Common Core Education And More About Federal Government Control

[Ross]

Not Common Core --- Not Federal Government
Pretty Amazing

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During A Routine Remodel,
This High School Unearthed A Shocking,
100-Year-Old Secret!

By Cassandra Lewis


I love history — but for me, the magic of the past doesn't lie in complicated dates, exotic locations, or famous figures. To me, it's the everyday stuff that's truly fascinating; the comings and goings of normal people just living life.

After all, as our saying here goes, "It's the little things in life that matter the most!" So why shouldn't that apply to history as well?

That's why I absolutely love this story. No, it won't make breaking news, and it won't alter any textbooks — but this discovery from days-gone-by perfectly captures a little slice of American history.

During the autumn months of 1917 — a year in which the first jazz record was released, the Ford Model T ran the roads, and the "Great War" waged on — a classroom in Oklahoma City received new blackboards.

Though it's a rather mundane moment in history, this simple act preserved a sliver of time that would remain undiscovered and undisturbed for one hundred years. Now, its rediscovery is delighting people across the nation — myself included!

After scrolling through these incredible photos, be sure to watch the video below — and please SHARE!
(Video at: http://www.littlethings.com/1917-chalkboards-untouched/?utm_source=amer&utm_medium=Facebook&utm_campaign=quiz)

When contractors began work on four classrooms of Emerson High School, they knew their remodel would improve education — but they never expected it would impact local history.

Looking to upgrade the rooms with new whiteboards and smartboards, the workers had to first remove the outdated chalkboards. But when they began to pull away the old boards, they made a startling discovery...

Beneath the current boards rested another set of chalkboards — untouched for nearly 100 years. Protected and totally undisturbed, the century-old writings and drawings looked like they were made just yesterday. Here, a November calendar rolls into December. A turkey marks the celebration of Thanksgiving.

A multiplication table gives us a glimpse into the curriculum and methods taught in 1917, techniques perhaps lost in the passage of time. When regarding a wheel of multiplication, Principal Sherry Kishore told The Oklahoman, "I have never seen that technique in my life."

But Oklahoma City school officials aren't just shocked by what is written, but how it is written. Penmanship like this is clearly a lost art. This board reads, "I give my head, my heart, and my life to my God and One nation indivisible with justice for all."

And though the boards' style and subject matter might be unfamiliar to younger folks, they certainly resonate with older generations. Principal Kishore told The Oklahoman what it was like to show her 85-year-old mother the boards: "She just stood there and cried. She said it was exactly like her classroom was when she was going to school."

But these boards actually predate Principal Kishore's mother by 13 years. Two dates were found on the boards: November 30, 1917, and December 4, 1917.

Some of the writings and drawings were done by students, while others were made by teachers — but i's not always clear whose is whose.

Regardless, the work is a striking look into days long gone. While reading the boards — like this one listing "My Rules To Keep Clean" — the past comes alive in a very personal way.

English teacher Cinthea Comer told The Oklahoman, "It was so eerie because the colors were so vibrant it looked like it was drawn the same day. To know that it was drawn 100 years ago... it's like you're going into a looking glass into the past."

Built in 1895, Emerson High School has seen many renovations and improvements throughout the years — but nothing like this has ever been discovered.

When removing old chalkboards in the past, contractors have only found broken pipes and wires, so this is a shocking surprise. Oklahoma City and the school district are now working to preserve these beautiful boards

Hopefully, the spirit of these teachers and their students will be enjoyed for many years to come. Who knew that scribbles on a chalkboard could become such a precious piece of history.

Be sure to watch the video below, and please SHARE this stunning look into the past!

(Video at the bottom of page 2: http://www.littlethings.com/1917-chalkboards-untouched/?utm_source=amer&utm_medium=Facebook&utm_campaign=quiz&vpage=2   )

http://www.littlethings.com/1917-chalkboards-untouched/?utm_source=amer&utm_medium=Facebook&utm_campaign=quiz

[Ross]

Yea ! Another State Finally Wising Up !

Delaware Passes Testing Opt-Out Bill

Last week, Delaware became the latest in growing number of states to push for the ability of parents to opt their children out of the Smarter Balanced Assessment tests. These tests were implemented as part of the increasingly unpopular Common Core education standards, but parents and teachers alike have been dissatisfied with the amount of time and focus going into test preparation as opposed to more traditional teaching, involving individualized interaction between teachers and students.

