Parents, Students, Teachers Lose If Common Core Wins

Jun 082013
 

If not for the cloak of secrecy, by now you would have heard about the Common Core State Standards Initiative—the federal government’s drive to replace existing state education standards and to nationalize K-12 curriculum, testing and assessments across all 50 states and 55 million-plus students.

Republican and Democrat administrations are both responsible for Common Core, which grew out of George W. Bush’s No Child Left Behind (NCLB) legislation and Barack Obama’s Race to the Top, an expansion of NCLB. To date, 45 states have accepted most or all of the content standards in exchange for increased federal education funding to their cash-strapped budgets. But as the public has become aware of this federal takeover of education and are demanding more information, states are having to answer to growing concerns:

1.         The Common Core Initiative was developed by two tax-exempt private member organizations: the Council of Chief State School Offices (CCSSO) and the National Governor’s Association (NGA). While sounding official or credible, what this means is that local school districts, school teachers, parents and students are being handed a one-size-fits-all package of educational content and standards established by unknown, unelected, unaccountable private interests holding themselves up as experts.

2.         Curriculum publishers have been making changes to their materials at a rapid rate to prepare for Common Core’s upcoming implementation. The major international publisher Pearson is aggressively involved in a number of aspects of Common Core, including testing and assessments, and is reportedly buying out other publishers in large numbers.

3.         Student assessments are to involve the creation of data collection systems (data-mining), which will record personal information such as students’ health records, family income and other unique physical and behavioral characteristics, to be evaluated and shared with other federal and state agencies. Taxpayers will fund private organizations through grants and stimulus money to develop these database systems, such as CCSSO’s Education Data & Information Systems.

4.         Some educators who have evaluated the English Language Arts and Mathematics standards have found them to be inadequate to prepare students for university-level studies. Absent trial implementation, no measurements of effectiveness are available.

5.         It is expected that the imposition of Common Core standards and associated curriculum would not be limited to public education, but to private school and homeschool students too. According to the Homeschool Legal Defense Association (HSLDA), “National standards lead to national curriculum and national tests, and subsequent pressure on homeschool students to be taught from the same curricula.” Further, if universities revised their admission criteria, basing it on one set of national education standards, versus the diverse standards of 50 states, private school and homeschool students would not be competitive applicants (if considered at all) if their high school transcripts were not aligned to Common Core State Standards.

The most troubling aspect of Common Core is its element of control. By bribing the states to accept a universal educational standard the federal government is effectively silencing the voices and eliminating the choices of local school districts, teachers, parents and even states—choices only they can make to meet the needs of their students. Fortunately, many of them are now speaking out, loudly. And it’s having an effect: states such as Texas, Utah, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Alaska and others are reevaluating their commitment to Common Core, some “pausing” implementation as they battle it out in their state legislatures, others writing opt-out legislation and some electing to withdraw.

The Libertarian Party of Ventura County calls for Choice in Education as a fundamental right.

We urge you to learn more by attending the Community Forum on Common Core in Thousand Oaks:

Monday, June 10, 2013 — 6 p.m.

Thousand Oaks High School Performing Arts Center

2323 N. Moorpark Rd., Thousand Oaks, CA 91360

When is a College Education Like a House?

May 192013
 

When the Federal Government inflates it into a Bubble—that’s when.

Those on the left and right (yes, both) who are crying for “student loan fairness,” “debt forgiveness” or some such “relief” for college students fail to understand the similarities between the crash of the housing market and the fate of the higher-education market.

Just as the Federal Government and Big Banks (read Federal Reserve) worked hand in hand to talk folks into buying houses they couldn’t afford by loading the banks  with freshly printed money, lowering mortgage interest rates, and repeating the emotional appeal that “every family should own a home,” they’re doing virtually the same thing to university-education.

Housing Bubble meet Education Bubble.

The Federal Government and Big Banks are now inflating the education market with loans to students (really loans to Universities), keeping interest rates low (though a bit higher than mortgage interest rates) and rendering the appeal that “every high school student should get a college degree.” This has built, over the last several  Administrations and Congresses:

  1. Enormous student loan debts
  2. Exorbitant and unrestrained college tuition and fees
  3. Pressure on students to attain college degrees vs. other education/training that some would decide better suited their interests and future employability
  4. Eventual demands for a Government Bailout to the universities

Who wins and who loses in this scenario? Again, it warrants comparison…

  • The Popped Housing Bubble: Winners – loan agents, lucky sellers; Losers – homeowners, taxpayers, lenders, real estate agents, the economy
  • The Popped Education Bubble: Winners – banks, universities; Losers – students, taxpayers, private sector employers, the economy

To those recommending student loan interest rates be lowered to the level of current mortgage interest rates, it must be pointed out that this will only perpetuate the demand for loans and do nothing to pressure universities to lower their costs and prices. To those recommending loan forgiveness, it must be shown that this will only transfer the enormous debts to taxpayers, for many years to come.

