TheNewAmerican February 7 2014
The deeply controversial nationalized education scheme known as “Common Core,” pushed by the Obama administration and billionaire Bill Gates, is under major pressure in the establishment-stronghold state of New York. With parents, teachers, unions, and political leaders from across the political spectrum in open revolt, some analysts even say that the widely criticized school standards may be on the verge of being scrapped — a development that would represent a massive blow to the ongoing imposition of Common Core nationwide.
Now, after listening to an outraged public in a series of 11 forums held across New York, state lawmakers are getting ready to file a bill that would slam the brakes on the scheme. In a phone interview with The New American, New York State Assemblyman Al Graf, a member of the Assembly Education Committee, explained that the coalition of legislators had no choice but to take action to stop the “disaster” that Common Core has foisted on the state. “This is state-sponsored child abuse,” he said.
The legislation, set to be introduced next week in both chambers, would impose a three-year moratorium on the standards. It would also create a committee with all relevant stakeholders, who would study the issue and then come up with recommendations: Either ditch Common Core entirely, or create new state standards that would conform to the national scheme pushed by Washington. “For now, it stops the abuse of our children,” explained the Republican lawmaker, a former police officer who has a degree in elementary education.
“We listened to teachers and parents and engaged in a conversation to find out what was going on with the implementation of Common Core,” Graf said about the 11 public hearings on Common Core held by lawmakers. “This has been a total mommy movement, where moms are seeing the effect on their children and standing up and saying ‘we’re not going to let you do this.’ ” Throughout the hearings, he said, parents and educators spoke out firmly against Common Core.
Continue reading →