Just as Count My Vote really means Dilute My Voice and protect incumbents, Common Core has been renamed and rebranded in various states. For example, in Utah, state officials quit calling it Common Core and renamed it the Utah Core so folks at the state office can tell people we aren’t on Common Core, we have the Utah core. Well people are catching on and they’re going to need some new names pretty soon. So lets help them out. Please come up with your best and most accurate name for Common Core and share it in the comments.

Rep. Dana Layton yesterday unveiled a substitute version of HB 342. Here’s a link:

http://le.utah.gov/~2014/bills/static/HB0342.html

Unbelievably, she turned to the UEA, state school board, superintendent, and Governor’s office, and rather than return to us for any clarifications we wanted to add, went ahead and rewrote her bill. The original bill was going to have a big fight on its hands because the USOE had said it would cost $2 million to write new standards and that Common Core was free since they came to the state without our cost (Gates Foundation and other sources paid for them). Unfortunately this was a lie. Utah could have the very best standards and they would be free. Utah adopted Common Core solely because of the chance to get Race to the Top money from the Feds.

Listen to her statements in the hearing here:

http://utahlegislature.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?clip_id=16939&meta_id=498318

Quick and not fully quoted comments from her statement:

If I look like I have a little jet lag it’s because I’ve traveled back and forth between universes.

One side everything is rosy

The other CC is a federal takeover

My concern is Utah having control over its ed system

My first bill was drafted when I was under the impression that we’d ceded control

I went to the UEA, local school boards, principal, state board, superintendent Menlove

I came to a different approach

Parents who are alarmed are mostly alarmed by perception that we have let go of control and we are now in lock step with other states that adopted CC

We haven’t let go of the wheel. Not only can we steer, we will.

In speaking with the Governor’s office and others, lets formalize parental involvement in reviewing standards

If we want to spend tens of millions of dollars in Utah promoting STEM careers, perhaps our math standards need to be better suited for engineering careers.

—————-

A couple brief comments while I wrap my head in duct tape…

1) If Utah is concerned about STEM careers, it will be BECAUSE of Common Core, not from our prior decent math standards

2) Even though we had spoken with Rep. Layton, it is obvious she didn’t get as deep into the source documents as she should have. When we have a retired Utah appellate judge review the contracts Utah signed onto and side with us, you know there are some serious issues to wrestle with.

3) There is still a chance for House members to amend this bill back to its original form. Please write your House Representative and ask him/her to either amend the bill back to it’s original form so Utah gets on it’s own superior standards by 2016, or else kill the bill. Saying in this bill that parents should have a review committee for the standards is dangerous because statute already provides for all parents to have a voice in the standards. The USOE just completely failed to do that with Common Core because of the crisis created by the feds to sign up for RTTT money.

UT code says:

The state recognizes that parents currently hold the right to direct the education of their children.

(i) a parent has the right, obligation, responsibility, and authority to raise, manage, train, educate, provide for, and reasonably discipline the parent’s children; and
(ii) the state’s role is secondary and supportive to the primary role of a parent.
http://le.utah.gov/code/TITLE62A/htm/62A04a020100.htm

Also according to state statute:

 (1) In establishing minimum standards related to curriculum and instruction requirements under Section 53A-1-402, the State Board of Education shall, in consultation with local school boards, school superintendents, teachers, employers, and parents implement core curriculum standards which will enable students to, among other objectives:

http://le.utah.gov/code/TITLE53A/htm/53A01_040206.htm

Please email your House member now and ask him/her to either amend the bill back to it’s original form so Utah gets on it’s own superior standards by 2016, or else kill the bill. Find your rep here:

http://le.utah.gov/GIS/findDistrict.jsp

Hallelujah!!! The Karl G. Maeser Preparatory Academy in Lindon, Utah, has just issued an official board statement asking the Governor, Legislature, and the State Board of Education, to replace Common Core and permit schools and the public to participate in the creation of new standards for Utah. This is the first school in Utah to take such an action.

Karl G. Maeser Prep School on Common Core

On 2/18/2014, a large crowd of about 500 people from all over Utah gathered in the state capitol for a rally to restore local control to Utah.  Speakers included legislators, essay contest winners, and representatives from various organizations. Here is the video from the rally. We had some audio issues with the speakers from the capitol and I think I edited out all the problems so you’ll know if you see a skip here or there.

Siri Davidson, a Utah mother who began to home school her children because of  Common Core math, held a sign at Tuesday’s rally.

