ELIMINATE COMMON CORE: KEEP STATE AND FEDERAL FUNDS

by Karen Schroeder

If you live in Wisconsin or any state that supports “local control” of schools, here is some exciting news. School districts that replace Common Core Standards with a different set of standards are entitled to receive state and federal funding. The process is simple. It is time to stop complaining and take some action. Become a voice for the children.

First, citizens must attend a school board meeting and explain to the school board that you do not want any federally shaped standards, textbooks, or testing tools implemented in your school district. Also demand that the federal and state money set aside for Common Core and educational costs be reallocated to your district to fund the implementation of a preferable set of standards.

Some districts will make this a battle of wills. People must be willing to find the courage to stop the federalization of education. The only response citizens need to any roadblock placed in their way is, “This is an unconstitutional federal program. Implementation is illegal. By implementing this program, you are ignoring the U.S. Constitution, the Wisconsin Constitution, and our state statutes governing local control of schools.” Be strong. Remain determined.

Be careful. If you just get rid of the standards and leave federally recommended textbooks and tests in place, you will still have Common Core in your schools. There are dozens of superior standards, curriculum, and testing materials available on line. Many sets of standards are free; the curriculum and tests are a lot cheaper than the $16 Billion plus dollars already spent by the Federal government to create and implement Common Core.

To assure that your state is one that supports local control of schools, ask your state department of education this question: “If a school district decides to reject Common Core Standards and replace them with a preferable set of standards, will that school district still receive state and/or federal funds?”

In Wisconsin, the answer is YES! Emilie Amundson, Director, Common Core State Standards Team of the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction explained that each school board has the statutory authority to adopt any set of standard, inferior or superior. Decisions regarding standards, curriculum, and instruction are the responsibility of school boards with community involvement. The type, quality, and scope to those standards are included.

Nobody believes a district would choose an inferior set of standards. That language is used to protect parents and districts from an arrogant bureaucrat overstepping their authority by declaring a district’s preferred set of standards as being inferior.

Those states that are not local control states have the right to reject Common Core Standards and replace them with a preferable set of standards according to 10th Amendment in the U.S. Constitution and to three federal statutes: The General Education Provision Act, the Department of Education Act, and the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965. These documents give states autonomy over education and prohibit the DoED from exercising any direction or supervision in the selection of textbooks or instructional materials or in the control and administration of curriculum.

Therefore, it is illegal and unconstitutional for the federal government to use your tax dollars to shape a curriculum, to pay textbook companies to align texts to those standards, and to pay testing consortiums to align tests to those standards. Under these circumstances, if your district decided to replace Common Core with a preferable set of standards, textbooks, and tests, the opposing party would be facing a very serious and unfavorable political issue during the upcoming presidential election.

Advocates for Academic Freedom is an educational consulting firm that is willing to help your school district exercise its legal right to define all academic and behavioral standards implemented in its schools. Instead of whining about health curriculums that teach five-year-olds to masturbate and that teach falsehoods about American history, become a voice for the children. Stand up and stop Common Core.

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Karen Schroeder is the President of Advocates for Academic Freedom, a member of the Wisconsin Educational Communications Board, an experienced public school teacher with an MA, and an educational consultant. She provides informational seminars to promote citizen involvement at local and state levels of the educational system. Ms.Schroeder provides testimony before legislative bodies regarding educational issues. She is frequently interviewed by radio personalities including Wisconsin’s Vicki McKenna. Karen writes for thirty-two publications including the EAGnews.org and Daily Caller. Karen can be reached at kpfschroeder@centurylink.net or by calling 715-234-5072.