Common Sense vs. Common Core

Common Core, an education “solution” designed by consultants to get our students on their toes — teach them harder, test them harder, push them harder, is flawed.

The promise of Common Core is that our young people will be whipped into shape for the future.

If the education system is to change drastically, there must be a buy-in from everybody – not just teachers and students: That includes the systems that put our children at jeopardy in the first place: corporations, media, and industries across the board.

If Common Core is to work, it must have folks like Adelaide Sanford, Sam Anderson, Lester Young Jr., Shelia Tranumn, and so many more educators at the table and involved in its revision.  They know the elements that should be included in the core curriculum that will sustain the interests of those who would achieve, all things were equitable.

If 70% of our students failed the test last week – and it’s been determined that we’re not out of the water, yet — do we assume that 1st and 2nd graders who are being retained now, will be retained again? (By the way, it is against DOE regulations for a school to leave back children in the 1st and 2nd grade if the parent does not concur.)

The architects of Common Core should understand they are not building up the community, they may be setting up future generations to fail. It may not be too late to return to the drawing board, and hopefully not too late for the 70% who did not pass the test, the majority of them African Americans.

Recently, educator Brenda Watts Larkins informed us of three excellent reports that were prepared by the Commission on Students of African Descent, established in 1994, under the leadership of Dr. Donald Smith, “a champion of education for children of color.”  Those reports will be covered in an upcoming issue of Our Time Press.

Educator Sam Anderson forwarded the following article to us to share with our readers.