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5/26/13, "Ron Paul: ‘Common Core’ Nationalizes And Dumbs Down Public School Curriculum – OpEd," Albany Tribune
"In addition to shredding civil liberties, launching a utopian global
war for democracy, and going on a spending spree that would make LBJ
blush, the so-called “conservative” Bush administration dramatically
increased federal control over education via the “No Child Left Behind”
act. During my time in Congress I heard nothing but complaints about
this law from teachers, administrators, and, most importantly, students
and parents. Most of the complaints concerned No Child Left Behind’s
testing requirements, which encouraged educators to “teach to the test.”
Sadly, but not surprisingly, instead of improving education by
repealing No Child Left Behind’s testing and other mandates, the Obama
administration is increasing national control over schools via the
“Common Core” initiative. Common Core is a new curriculum developed by a
panel of so-called education experts. The administration is trying to
turn Common Core into a national curriculum by offering states increased
federal education funding if they impose Common Core’s curriculum on
their public schools. This is yet
another example of the government
using money stolen from the people to bribe states into obeying federal
dictates.
Critics of Common Core say it “dumbs down” education by replacing
traditional English literature with “informational texts”. So students
will read such inspiring materials as studies by the Federal Reserve
Bank of San Francisco, the EPA’s “Recommended Levels of Insulation,” and
“Invasive Plant Inventory” by California’s Invasive Plant Council. It
is doubtful that reading federal reports will teach students the habits
of critical thinking and skepticism of government that the Founders
considered essential to maintaining a free republic.
Like Obamacare, Common Core (now dubbed “ObamaCore” by some) has
sparked a backlash in the states, leading some to propose legislation
forbidding state participation in the scheme. I hope these efforts lead
to states not just opting out of Common Core, but out of No Child Left
Behind and all other federal education programs as well.
Parents can also effectively “opt out” of programs like Common Core
by seeking alternatives to government education. It is no coincidence
that, as federal control over education increases, the quality of public
education has declined and more parents have chosen to homeschool.
To support these parents, I have established my own homeschool
curriculum. Unlike Common Core, we do not dumb down any of our
offerings. Instead, the goal is to provide students with a rigorous
education in history, math, English, foreign languages, and other core
subjects necessary to a well-rounded education. Unlike the top-down
model of nationalized education, the homeschool curriculum is deigned to
encourage maximum input from parents and students. While the curriculum
will reflect my belief, and interest, in Austrian economics,
libertarian political theory, and the history of the struggle against
state power, the curriculum is being carefully designed to not show bias
toward any one religion. I hope all parents of any faith—or no
religious belief at all—will feel comfortable using the curriculum.
I
believe it is important for those of us concerned with education and
liberty to fight our battles locally. We must oppose further
encroachment on the autonomy of local public schools and work to
roll-back existing interference, while encouraging and supporting the
growth of homeschooling and other alternative education movements. The
key to restoring quality education is to replace the bureaucratic
control of education with a free-market in education. Parents should
have the freedom to select the type of education that best suits their
child’s unique needs."
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"About Ron Paul
Ronald Ernest "Ron" Paul (born August 20, 1935) is an American
physician, author, and politician who has been serving as the U.S.
Representative for Texas's 14th congressional district, which includes
Galveston, since 1997. He is a three-time candidate for President of the
United States, as a Libertarian in 1988 and as a Republican in 2008 and
2012." via Free Republic
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