core.
ReplyDeletehttp://youtu.be/coRNJluF2O4
Tell your family, friends and neighbors.
It would be super if teachers would use their time wisely and actually teach.. My child gets taken out of a core class for 30 days, to suffer the consequences made by his teacher. had she used time wisely, instead of watched disney movies, have lil parties for no reason in class, being allowed to waste entire full days, to take the kids outside to watch track met the entire day! being allowed to take kids out of school to go eat a burger or pizza. it occurs weekly. so my child has to take two math classes a day she hasnt taught the lessons. so the kids can answer on the occt. Wheres the ethics? NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND RIGHT. so my childs practice work will get graded. and the HIGHEST SCORES WILL BE ADDED TO THE CORE CLASS THEY TOOK HIM OUT OF. TO COVER THE TEACHERS BUTT COME TEST TIME. WE TEACH OUR KIDS NOT TO LIE, CHEAT, AND STEAL BUT LOOK AT WHAT THEY LEARN AT SCHOOL FROM TEACHERS! SO MY KID RETURNS TO THE CORE CLASS 30 DAYS LATER!! MY CHILD WONT HAVE A CLUE WHATS GOING ON. NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND.. I BET MY CHILD WILL BE. BUT NO WORRIES THROWING IN GRADED PAPERS FROM PRACTICE MATH WILL MAKE UP THE DIFFERENCE FOR IT. SO MY KID CAN PASS THROUGH A SYSTEM THAT CHEAT KIDS ON EDUCATION, BUT REST ASSURE THE TEACHERS WILL SHOW THEM HOW TO CHEAT. IVE REACHED OUT FOR ANSWERS, I TYPED LETTERS FOR DAYS AND ENDLESS NIGHTS GETTING NO SLEEP TO REACH OUR TO MANY MANY PEOPLE WHO SAY THEY CARE FOR EDUCATION. IT DOESNT MATTER NO ONE HAS ANSWERED ME. NO ONE IS LISTENING. ITS SWEPT UNDER THE RUG! ITS NOT PEER PRESSURE THAT CHANGES OUR CHILDRENS BEHAVIORS. ITS TEACHING ANS THE SYSTEM THAT CHANGE OUR CHIDREN.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry you are having an issue with your child's teacher. However, I take offense at your labeling the entire system and its teachers as unethical. I happen to work in a district where the teachers are ethical and the students learn. MOST teachers are ethical and care about children. Why else would we have spent our time , money and efforts to attain the degree and training we have in order to be in this profession? It certainly isn't for the money!!
DeleteI don't doubt that there are teachers out there who aren't living up to their potential and are perhaps making a less-than-valiant effort at teaching our kids. But here's my question for you: Is this an issue that ALL students are having in that class? Or is it just one or two? Obviously I don't have knowledge of the full extent of your situation, but this seems highly bizarre.
Lastly, I want to comment on your last theme that "Its not peer pressure that changes our childrens behaviors. Its teaching ans the system that change our chidren" (sic).
It is RARELY teachers and "the system" that ruin children. It's parents who constantly make excuses for their children and blame the teachers and "the system" because they refuse to hold their own children responsible for their actions. I have seen this personally in the two school districts that I have taught in, and the longer I teach, the more it is becoming an epidemic in our public schools. Parents need to be parents, not buddies, and definitely not their child's "get out of jail free" card. Children know how to manipulate parents into defending them, regardless of right or wrong. This is understandable because we, as parents, WANT to believe our children and we WANT to think that they are honest and ethical. Children, as a majority, are NOT honest nor ethical, and parents follow blindly as their children hold the reins.
