Rep. Kurt Bahr has introduced a bill that would halt the implementation of Common Core Standards in Missouri by adding new and modified provisions to existing education laws.
HB 1708 would “prohibit the State Board of Education, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, and school districts from implementing the Common Core State Standards.”
Specifically, the Missouri bill includes provisions to ban implementation, developing or introducing curricula or materials derived from Common Core, transferring any student academic data to out of state entities, accepting public money to implement or purchase Common Core materials, and adopting or developing a criterion referenced assessments based on Common Core and more. Most importantly, the bill requires local school districts to develop their own priorities, plan of action, resource needs, and evaluation criteria.
Common Core was originally adopted by 45 states primarily because the Federal Department of Education tied promises of large educational grants to acceptance its acceptance and gave cash starved states only a short time to consider the Standards. However as state officials have begun to understand implications of Common Core, including one size fits all federal standards. high technology costs, and huge privacy concerns, at least two-dozen states have legislation pending to remove Common Core and/or ban its funding and implementation.
Common Core gives the feds the power to collect all kinds of data from children including Social Security numbers, blood type, records of school attendance, supposed learning disabilities, religious affiliation, disciplinary records, parents’ income information. The curriculum also eschews classic literature in favor of drab, government technical manuals.
While touted as a state initiative, the federal government is deeply involved in both the formulation and implementation of Common Core. Federal Department of Education Secretary Arne Duncan positioned Common Core as a “once in a life time opportunity for the federal government to create incentives for far-reaching improvement in our nation’s schools.” Constitutionally, the federal government should not be involved in education at all.
The bill was referred to the Missouri Elementary and Secondary Education Committee on Feb. 12, 2014.
ACTION ITEMS
If you live in Missouri click HERE to learn how to support HB1708.
Outside Missouri, click HERE to learn how to fight Common Core in your state.
- Connecticut Legislature Taking Closer Look at Common Core - March 23, 2014
- Missouri Bill Blocking Obamacare Passes Out of Senate Committee - March 17, 2014
- Missouri House Bill Would Stop Common Core Implementation - February 26, 2014