The libertarian solution is for Government to get out of the student loan business. Let the marketplace of consumers (students and parents), private lenders, and employers determine what a college education is worth. Then they’ll inform the universities—rather than the other way around.

The alternative is for Americans to stand by and wait for that bubble to burst, and take the economy down with it once again.

Will the real Social Justice please stand up

Apr 302013
 

Image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net

The conference

Last Saturday, teachers, students and the public were invited to attend the 5th Annual Conference for Social Justice in Education, held at and sponsored by California State University Channel Islands (CSUCI). This year’s full-day event was themed “Organizing for Sustainable Change.” It featured 1) a keynote address by the executive director of the Central Coast Alliance United for a Sustainable Economy (CAUSE) – “a community-based social movement organization serving the California central coast,” 2) ten presentations (breakout sessions) dealing with specific issues in public education and 3) a panel discussion with representatives from five community organizing groups in Ventura County.

Before revealing what is meant by the term “social justice” and exposing the designs by which advocates in the “movement” hope to achieve it, one thing must be said: Those in the Social Justice movement are, no doubt, well-meaning, caring and passionate people who want to see other good people treated fairly, achieve their potentials, have financial stability and enjoy their lives. Nothing written here is meant to disparage their intentions, but rather bring to light a libertarian perspective that values freedom and justice for all.

The movement

Per the Conference sponsors:

People who work for social justice recognize that not everyone has equal access to excellent educational resources, facilities, and experiences. People devoted to promoting social justice seek to interrupt schools’ tendency to reproduce social inequity. The goal of this work is to make our communities better for all—specifically those who may be minoritized based on special needs, ethnicity, language, gender, socioeconomic status, and/or sexual identity (among others).

“Social justice” advocates such as CAUSE Executive Director Dr. Marcos Vargas and representatives of the various community organizing associations and nonprofits participating in the conference expressed their concerns that the needs of specific groups of people are not being met in society in general and education in particular. These groups were said to include people of color, immigrants, women, the  impoverished, non-English speakers, the LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning) community and others.

Throughout the day, proponents and activists in the “social justice” movement spoke of the inequities that required “social change,” including racial, ethnic, language, gender and sexual discrimination; bullying; income disparity; academic achievement gaps and access to information and services. They also made a number of proposals with regard to “changing the balance of power” and achieving “equality.”

The injustice

Unfortunately, this is where the Social Justice Movement has taken a dangerous position.

When they say they want “social change,” they don’t mean voluntary service and charitable giving. They don’t mean allocating existing resources more efficiently. What they are working toward is BIGGER GOVERNMENT, MORE LEGISLATION, HIGHER TAXES and LESS FREEDOM.

According to CAUSE, “State tax reform” is needed to fund the “public policy changes” that will work to achieve “social justice.” These would include new parcel taxes and oil industry taxes, and changing California’s legislative voting requirement from a super- to a simple-majority, making it easier to approve new local and state taxes.

Other suggestions heard throughout the day were for the public to provide “universal college” (college for everyone) and universal healthcare, oppose competition in public education, control wages and transfer tax burdens (instead of reducing them).

The Libertarian way 

  • All individuals possess the same human rights regardless of ethnicity, nationality, gender, financial status, language or sexual orientation. 
  • There are indeed social and economic disparities among people and these sometimes act as barriers to opportunities. However, one person’s need does not constitute a rightful claim to another person’s property.
  • In a society that respects human rights, all people are considered to be equal under the law. This means that the government has no greater right than does the individual to seize the fruits of others’ labor without their consent.
  • Where human rights/civil liberties are protected, charitable giving and community service are voluntary. Private individuals and groups, secular and religious, exist today as always, to give generously to help those in need.

Will the real Social Justice please stand up

Issue by issue, the contrast between solutions that preserve liberty and those that take it away is stark.

The Social Justice (SJ) movement says: Schools are “dramatically underfunded.” The passage of California’s Prop. 30 (increased taxes) and additional “State tax reform” are necessary to correct the inequities in public education. (CAUSE)

Libertarianism (L) says:  Public schools are not meeting the needs of students for many reasons, including top-heavy administrative costs; federal government mandates such as No Child Left Behind, Race to the Top and Common Core Standards; excessive standardized testing and union demands/rules related to pensions and tenure.

*****

SJ: The privatization of charter schools is “insidious,” especially corporate-backed schools. (CAUSE)

L: The lack of competition in public education is a contributing cause of higher costs and fewer choices for parents and students (in curriculum, faculty, administration and teaching methods). No system is perfect, but the private marketplace brings competition and choice to education.

*****

SJ: The “achievement gap” in education is due to poverty and racism. (Communidades Justas/Just Communities)

L: It’s time for School Choice vs. Zip Code Servitude, and School Vouchers vs. School Victims. Competition and paying with one’s feet encourages quality, options and access to opportunities in education, the best ways to bridge achievement gaps.