Delaware's HB 50 - surprisingly sponsored by a Democrat - cleared the state Senate and now only awaits a signature from the governor. The bill would codify that parents may elect to opt their children out of the tests, and specifies that there will be no academic or disciplinary consequences for students who make this decision. This comes on the heels of a similar bill recently signed into law by Oregon's Governor Kate Brown, indicating the growth of a larger opt-out movement among frustrated parents.

The trend of individuals deciding not to participate in the standards or their aligned assessments is in part a reaction to the inability of states to extricate themselves from Common Core as a whole. Seemingly promising repeal bills have repeatedly turned out to be disappointments, merely rebranding the standards instead of withdrawing from them. This has been the case in Indiana and Tennessee, where the governors claim to have repealed Common Core, when in fact such reforms are toothless.

Most recently, much was made of Scott Walker's efforts to defund the Smarter Balanced tests in Wisconsin's budget. As more details emerge, however, it appears that this has been yet another smokescreen, with the state's new "Badger Tests" continuing alignment with Common Core. Since parents cannot rely on states to actually repeal Common Core, withdraw from the tests, or even be honest about the legislation they are passing, individual opt outs offer the best chance of meaningful educational freedom at present.

Of course, it remains important that individuals be vigilant in protecting their rights. Even in states where opting out is legal, school officials have been caught bullying students into participating, over fear that they might lose federal funding for failing to meet "participation quotas." As long as the federal government remains involved in education, states are going to have a hard time avoiding the "strings attached" funding that restricts the ability to set policy at a local level.

The U.S. Constitution outlines no federal role for education, and the most recent attempt to reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act - while it makes some important reforms - maintains the federal testing standards that are tying states' hands. That leaves opting out of tests as the best option for parents who want to take back control of their children's education from a central bureaucracy. If enough people refuse the tests, ultimately the state will have to blink. The power of grassroots action trumps the power of legislation every time.

http://www.freedomworks.org/content/delaware-passes-testing-opt-out-bill

[Ross]

Published on Jul 23, 2015
Lily Tang Williams, a mother of three, recalls growing up in Communist China, and explains why Common Core reminds her so much of the oppressive/statist nature of her education growing up.

See video at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKl67M0WbKs&feature=youtu.be

[Ross]

Schools Threatened by Feds
Over Massive Number of Common Core
Opt-Outs

BY REMSO MARTINEZ
23 hours ago

From coast to coast, states throughout the country are trying to find any way possible to escape the widespread mess of Common Core. Recently, a large number of Long Island schools were at the center of attention when they reported having the highest number of Common Core opt-outs in the nation. Due to the immense number of students who refused to take place in the intrusive and cumbersome standardized tests, two schools in Long Island risk losing their prized national "Blue Ribbon" award for academic excellence nominations.

As of now, the two schools targeted by the Department of Education are George H. McVey and Quogue elementary schools, who earned their Blue Ribbon nominations based on scores from spring of 2014. However, the actual awards would be given to the schools nominated based on results from the following year's score next April. This pressure to comply with the Common Core exams means that 12 of the 19 schools nominated for the prestigious award could be taken out of the running due to the opt-outs that have spread throughout the country.

This type of issue is only one piece in a larger part of the culture of corruption brought about by the heavy influence of not only Common Core pushers, but also the Department of Education. A recent Common Core related incident occurred in the past several weeks, where a Harlem principal committed suicide after fabricating the results of her students Common Core exams, all in order to maintain federal funding based on the achievement level of the students.

Parents, students, and even teachers against core curricula and its implementation are the reason so many states are trying to escape this program. So what is left to do at this point? One path was to help strengthen the option for students to opt-out of the exams; Senator Mike Lee tried to do this at the federal level with an amendment to the Every Child Achieves Act of 2015, but that was shot down in the US Senate 32-64. However, a similar amendment authored by Rep. Matt Salmon to the Student Success Act passed the House.

