Issue Position: Education

Issue Position

Education
Education has always been a matter of local control, and should remain that way. I believe that money should follow the kid, not the other way around. I support voucher programs for private schools and home schoolers. When schools compete, children and families are better served.

While other issues make headlines, one issue that's notable for its total lack of discussion is the implementation of "Common Core" standards in our schools. That's no surprise, since Common Core was imposed upon our schools, not by legislative action or the vote of local school boards, or after soliciting parental input. It was implemented by the unilateral action of the Illinois State Board of Education.

Common Core is a set of math and English standards developed by Washington-based private lobbying groups and pushed onto the states by the Obama administration with promises of "Race to the Top" funding and waivers under "No Child Left Behind".

The standards are intended to prepare students for non-selective community colleges rather than four-year universities, and are inferior to those of some states and no better than those of many others. As noted in a recent article in the Northwest Herald, Shakespeare is being taught at Woodstock North High School through the use of "graphic novels", or comic books. Quoting from the article:

"Thanks in part to a broad interpretation of reading materials under the state's new Common Core learning standards, the books are gaining popularity in area districts and in schools across the country."

Perhaps most troubling, the U.S. Department of Education is using Common Core and its assessments to mandate the construction of massive state student databases. Student-privacy laws have been gutted to allow greater sharing of student data with other government agencies and private entities. Partnering with the Department of Labor, a data system is being built that allows for tracking of individual students from preschool through their entry into the workforce.

When elected, I'll demand that Illinois put the brakes on Common Core.

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