Is it ok to tell the class, jobs are on the line. we can fired of there are too many low scores
ReplyDeleteWith all respects, I do appologize if you found the issues regarding my child's education offending. Please understand my intent honestly, isn't to offend anyone.Often people can't understand a situation until they go through it themselves. I'm being the voice for my child's education, no one can take that away from any parent/or guardian no matter what people's opinions are. No one can help how a situation make's them feel, whether it's good or bad. They feel how they feel for valid reasons! We have different morales, and that's ok. All parents or guardians with children have natural instincts. If we feel it is wrong or right,no matter the situation. If we feel its wrong, a parent or guardian will voice it. Parents & guardians are like lawyers for their children, and if we want proof & answers beyond a reasonable doubt. We will battle (figure of speech) our way to get seek truth. We are our childrens biggest fans forever, unconditionally! If a parent/ guardian feels someone is wronging their children, we parents/ guardians understand when I (figure of speech) state, we wont stop until we get answers (the real truth) with a giant a roar; eventually someone will hear our roars (voices) to answer us or help us. However, I didn't state the entire education system & teachers are all unethical. I stated, adding grades earned from math to science class work in my opinion is cheating, lieing & stealing. Something we raise our children not to do and where are the ethics? Its a questioning seeking the truth to it, as I morally feel its wrong. Claiming grades from another subject to add it to other core class, isnt teaching my child responsibility. It shows my child how to cheat, lie, & steal, something not truely earned on my childs own. Its a easy way out, that I want answers too. How is this allowed in our education system? I would have no other reason to waste my time writting letter after letter seeking answers, to ensure my child is responsible for earned work only! Yes, your correct SOME teachers do care for children, its their passion. Yet SOME don't care, as in my opinion get burnt out, loose passion in something they once loved & cared for. It happens in any job. In my opinion, someone that worked so hard getting a degree, training not too mention alot of times college debt they pay for many years. Maybe they feel stuck, maybe they are in debt with college still so they dont want more debt by changing career paths. Maybe they dont want to start all over from the bottom to.change careers. I truely dont have the answers. Alot of people are miserable at their jobs that still go day to day and show up for work. Maybe because, the economy is in a terrible place to even find other jobs. Maybe its for health benefits.Maybe its all the paperwork and crowded classrooms.Maybe the system is providing assitance in crowdes rooms. Anyone can get burnt out, doctors, lawyers, social services, cashiers, pottery workers, and police, it can happen to anyone. We work hard to for passions in our lives. As we grow from mistakes, live and learn, good & bad we change. The debt from college, all the time and energy invested in it, that doesnt matter, as we go through life we change. We can't help how we feel, we feel it for reasons. Regardless if it makes sense to someone else or not. It's whom they are and its their life. There is no set rules on how a situation/issues should makes us feel. Whether a person is pumping gas for a living or is a dentist, whatever the profession is, my opinion is just be honest with whomever your profession is affected by. This is why issues arise. Honesty is probably a morale everyone can probably agree on in some sense. Whether its a mistake or not, be honest. Its something that never can go out of style, even if its a mistake; own your responsibilities. It doesn't mean your less of a person by mistakes, it says your human.