*****

SJ: Scholastic awards and programs such as Honors and GATE (Gifted and Talented Education) promote social inequities. A proposal to replace these with an “Honors for All” system in the Santa Barbara area met with defeat when “rich, white Montecito parents complained” that their kids had worked hard and earned those academic distinctions. (Communidades Justas/Just Communities)

L: Hard work and success are to be valued and lauded, not covered up in shame in a misguided attempt to avoid offending others. Academic accomplishments might also serve as motivation to other students.

*****

SJ: Every worker has the right to be paid a “living wage” to support his or her family. Despite “conservative Ventura County” with the “Reagan Library and the Rodney King trial,” five living wage ordinances were passed here. (CAUSE)

L: Living Wage ordinances are arbitrary price controls that keep teenagers and other inexperienced/low-skilled workers from entering the job market. They also prevent small businesses, who can’t afford to pay the wage, from contracting for work with municipalities. Wage/price controls result in increased costs for everyone: government, private industry and taxpayers.

*****

SJ: CAUSE, with funding from the Social Justice Fund, has forged a project to “impact land-use decisions” and “shape the future of the Westside of Ventura for the next 30 years.”

L: This central-planning agenda is part of the so-called Sustainability movement that has swept across Ventura County and regions throughout the United States. It is sold to environmental groups and the citizenry on the premise that government control of housing, transportation, private property use and commerce can reduce mankind’s carbon footprint and create better communities. Its actual effect will be to diminish property rights, raise housing costs, limit choices and increase public debt.

*****

SJ: Every Californian is entitled to receive official documents printed in his or her native language. (Mixteco/Indigena Community Organizing Project)

L: Yes—provided it is at the expense of the individual or group requesting the service. This is also a perfect opportunity for community service.

Justice served

Real social justice requires respect for the rights of all people. It does not tolerate theft, either at the hands of the individual or by government force. Therefore, lobbying the government to take from one group to give to another is to commit the same injustice.

Fortunately, the practice is wholly unnecessary:

In Ventura County there is an abundance of compassionate and generous people, eager to volunteer their efforts and resources to help others overcome their obstacles, achieve their potentials, secure financial stability and be treated with fairness, respect and dignity.

No doubt many of those same people filled the seats at CSUCI last Saturday.

Who needs assault weapons?

Apr 182013
 

(Bruce Bell, longtime Libertarian and County Watchdog for the Libertarian Party of Ventura County, had this to say about the freedom and responsibility of citizens to defend themselves and their property, in a recent letter to the Ventura County Star.)

Piers Morgan of CNN News keeps asking why anyone needs an assault weapon.

Perhaps he should ask the Korean merchants who found out in the 1992 Los Angeles riots that the police are not first responders.

Rather, the police abandoned large areas to lawlessness and refused to respond to 911 calls. It took several days for the National Guard to restore order.

In the meantime, the Korean merchants used a large number of people with handguns, rifles, shotguns and Uzis to protect their families and businesses from looters and rioters.

We should all learn that natural disasters (Hurricane Katrina), civil disturbances and martial law can quickly create situations where you may be reliant only on yourself, your family and neighbors for many days or longer.

In such cases, you are the first responder. Your answer to Piers Morgan may be yes, I need an assault weapon for such a situation.

Deficits and Libertarians

Mar 282013
 

(Thank you to member David Laufer for this fine letter to the editor which was published recently in the Ventura County Star newspaper. Letters to the editor not only get our viewpoint out there; they also draw attention to the Libertarian brand name  and our county group. This is one avenue of activism open to everyone. Thanks also go out to Bruce Bell who, as our County Watch Chair, has had several letters published as well.)

Re: Terry Paulson’s March 11 column, “Budget nightmare just beginning”:

Mr. Paulson points to the Democrats in Washington as the cause of trillion-dollar deficits.Mr.Paulson omits that all spending bills must start in the House of Representatives. The Republican House members are as guilty as Democrats for driving the country into the ditch with trillion-dollar deficits.

Both parties are irresponsible when it comes to spending taxpayer dollars. Oklahoma’s Sen. Tom Coburn confirmed that on “Meet the Press” on March 10. He has identified $200 billion that could be saved this year by ending programs that don’t work or are duplicated.

The only way we will stop spending trillions of dollars of taxpayer funds is to elect Libertarians like Sen. Rand Paul and statesmen like Sen. Tom Coburn. Sens. Paul and Coburn follow the statesmanlike tradition depicted in the film “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington.” They stand up to their fellow senators and demand changes.

We must wake up to the fact that generations of elected Republicans and Democrats have lost their way. They leave their home states with good intentions and wind up as tools of the unions, political parties and crony-capitalists. These senators and members of Congress spend our tax dollars foolishly. According to Senator Coburn, 70 percent of their time is spent rounding up a quorum so they can act on pending measures they don’t read before voting! .

Libertarians understand our trillion-dollar deficits will do more harm to our national security than fights over immigration policy, gun policy, marriage equality, the war on drugs or what people do in the privacy of their homes. We must reform Congress by electing more Libertarians. The Reformation of Government is a movement started by Libertarians. We stand for the people and the Constitution.

 

 

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