Another more practical and permanent solution would be to keep this issue within the borders of the individual states, since they brought this beast of a program on themselves, it would be best for them to keep it as an in-house issue. Lindsey Burke, a Will Skillman fellow in education policy at the Heritage Foundation, discussed how states could exit from Common Core back in an article for the Daily Signal last April; she stated three main points (for further details on her points, click here):

Determine how the decision was made to cede the state's standard-setting authority.

Prohibit new spending for standards implementation.

Determine how to reverse course.

Until state governments can come together and realize that the common curricula and excessive, intrusive testing is causing more harm than good, it will depend almost entirely on the grassroots to affect real change by bringing not only awareness, but solutions to the policy table.

http://www.freedomworks.org/content/schools-threatened-feds-over-massive-number-common-core-opt-outs

[Ross]

A MUST READ
ABOUT GOVERNMENT CONTROL

These are students the public school system will not be able to collect federal funds for.
Federal Funds being taxpayer dollars.

7,000 New Homeschoolers
In Florida
Shows New Trend
Against Public Education

BY REMSO MARTINEZ
3 days ago

A recent study shows a huge push in the number of homeschooled children in the state of Florida, showing a record high number of 7,000 plus homeschoolers added in the past ten years. This hefty increase was due in part to the rising number of online learning resources that allow students at home more opportunities and ease thanks simply to access to the internet at home. Home Education Resources and Information Chairperson Karen Harmon stated recently she believes the change has occurred due to several factors:

"Implementation of the Common Core education standards," which has caused a massive grassroots uproar from teachers, students, and parents alike as more and more serious issues regarding intrusive breach of private information of students, threatening careers of professional educators, and the culture of corruption which has become apparent ever since the program was adopted by individual states. This is also evident by the large number of student opt-outs of Common Core exams sweeping the nation.
A disturbing example of the type of material forced onto students by Common Core, was in a literature book used to teach 11th graders in Alabama, which was brought to the attention of the Alabama Senate Education Committee when prominent conservative activist Becky Gerritson testified against the implementation of Common Core in her state.

During her testimony, Gerritson, who is also a homeschooling parent, spoke about a book called The Bluest Eye, recommended reading for 11th graders. The story was profiled an 8-year-old African-American child as she encounters "rape, incest, and pedophilia". Other such examples brought to the attention of the public-at-large caused national uproar by parents who were disgusted by the vulgar and inappropriate subjects being taught to their children in public schools.

"Federal education standards do not allow students to shine, as they are leveling down the school system," which is in large part due to lackluster Department of Education programs enacted since George W. Bush's No Child Left Behind policy began to pave the way for core curricula.
As more and more parents are beginning to learn about the troubling issues regarding failed education policies and the growth in power of teachers unions negatively affecting the education of students, the option of homeschooling has become a much more ideal solution to education standards forced by the state. As more parents decide to opt-out of the state's control of education entirely, they face the problem of burdensome regulations that throw a wrench in the road for parents.

A Daily Signal article touched on the issue of more regulation. It featured an interview between Genevieve Wood (advances policy priorities of the Heritage Foundation) and her sister, Amanda (a homeschooling parent). Amanda had this to say about why government is so fearful of the rise in students pulling out of the public education system:

"Homeschooling challenges the public education bureaucracy in America that says children are better off with professional educators. The more it grows the more they believe it threatens public schools, education programs at colleges (which grant teaching certificates), thousands of bureaucrats, millions of paid teachers, and billions in state and federal dollars – especially when it is demonstrated how well homeschool students do academically, on a fraction of the yearly budget per student."

Growth in regulation of homeschoolers is on the rise. A Michigan House bill proposed in June would force homeschooled students to see twice a year a "...physician, licensed social worker, physician's assistant, individual employed in a professional capacity in any office of the friend of the court, school counselor or teacher, audiologist, psychologist, law enforcement officer, marriage and family therapist, member of the clergy, or regulated child care provider." What adds to the strangeness of the state keeping tabs on children is that homeschooling parents would also be forced to record all meetings, while providing a "signed documentation from the individual meeting with the child."

This type of intrusion by the government does make it a difficult choice for parents who are deciding as to whether or not they wish to take on the responsibility of homeschooling. The pros of schooling at home, time and time again show, that homeschooled students tend to excel far more academically than their public, and even private schooled counterparts.