ReplyDeleteWe are our childrens biggest fans forever, unconditionally! If a parent/ guardian feels someone is wronging their children, we parents/ guardians understand when I (figure of speech) state, we wont stop until we get answers (the real truth) with a giant a roar; eventually someone will hear our roars (voices) to answer us or help us. However, I didn't state the entire education system & teachers are all unethical. I stated, adding grades earned from math to science class work in my opinion is cheating, lieing & stealing. Something we raise our children not to do and where are the ethics? Its a questioning seeking the truth to it, as I morally feel its wrong. Claiming grades from another subject to add it to other core class, isnt teaching my child responsibility. It shows my child how to cheat, lie, & steal, something not truely earned on my childs own. Its a easy way out, that I want answers too. How is this allowed in our education system? I would have no other reason to waste my time writting letter after letter seeking answers, to ensure my child is responsible for earned work only! Yes, your correct SOME teachers do care for children, its their passion. Yet SOME don't care, as in my opinion get burnt out, loose passion in something they once loved & cared for. It happens in any job. In my opinion, someone that worked so hard getting a degree, training not too mention alot of times college debt they pay for many years. Maybe they feel stuck, maybe they are in debt with college still so they dont want more debt by changing career paths. Maybe they dont want to start all over from the bottom to.change careers. I truely dont have the answers. Alot of people are miserable at their jobs that still go day to day and show up for work. Maybe because, the economy is in a terrible place to even find other jobs. Maybe its for health benefits.Maybe its all the paperwork and crowded classrooms.Maybe the system is providing assitance in crowdes rooms. Anyone can get burnt out, doctors, lawyers, social services, cashiers, pottery workers, and police, it can happen to anyone. We work hard to for passions in our lives. As we grow from mistakes, live and learn, good & bad we change. The debt from college, all the time and energy invested in it, that doesnt matter, as we go through life we change. We can't help how we feel, we feel it for reasons. Regardless if it makes sense to someone else or not. It's whom they are and its their life. There is no set rules on how a situation/issues should makes us feel. Whether a person is pumping gas for a living or is a dentist, whatever the profession is, my opinion is just be honest with whomever your profession is affected by. This is why issues arise. Honesty is probably a morale everyone can probably agree on in some sense. Whether its a mistake or not, be honest. Its something that never can go out of style, even if its a mistake; own your responsibilities. It doesn't mean your less of a person by mistakes, it says your human. Adults are the role models for children. They set the example and lead the way. Thats how children learn, whether the adult/adults are showing good traits or negative traits. Children see and learn it very quickly. If a childs peers or peer is showing a negative trait, they have seen it from an adult, whether its in tv, magazines,movies, even from another peer it always leads back to an adult they seen or learned from. Im happy the district you work in has caring adults. Children deserve it. Not all districts remain that way. This is why we see on tv or newspapers, principals ,teachers, or whomever in the educational system getting fired and or criminal charges they face. Its very sad. It happens at every job. When it comes to it affecting innocent children parents/guardians tend to hold a higher standard for people working with children. Children are the most precious thing a parent/caregiver could ever be blessed with. The entire class is paying the consequences for being many many chapters behind in math.
ReplyDeleteSo the children are being taught two math classes daily inorder to know the material that will be on the occt testing. Thats alot of information for a child to retain daily let alone remember come test time. It has to be overwhelming to some children. My child is overwhelmed by it this. My child is stressed to take the test, my child says daily, "I will fail I know it" and cries. My child was told the teacher(s) can get fired if students dont perform well. Thats unfair pressure. No child should be told jobs on the line. Had the teacher been honest, I would have gladly done what I could, to prepare my child. I will support education fully, if I could be told the truth. Getting an education is important as I was taught from my upbringing and morales. Everyone has their own gift & talent to contribute to society. If the class is outside all day, watching movies, and going out to eat that is valuable time lost. The class could be learning something valuable. Using time wisely is important, as well as a structured room. If they aren't learning, how can they do well on occt testing? I dont see the fairness to the class as well as the teacher, cramming in chapter after chapter. Its pressure for the class & teacher. It teaches children fun first then work last. If the state standards say they all should be at certain level, they cant get there without the teachers. My child didnt make this up, its not a lie, or manipulation.Im not blinded following behind my child, being nasty to teachers. I want my child to be responsible and earn grades. Not math grades added to science grades cause your not in science doing work. Any child taken out of a core class to learn the math solely for the test, suffers not only from having another math class but also returning to a core class not knowing the material. Thats sad in my opinion and wrong. I just want the truth. Is the allowed? How much can the child suffer missing class a month? I willing to learn and could have a better understanding if the teacher could have explained it and answered more of my questions in details! Besides short answers consisting of maybe 3-5 words. So is it allowed to not notify parents of a decision such as missing core class a month? We can't assist and help our children if we have no real clue whats going on! I hope this has better explained my child's issues on his eduation. Its not about being disrespectful to anyone. For Im a better women then that. I want best for my child as all parents/guardians
ReplyDeleteAdults are the role models for children. They set the example and lead the way. Thats how children learn, whether the adult/adults are showing good traits or negative traits. Children see and learn it very quickly. If a childs peers or peer is showing a negative trait, they have seen it from an adult, whether its in tv, magazines,movies, even from another peer it always leads back to an adult they seen or learned from.