Volunteers explained to attendees how to opt out of Common Core tests.

——————

THIS WEEK’S  STOP COMMON CORE  RALLIES

This week, and especially Tuesday night, the Common Core Initiative took some tough hits.  All on the same night,  Florida had a newsmaking Common Core protest while Missouri had its Stop Common Core event,  while here in Utah about 600 people gathered at the Capitol; on Wednesday, South Carolina was up to bat.   More and more, people are taking a stand for local control:  for the end of any involvement with Common Core.

Deseret News and Salt Lake Tribune reporters attended the Utah rally; read their reports here  and here.

Here’s my short version of the events.

    Representative Brian Greene spoke about fairness and transparency in state school board elections.  His new bill that can create it: House Bill 228.   He asked Utahns to please write to the representatives and ask them to help push that bill out of committee so legislators may vote on it.

      Representative Dana Layton spoke about her bill to restore local control of education, House Bill 342.    She quoted Diane Ravitch’s words about Common Core from the speech/article “Everything You Need To Know About Common Core.”

    State Senator Margaret Dayton spoke about the need for informed citizens and for a return to local control and away from Common Core.

     Psychotherapist Joan Landes spoke about the psychological devastation that the age-inappropriate Common Core and its experimental testing wreaks on students.

    Three essay winners read their essays and won boxes of Mrs. Cavanaugh’s chocolates:  Brian Halladay, a member of the Alpine School Board; Amy Mullins, a teacher; and Cami Isle, a teacher.  All the essays that were entered into the contest will be posted at Utahns Against Common Core.

I got to introduce these three writers, and got to explain why we held the essay contest.  In the spirit of restoring legitimate learning and the joy of reading and writing, Utahns Against Common Core aimed to model the practice of written human conversation and critical thought –which happens in personal essays.

Common Core doesn’t encourage personal writing.  It prefers technical writing and info-texts.  In fact, David Coleman, lead architect of Common Core, explained why he ditched personal writing:  ““As you grow up in this world you realize that people really don’t give a !% #*^ about what you feel or what you think… it is rare in a working environment that someone says, ‘Johnson I need a market analysis by Friday but before that I need a compelling account of your childhood.’ ”    Coleman mocks personal writing and slashed it, as he also slashed the allowable amounts of classic literature, starting in elementary grades at just 50%  but cutting more and more– until, as high school seniors, students must devote 70% of their readings to informational texts, allowing only 30% to be fictional stories, the stuff that makes us love reading in the first place.  (Excuse me while I pull out my hair and scream.)  So.  Since Coleman mocks the personal essay and  works to incrementally delete classical literature,  we must work to restore them.

This is why we held the essay contest.

   After the essay readings, teacher and author Sinhue Noriega spoke about Common Core being much more than just standards, and also being –despite proponents’ claims to the contrary– a curriculum; and he spoke about the unconstitutionality of the Common Core.

    Attorney Ed Flint spoke about the Common Core-related law suit in which he is involved.  Details here.  

    Radio host Rod Arquette spoke passionately, telling the story of how the Seattle Seahawks won the Superbowl this year in part because of the athlete who often asked the team, as his father had often asked him, “Why not you?  Why not us?”  Arquette turned the question to the audience.  Why can’t we change the course of the Common Core?  Why not us?

Representatives from the Left-Right Alliance, Libertas Institute, Utahns Against Common Core, FreedomWorks, and several other organizations spoke for just one minute apiece.

   Dad Oak Norton closed the meeting with a solemn call to action.

The words that stayed in my mind more than anything else from the evening were the words of retired Judge Norman Jackson’s opening prayer. These deserve to be remembered and pondered.

Judge Jackson prayed:

“Dear God and Father of us all,

We express our Gratitude for the time, means and opportunity to gather this day at the seat of our Government. We acknowledge our firm reliance on Thy Divine protection and guidance in all the affairs of life. And ask Thy forgiveness of our trespasses as we forgive those of others.  Enable us to live with charity for all.

We thank Thee for the endowment of unalienable rights – including life, liberty and the education of our children.  May our land, schools and homes be places of light, liberty and learning.  Bless us and all citizens with the desire to be governed by correct principles. Bless those who govern with that same desire.

Protect parents, children and teachers from the designs of conspiring men and women. And from the pretensions of those who occupy high places. Preserve the sanctity of our homes from the decay of individual responsibility and religion. Stay the hands of those who would harm and offend our children. Grant us and all citizens the strength to be eternally vigilant in this great cause.