According to the Friedman Foundation for Educational Choice, 3 percent of the total school-aged student population are homeschooled. Yet, as that number begins to increase over time, policymakers will most likely begin to add plenty more regulation onto the backs of homeschoolers in order to keep some government control over your children and their education.

http://www.freedomworks.org/content/7000-new-homeschoolers-florida-shows-new-trend-against-public-education

[Ross]

Do we really need more Federal Government Control ?

Bam! Bam! Bam!
The final nail in coffin of U.S. education 

Democrats claim they're the party of education, but that's hard to prove from their track record.

Schools are failing, classrooms have been turned into propaganda centers and the cost of a college degree is out of sight, thanks to their policies.

Now they're proposing to do something so outlandish, one economist is predicting things are about to get "exponentially worse" ... 

Read the latest now at   http://email.wnd.com/HS?b=24ZlGZTfcEgcig0ne3HqU3hJW_1-y8-13NFfyeS3OaJ0mBRllYrB4WsU_hEdcW6f&c=uQ4HUUuOIF-ocD9aFmfB2w

[Ross]

I had never seen this one untill today

High School: Islamic vocabulary lesson part of Common Core standards
Todd Starnes
By Todd Starnes  Published December 20, 2014

Parents in Farmville, North Carolina want to know why their children were given a Common Core vocabulary assignment in an English class that promoted the Prophet Muhammad and the Islamic faith.

"It really caught me off guard," a Farmville Central High School student who was in the class told me. "If we are not allowed to talk about any other religions in school – how is this appropriate?"

The Islamic vocabulary worksheet was assigned to seniors.

"I was reading it and it caught me off guard," the student told me. "I just looked at it and knew something was not right – so I emailed the pages to my mom."

"In the following exercises, you will have the opportunity to expand your vocabulary by reading about Muhammad and the Islamic word," the worksheet read.

The lesson used words like astute, conducive, erratic, mosque, pastoral, and zenith in sentences about the Islamic faith.

"The zenith of any Muslim's life is a trip to Mecca," one sentence read. For "erratic," the lesson included this statement: "The responses to Muhammad's teachings were at first erratic. Some people responded favorably, while other resisted his claim that 'there is no God but Allah and Muhammad his Prophet."

Another section required students to complete a sentence:

"There are such vast numbers of people who are anxious to spread the Muslim faith that it would be impossible to give a(n)___ amount."

I spoke to one parent who asked not to be identified. She was extremely troubled by what her child was exposed to in the classroom.

"What if right after Pearl Harbor our educational system was talking about how great the Japanese emperor was?" the parent asked. "What if during the Cold War our educational system was telling students how wonderful Russia was?"

The parent said the material was classwork disguised as Islamic propaganda.

"It's very shocking," she said. "I just told my daughter to read it as if it's fiction. It's no different than another of fictional book you've read."

A spokesman for Pitt County Schools defended the lesson  – noting that it came from a state-adopted supplemental workbook and met the "Common Core standards for English Language Arts."

"The course is designed to accompany the world literature text, which emphasizes culture in literature," the statement read.

The problem is it's emphasizing a specific culture and religion – and the school district acknowledged there were concerns "related to the religious nature of sentences providing vocabulary words in context."

"Our school system understands all concerns related to proselytizing, and there is no place for it in our instruction," the statement goes on to say. "However, this particular lesson was one of many the students in this class have had and will have that expose them to the various religions and how they shape cultures throughout the world."

I asked the school district to provide me with a copy of vocabulary worksheets that promoted the Jewish, Hindu and Christian faiths.

The school district did not reply.

I also asked for the past or future dates when the students would be given those vocabulary worksheets.

The school district has yet to reply.

The student I spoke with told me they have not had any other assignments dealing with religion – other than the one about Islam.

Why is that not surprising?

Based on its official statement, Pitt County Schools seems confident that the vocabulary lessons are in compliance with three Common Core standards related to literacy. If you want to look up those standards, reference CCSSELA-Literary L11-12.4.A, 12.4.D and 12.6.

Since the Common Core folks seem to be infatuated with sentence completion – let me try one out on them.

Use "Islamic" and "proselytizing" in the following sentence: Somebody got their ____ hand caught in the ____ cookie jar.

