Questioning Common Core

Michael Petrilli of the Thomas B. Fordham Institute has nine question for Common Core opponents, which I would like to answer with eight questions of my own.

First, Mr. Petrilli:

1. Do you mean that you oppose the Common Core standards themselves? All of them? Even the ones related to addition and subtraction? Phonics? Studying the nation’s founding documents? Or just some of them? Which ones, in particular, do you oppose? Have you actually read the standards?
2. Or do you mean that you oppose the role that the federal government played in coercing states to adopt the Common Core? Fair enough, but don’t you share that exact same position with every Republican in Congress and every other Republican running for president, including Jeb Bush?
3. Do you mean that you think states should drop out of the Common Core? States like Iowa? Isn’t that a bit presumptive, considering that you’re not from Iowa and the state’s Republican governor wants Common Core to stay?
4. If you do think that states should reject the Common Core, which standards should replace them? Do they need to be entirely different, or just a little bit different?  And could you cite a specific example of a standard that needs to be “different?”
5. Or do you mean that you oppose the way Common Core has been implemented? If so, everywhere, or just in some states? Or just in some schools? You are running for president; do you think the president of the United States has a role in fixing Common Core implementation?
6. Do you mean you oppose any standards in education that cross state lines? Several years ago, the governors came to an agreement about a common way to measure high school graduation rates. Do you oppose that, too?
7. Or do you mean that you oppose any standards, even those set at the state level? Since states have the constitutional responsibility to provide a sound education, don’t you think they should be clear about what they expect students to know and be able to do in the basic subjects?
8. Or do you mean that you oppose standards that aim to get young people ready for college or a good-paying career? Do you think that’s too high a standard? What standard would you prefer?
9. Tell us again: Why do you oppose the Common Core?

Now me:

1. Specifically, what are the Common Core standards on phonics, or does CC align with Whole language?
2. What makes you think that those far away from the school district, in state and national capitals, would have a better handle on what students need than their parents and teachers?
3. Are you more concerned with Iowa’s governor or parents and students?
4. Do you think students should learn multiplication and division? There’s no mention of either on the Common Core home page?
5. Do you think the president should focus on how to get the federal government involved in education or out of it? Trend lines show that standardized test scores stagnated, at best, while federal spending rose.
6. Speaking of implementation, what would you do to teachers and school districts which refused to administer Common Core?
7. What would you do with state standards and local ones, in place before Common Core was introduced? For example, former Michigan Governor John Engler, a Common Core enthusiast, has criticized the Standards of Learning in Virginia even though the VSOLs led to improved standardized test scores.
8. How many ways can you arrange six things? This is an actual Common Core question.

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