ReplyDeleteAdults are the role models for children, I do not find anything SIC about my opinion. THERE ARE PLENTY OF STUDIES, RESEARCH & DATA PROVING THAT. They set the example and lead the way. Thats how children learn, whether the adult/adults are showing good traits or negative traits. Children see and learn it very quickly. If a childs peers or peer is showing a negative trait, they have seen it from an adult, whether its in tv, magazines,movies, even from another peer it always leads back to an adult they seen or learned from. Im happy the district you work in has caring adults. Children deserve it. Not all districts remain that way. This is why we see on tv or newspapers, principals ,teachers, or whomever in the educational system getting fired and or criminal charges they face. Its very sad. It happens at every job. When it comes to it affecting innocent children parents/guardians tend to hold a higher standard for people working with children. Children are the most precious thing a parent/caregiver could ever be blessed with. The entire class is paying the consequences for being many many chapters behind in math. So the children are being taught two math classes daily inorder to know the material that will be on the occt testing. Thats alot of information for a child to retain daily let alone remember come test time. It has to be overwhelming to some children. My child is overwhelmed by it this. My child is stressed to take the test, my child says daily, "I will fail I know it" and cries. My child was told the teacher(s) can get fired if students dont perform well. Thats unfair pressure. No child should be told jobs on the line. Had the teacher been honest, I would have gladly done what I could, to prepare my child. I will support education fully, if I could be told the truth. Getting an education is important as I was taught from my upbringing and morales. Everyone has their own gift & talent to contribute to society. If the class is outside all day, watching movies, and going out to eat that is valuable time lost. The class could be learning something valuable. Using time wisely is important, as well as a structured room. If they aren't learning, how can they do well on occt testing? I dont see the fairness to the class as well as the teacher, cramming in chapter after chapter. Its pressure for the class & teacher. It teaches children fun first then work last. If the state standards say they all should be at certain level, they cant get there without the teachers. My child didnt make this up, its not a lie, or manipulation.Im not blinded following behind my child, being nasty to teachers. I want my child to be responsible and earn grades. Not math grades added to science grades cause your not in science doing work. Any child taken out of a core class to learn the math solely for the test, suffers not only from having another math class but also returning to a core class not knowing the material. Thats sad in my opinion and wrong. I just want the truth. Is the allowed? How much can the child suffer missing class a month? I willing to learn and could have a better understanding if the teacher could have explained it and answered more of my questions in details! Besides short answers consisting of maybe 3-5 words. So is it allowed to not notify parents of a decision such as missing core class a month? We can't assist and help our children if we have no real clue whats going on! I hope this has better explained my child's issues on his eduation. Its not about being disrespectful to anyone. For Im a better women then that. I want best for my child as all parents/guardians do. Sure children lie, it is part of growing up & learning from mistakes. Adults know right from wrong in life. Studies have proven adults lie, manipulate far more then children do. Why else is the justice system overflowing & crowded for choices adults makes.
ReplyDelete. Parents are fed up with the b.s. in regards to children getting a good education, maybe thats why some teachers feel parents are overbearing. WE wouldnt be if people were DOING THEIR JOBS. EVERYONE COMPREHENDS THINGS DIFFERENTLY. CHILDREN DO NOT LIE AS MUCH AS SOME MAY ASSUME, ITS HOW THEY UNDERSTOOD WHAT A PERSON IS SAYING. ITS WHAT THEY LEARNED and HOW THEY UNDERSTOOD A PERSON. STUDIES HAVE PROVEN THAT, childrens brains arent even fully developed or matured to an adults brain and i have learned From my experience working in different criminal justice and on the other side from different fields of social services.
ReplyDelete