Bless the proceedings and participants of this gathering with Thy guiding influence and sustaining care.  Bless us and our children with Thy holy light – we humbly pray in the name of Thy Son Jesus Christ.  Amen.”

Amen.

Teachers, take heart, the NEA seems to be shifting against Common Core, at least in its implementation.

http://www.neatoday.org/2014/02/19/nea-president-we-need-a-course-correction-on-common-core/

Be sure to read the comments at the bottom of this article from teachers. Teachers have been afraid for their jobs. I spoke with one yesterday in Southern Utah who said almost all the teachers in his school don’t like Common Core but they are nervous about saying anything that could put their job in jeopardy. Lets hope the NEA finally wake up a bit.

Here’s one teacher’s story from the comments:

Moby Jones says: “I am beginning to hate my job. I hear in my district, “implement the Math Common Core this year. No, we cannot afford any new materials or texts. We want you to struggle through this process and create your own so you can become expertly familiar with the new standards. Oh, and yes, your value add score might show you are a ‘least effective teacher’ and next year your salary will be tied with your value add score. You are now under the guise of the PARCC Consortium and next year your kids will be taking the PARCC tests. This year, on top of state assessments, you also must have your kids take MAP tests 3 times per year, a Measure of Academic Progress. Heavens, no, you don’t know what the test items are! But we’ll send you your kids’ scores to see how well you’re all doing”. As I said, I’m beginning to hate my job. We are told we must do anything and everything to get our kids to pass these tests, especially those “subgroups” that notoriously don’t pass. We must do anything and everything; we change things mid-year and try something new. We shift on a whim. Why aren’t you growing these kids? Their projected scores say they should be at this number, but they’re not. I am not very effective. After almost 30 years, I am beginning to hate my job.”

I don’t know why it took the NY Times so long to realize this. The World Socialists are clearly on the left and their organization came out last year against Common Core. Better late than never I guess.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/17/nyregion/new-york-early-champion-of-common-core-standards-joins-critics.html?hp&_r=1

“The Common Core has been applauded by education leaders and promoted by the Obama administration as a way to replace a hodgepodge of state standards with one set of rigorous learning goals. Though 45 states and the District of Columbia have signed on to them since 2010, resistance came quickly, mostly from right-leaning states, where some leaders and political action groups have protested what they see as a federal takeover of local classrooms.

But the newest chorus of complaints is coming from one of the most liberal states, and one of the earliest champions of the standards: New York. And that is causing supporters of the Common Core to shudder.

Carol Burris, an acclaimed high school principal on Long Island, calls the Common Core a “disaster.”

“We see kids,” she said, “they don’t want to go to school anymore.”

…

This is the bill to watch this session. Thank you Rep. Layton for putting forth a bill to create independence for Utah and help preserve local control of education.

H.B. 342

1

STATE OF UTAH             5

Senate Sponsor: ____________

             7
8      LONG TITLE
9      General Description:
10          This bill modifies the powers and duties of the State Board of Education regarding the
11      development and adoption of core curriculum standards.
12      Highlighted Provisions:
13          This bill:
14          .    specifies procedures for the development and adoption of core curriculum standards
15      for English language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies, including:
16              .    the establishment of a standards development committee consisting of parents,
17      teachers, and representatives of school districts, business, and higher education
18      to assist the board in developing standards; and
19              .    public review and comment of draft core curriculum standards;
20          .    requires the State Board of Education to establish a standards review committee
21      consisting of 15 parents of Utah public education students to review proposed core
22      curriculum standards for English language arts, mathematics, science, and social
23      studies;
24          .    requires the State Board of Education to maintain control of, and the power to
25      modify, core curriculum standards for English language arts, mathematics, science,
26      and social studies; and
27          .    requires the State Board of Education, on or before July 1, 2016, to adopt revised