UPDATE: I asked the school district if there had been similar vocabulary assignments about Judaism, Christianity or other religions. I also asked for the exact dates of those assignments. Here's the reply I received from the school district:

"The class recently finished reading Night by Elie Wiesel. As part of the study of this book, students were exposed to Judaism. I'm told that one of the next couple of lessons that will be taught in this class includes an examination of Psalm 23 as part of the lesson. Additionally, the workbook in question has another vocabulary lesson with words used in a passage about India's three great beliefs (Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism). Keep in mind that this workbook is just one of numerous resources used in the course. Students are exposed to various cultures, values, and beliefs through the reading of multiple types of literature, but teachers certainly aren't advocating for any of them."

Notice how the school district dodged my question?

http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2014/12/20/school-islamic-vocabulary-lesson-part-common-core-standards.html

[redcliffsw]

Don't know why Americans would send their kids to a government school just because it's "free".  Apparently they see no harm in socialist indoctrination. 

[Diane Amberg]

Good grief, here we go again.Would you all be more comfortable if anything about Mohammad was saved until college?
High school seniors should be taught to think and evaluate! It sounds like the kid who went boo-hooing home to Mama has already been indoctrinated against thinking for himself.
It was a vocabulary lesson, for heavens sake and kids complain about being bored? That was an attempt by the author to make it interesting rather than boring.
How stifled do you want the kids to be? What happened to everybody demanding critical thinking? There would be a very good opportunity to do just that. Apparently the Amish aren't the only ones who don't want to be worldly.
Off to go shopping with Al.

[Ross]

Good grief, here we go again.Would you all be more comfortable if anything about Mohammad was saved until college?
High school seniors should be taught to think and evaluate! It sounds like the kid who went boo-hooing home to Mama has already been indoctrinated against thinking for himself.
It was a vocabulary lesson, for heavens sake and kids complain about being bored? That was an attempt by the author to make it interesting rather than boring.
How stifled do you want the kids to be? What happened to everybody demanding critical thinking? There would be a very good opportunity to do just that. Apparently the Amish aren't he only ones who don't want to be worldly.
Off to go shopping with Al.

Why not just make the questions and praise about Hara Kishners or Scientology or Westboro Christian.
Ohurch? Oh hell, just throw out any reasoning and make it about hard core porn? You would definitely make it very interesting for the boys.

While schools are threatening to throw kids out of school if they bring an American Flag to school it's okay to teach a heathen religion.

Really good morals, don't you think Diane ?

Let's hear it for educators ---- Hip, Hip ----------- Bullshi

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(I have to ask, did school administrators talk to the owners of school property about this matter? Ross asking.)

Tennessee School District Tells Students
They Will Be Kicked Out if They Bring an
American Flag Onto School Property

Aug. 24, 2015 9:05am   

A Tennessee school district has banned students from bringing American flags to campus because it doesn't want to take a chance on students bringing any flags that could be seen as offensive by others.

If students violate the flag ban, they'll be kicked out of school, students told WHBQ-TV.

The Dickson County School District's decision came after a summer of heated debate over the Confederate flag and its removal from the grounds of the South Carolina statehouse, after authorities say a white supremacist went on a shooting rampage at a historically black church in Charleston. The controversial banner was also removed from the Alabama state Capitol grounds.

The American flag just outside the entrance to the district's schools will stay, but students who wish to express themselves more personally won't be able to.

"I just think that's a right. It's freedom of expression and I don't think you should be able to take that away from us," student Arianna Heisler said. "If you want to fly a Confederate flag and if you want to fly a rainbow flag, fly a rainbow flag. Whatever you want."

School officials, who say they haven't had any issues with the policy so far, said there are a number of ways by which students can still express themselves.

"While this was not necessarily an attack on the American flag, there were some other issues we're trying to address," said Steve Sorrells, Dickson County director of student services. "It's not an unpatriotic act by any means because we have a number of ways in which students do learn how to be patriotic and express American pride."

School officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment from TheBlaze.

Video at: http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2015/08/24/tennessee-school-district-tells-students-they-will-be-kicked-out-if-they-bring-an-american-flag-onto-school-property/?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Firewire%20-%20HORIZON%208-24-15%20FINAL&utm_term=Firewire