Letter to the Editor
Jim Mullen
Parkersburg, WV
The Parkersburg News report of Tuesday’s Wood County Board of Education meeting stated board members were presented a one hour and 40-minute presentation on the next-generation standards (sanitized new code words for Common Core State Standards Initiative.) The article stated the talk was tailored to answer a lot of pointed questions directed to the board by this writer concerning Common Core.
It’s true this writer asked many questions about Common Core and about what is going on with education in this county. However, I also asked the board and administration to address their answers to the parents, voters, and taxpayers of Wood County in a well-advertised Town Hall-style meeting where public questions could be aired, and the board and administration could interact with taxpayers and parents in discussions about education in our county; and Common Core.
Noticeably, this staged performance was veiled under “curriculum report” on the agenda. No one reading the agenda could have known know the discussion would cover Common Core.
Obviously, the presentation by Dr. Law, school officials and teachers who made the presentation, was regurgitation and parroting of talking points from the designers and promoters of Common Core. They include the U.S. Department of Education, the West Virginia Department of Education, and the West Virginia Board of Education. Research Common Core yourself – don’t be hoodwinked by the establishment.
When do the opponents of Common Core get the opportunity to present the other side of this attempted takeover by the federal government and liberal factions of the educational establishment to the Wood County Board of Education, the administration and the public? We’ve blindly trusted government to educate children. We’ve given unbelievable amounts of money, provided updated facilities and services. Our reward is a federally led, top-heavy, monstrosity that teaches children to be dependent upon government and sends them into the world unprepared to succeed in a free-market economy. Policies like Common Core represent federal government at its worst. It will centralize your child’s education in Washington and in leftwing academia. If we accept that as a great idea, then God help this country.
It’s time to wake up Wood County. Get involved, find out for yourself why half of our youth cannot read nor do math at grade level. Don’t encourage failure. Don’t abet the status quo and stop funding a broken system. Demand accountability by voting NO on the continuing levy, and DO attend board meetings.