What in the World is Common Core

We don't need no education, We don’t need no thought control
No dark sarcasm in the classroom, Teachers leave them kids alone

Pink Floyd

I have been in a period of intellectual laziness unwilling to examine issues and ponder what the outcomes might be and what they would mean to us as a society. Intellectual laziness is a kind of torpor in which one may be inclined to accept at face value whatever one hears or reads on the news or social outlet of choice without applying anything further. These days that is dangerous because it is so easy in this “information” age to find an outlet that supports our already preconceived notions and we are deprived of the contradictions we may need in order to examine our conceptions. I perceive that is little problem to many but that is not as it should be because the ideas of others are critically important to our proper understanding of the ramifications of any issue.

For instance, I am rarely in agreement with anything that the Tea Party groups have to say but, to my surprise, I find there are some things they say with which I can agree. I am often in agreement with more progressive ideals but even I can find some instances in which I think those kinds of groups go too far. It is just not enough to pick a group and parrot whatever it says.

One of the things I have been trying to understand is exactly what “Common Core” is in regards to our educational system and what the hubbub is about. As far as I can tell “Common Core” is an attempt to bring educational levels in the United States up to what is considered to be competitive internationally. Currently we are failing at that miserably. It seems that it is not the standards themselves that is the problem but rather the way they are being implemented. In addition, there are testing requirements and many teachers feel this would result in teaching to the test and deprive them of exercising their knowledge and skill to educate students. Not a few resent governmental intervention into the classroom.

I think the discussion on “Common Core” can be informed by the rationale for having government involved in education at all. Some Tea Party adherents advocate discontinuing the Department of Education entirely saying that education is a local matter. I don't think so.

In my mind the only reason that the government of the United States would have any interest in public education is for what is essentially a national security issue. The US needs well educated citizens to be able to make informed and rational decisions on self government. Sometimes it seems that we must surely be failing at this task since we have such a dysfunctional government but it has not always been that way. The other reason is that an educated populace is needed in order to remain competitive in a world of global competition. We aren't doing too good there either with our students performing at rates that are less than that of some third world countries. So, why don't we leave it to local governments? The reason is that local governments are notoriously hindered by poor decision making and are slow to react to global pressures. It is these global pressures that have led us to the current attempt to improve scholastic achievement known as “Common Core” which prescribes minimum levels that students must achieve at various grade levels.

A nation that consistently performs at a level that is less than those standards enjoyed by the rest of the world can't expect to hang around the top tier economically for too long. History has proven that once the economic might of a nation, empire, kingdom begins to wane that it is not long until is political power also weakens. Military might can't be maintained in the absence of a robust economy and some may argue that military might for it's own sake should not be maintained. So, in the scheme of things it is a robust economy that is paramount to the continued standard of living that we enjoy here in the United States of America.

Perhaps we have gotten a little off track but I sincerely hope that a renewed emphasis on education, research and innovation will provide the course correction that our country needs. Other countries are doing very good at stealing our thunder in areas of research and innovation but our country has tremendous inherent advantages that should make the United States the engine for the world. It is not too late. We are still the largest economy in the world by some multiples but we can see that others have a plan. We don't.

It seems readily apparent to me that it is absolutely necessary for government to anticipate future demands and provide funding and leadership to be ready to fill those needs. Free market enthusiasts will tell you that the market will drive innovation but what the market will drive is profits. Visionary thinking must come from some anticipation of future events. Certainly there are those individuals who we call visionary in the business world but in most cases their vision rests on the shoulders of some sort of government supported research or demand. For instance. How many companies have taken advantage of the opportunities presented by the coming of age of the internet. Jeff Bezos with Amazon for example, has influenced the entire model for sales in the world. However, it was the United States government with a military communication need that gave birth to the internet. Who paid for that? You did.

So, do you think that a local school board is up to the task of determining curriculum to create research scientists or others working on the edge of new strategies? Well, just take into account the efforts by many to influence the science textbooks to keep them from teaching rigorous examination of evidence and its conclusions.

So, even if I'm not quite sure what Common Core is I am very sure that our Department of Education is necessary to create course study that will strengthen the economic might of our country.

My take is that we should place a much higher value on our teachers and help them to be more effective. It is also My Take that we should view an advanced education as a national asset primed to bring a higher standard of living for all.