28      core curriculum standards for English language arts and mathematics that are developed
29      specifically for Utah.
30      Money Appropriated in this Bill:
31          None
32      Other Special Clauses:
33          None
34      Utah Code Sections Affected:
35      ENACTS:
36           53A-1-402.8 , Utah Code Annotated 1953
37
38      Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
39          Section 1. Section 53A-1-402.8 is enacted to read:
40          53A-1-402.8. Core curriculum standards for English language arts, mathematics,
41      science, and social studies.
42          (1) As used in this section, “board” means the State Board of Education.
43          (2) The board shall develop and adopt core curriculum standards for English language
44      arts, mathematics, science, and social studies in accordance with Section 53A-1-402.6 and this
45      section.
46          (3) The board shall develop and adopt core curriculum standards for English language
47      arts, mathematics, and science that are aligned with the standards of states and nations whose
48      students are among the most proficient on national and international achievement tests.
49          (4) (a) The board may adopt an academic standard of another state or nation if the
50      board determines that the standard is aligned with the basic knowledge, skills, and
51      competencies a student is expected to acquire or master as the student advances through the
52      public education system.
53          (b) Notwithstanding Subsection (4)(a), the board may not adopt, in whole, a set of
54      standards for English language arts, mathematics, science, or social studies developed for a
55      group of states or the nation as Utah’s core curriculum standards.
56          (5) The board shall maintain control of, and the power to modify, core curriculum
57      standards for English language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies.
58          (6) (a) The board shall establish a standards development committee to assist the board

59      in developing core curriculum standards for English language arts, mathematics, science, and
60      social studies.
61          (b) The board shall appoint to a standards development committee established under
62      Subsection (6)(a) individuals with expertise in the subject for which standards are being
63      developed, including parents, teachers, school leaders, school district representatives, business
64      representatives, and faculty of higher education institutions in Utah.
65          (c) A standards development committee established under Subsection (6)(a) shall:
66          (i) hold meetings that are open to the public;
67          (ii) receive public comment; and
68          (iii) submit recommendations on core curriculum standards for adoption by the board.
69          (7) (a) The board shall establish a standards review committee consisting of 15 parents
70      of Utah public education students to review proposed core curriculum standards for English
71      language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies.
72          (b) The membership of the standards review committee includes:
73          (i) five parents appointed by the board chair;
74          (ii) five parents appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives; and
75          (iii) five parents appointed by the president of the Senate.
76          (c) The board shall provide staff support to the standards review committee.
77          (d) Except as provided in Subsection (7)(e), the term of office of each member
78      appointed to the standards review committee is four years.
79          (e) The board chair, the speaker of the House of Representatives, and the president of
80      the Senate shall adjust the length of terms to stagger the terms of standards review committee
81      members so that approximately one-half of the committee members are appointed every two
82      years.
83          (f) No member of the standards review committee may receive compensation or
84      benefits for the member’s service on the committee.
85          (g) The standards review committee shall submit comments and recommendations to
86      the board on proposed core curriculum standards for English language arts, mathematics,
87      science, and social studies.
88          (8) Before adopting core curriculum standards for English language arts, mathematics,
89      science, and social studies, the board shall:

90          (a) publicize draft core curriculum standards on the State Board of Education’s website
91      and the Utah Public Notice website created under Section 63F-1-701 ;
92          (b) invite public comment on the draft core curriculum standards for a period of not
93      less than 90 days; and
94          (c) conduct three public hearings that are held in different regions of the state on the
95      draft core curriculum standards.
96          (9) Taking into consideration the public comment and the comments and
97      recommendations of the standards review committee, the board may:
98          (a) adopt draft core curriculum standards for English language arts, mathematics,
99      science, and social studies as final standards; or
100          (b) modify draft core curriculum standards for English language arts, mathematics,
101      science, and social studies and adopt the modified standards as final standards.
102          (10) On or before July 1, 2016, the board shall adopt revised core curriculum standards
103      for English language arts and mathematics that are developed specifically for Utah.

Save the Date: Feb 18th @ Salt Lake Capitol at 6:30 p.m.

Last July, the last time Utahns got together at the State Capitol to discuss Common Core with legislators listening, there was standing room only. Television stations and newspaper reporters were there.   So many people wanted to stand and speak that hundreds and hundreds were turned away due to time running out.

This time it will be a bit different, and better.  This time, along with listening, some Utah legislators will be speaking out about the problems of the Common Core Initiative.  We hope to fill the capitol –not only to standing-room-only– but to overflowing: past the doors and into the parking lots.

This time –February 18th, 6:30 to 8:00 p.m.,  the speaker lineup includes State Senator Margaret Dayton, Representative Dana Layton, radio host Rod Arquette, Representative Brian Greene, Left-Right Alliance Spokeswoman Autumn Cook, and others that I can’t yet announce (yet to be confirmed).  Please save the date and come.  Show by your presence that you are awake and aware, that you claim authority over your own children’s learning and testing and data privacy — and that you are not going away.   Let’s give the local media something of importance to take pictures of, to write about; please, come if you can.

Mom Alisa Ellis speaks with Rep. Curt Oda about Common Core (at the 2013 State Capitol event)