Common Core...The Downfall of Our Youth?

I have recently become aware of a new initiative in schooling known as the Common Core (CC) standards.  Now, from what I have read, this is a very, VERY bad thing and it will undoubtedly effect EVERY SINGLE CHILD, whether publicly, privately or home schooled.  Here it is in a nutshell, as I understand it.  Please feel free to correct me if I am inaccurate or to generally provide additional information on this subject.  So, here we go:  The CC is an initiative that is meant to be implemented nationwide as a means to align all schools to a specific, nationalized K-12 curriculum.  These standards that children would then meet are meant to give them an "equal", all-inclusive education.  Sound good?  Sure, except that this means all children will be placed in a classroom together regardless of whether or not a disability is present, will be expected to meet the exact same standards as all the others, not only in their own classroom, but in all other classrooms across the U.S.  "That's great!", you say.  "If we move from one state to another, the kids will all be on the same page!"  Okay, sure.  That aspect might sound appealing, but here's the problem:  it's unrealistic.  Let's just take a very basic example...school A is out for bad weather, school B is not, yet they must all stay on track or else they will receive "poor" marks by a governing body...there goes your school's funding and status.  How will they overcome this?...by pressing on.  "Don't understand the stuff, little Johnny?  Sorry, the timeline says we are done with this subject." 

 Here's what you should know:

-This is not created at a state level.  Your state did not have anything to do with creating this curriculum.  They, have, however been essentially strong-armed by the promise of more funding (which only a handful received) for adopting the curriculum.

-No teacher, parent or school administrator helped to develop this curriculum.  It is solely the product of two Washington, D.C.-based organizations, outlined and shaped by bureaucracies and testing companies.

-The "highest bidder" is essentially who is behind the curriculum standards and will now have control over our future.  Unsure what I mean?  If you could shape history and education to promote a very specific viewpoint in the next generation's minds...say, politically...wouldn't it be pretty easy then to get support from those future voters?  Our kids' educations will be so micro-managed that their ability to think freely will be all but squashed out of them.

-Because these CC standards are meant to align ALL schools in the nation along the same guidelines, this poses a serious threat to any school that currently takes a differing approach.  Read:  bye-bye private, religious-based, charter and homeschool.  These will certainly be in violation of this mini-New World Order style educational regulations.

Texas has already slipped in what is essentially their adaptation of the CC in a subversive form, known as the CSCOPE.  Here is what is known about that program:

-CSCOPE has successfully taken over the majority of Texas schools already.

-The entire school year is mapped out with exactly what is to be studied each day and for how long before moving to the next subject.  Any deviation from this earns the school poor marks.

-CSCOPE micromanages teachers by the use of "enforcers" that will come into the classroom and grade the teachers based on specific things.

-Teachers are given bad marks if their students are observed using textbooks.  Seriously, understand this...a teacher is graded poorly for using a book.

-Teachers are graded poorly if they are giving a lecture.

-Teachers are graded well if the students are working in a group.  This may sound good, however, it doesn't matter what the children are talking about, because they get to determine what the correct answer is, as well.  No right answer?  So, basically...majority think wins, not correct thinking?  Sounds like the way our country is already going, not surprising in the classroom now.

-Teachers are graded well as long as they are only facilitators, e.g., no longer actively teaching.  Teachers aren't allowed to teach under this curriculum.  Sounds great, doesn't it?

-Another extremely interesting fact that I, in particular, find very disturbing, is that Texas teachers have been forced to sign an non-disclosure contract that states criminal action can be taken against them if they share any of the lessons of CSCOPE with parents.  As one of my girls used to say..."What the flagnot?!!"  That's right parents, you aren't allowed to know what your kids are learning.  Now, what would be the need for such subversive tactics unless there was something distasteful in the curriculum worth hiding?  Can we say brainwashing?

Would you like an example?  One of the activities is to create a pretend socialist nation and design a flag.  Are our youth on the way to being the supporters of the new American Socialists?

Consider this little tidbit, as well...the K-12 lessons "denigrate America and Christianity, but are glowingly positive for Islam and global government" -Janice VanCleave (taken from her article in the Jan-Mar issue of Practical Homeschooling, a magazine I have just received for free as a trial issue and HIGHLY recommend you each get, if for these articles alone.  See more about VanCleave and the initiative against CSCOPE here. 

More things to consider about the new CC standards:

-Our children are expected to know much more at a much younger age and if they do not meet these standards, because, say, they are late bloomers, or boys (who traditionally struggle more academically early on), then they will be labeled "learning disabled".  This title will stick with them permanently.  Let's forget about just the detriment to our children's self-esteem for a moment and consider how many doors will then be closed on that child that might have been brilliant but chose at 5 years old to want to play rather than demonstrate "algebraic thinking" or write "informative/explanatory reports".

And if you aren't convinced that title will follow them:

-As a condition to receive funds, states are expected to link all children's data from entry into preschool through workforce.

-And, regulations now allow for student's personal information to be shared with pretty much all government  and some private agencies that can show some miniscule, broadly defined link to needing that information for some educational reason.

So, what could all this mean?  Governments, who have already virtually taken over our schools, will be essentially the only authority and provider of our future's education.  Teachers will no longer be allowed to teach.  Anyone who strays from the program will receive consequences.  Parents will not be privy to what the children are taught.  Children will be held to arbitrary standards and then judged by them their entire lives, likely categorized and then placed on specific paths based on those labels.  (How easy now to find the children that would be easiest to manipulate, who might be trouble, who might be threatening, etc.)  Our children will be monitored and tracked, watched and evaluated...not just legally, but required and these findings will essentially be "sold" to the highest bidder.  This sounds a whole lot like the makings of a new regime to me.  I'm truly scared by this...scared for our future in the hands of children that will not learn to question things at a minimum and frightened by the fact that if it comes to the worst case scenario, I will be in a dire predicament.  I will be a lawbreaker.  I will not subject my children to that, but may no longer be allowed to homeschool.  You think that one will not effect the other?  Consider this:  A German couple seeks asylum from our country because they homeschool and it is not legally sanctioned in Germany.  Our Federal courts granted asylum.  The Obama administration overturned the ruling, basically stating that since Germany does not allow homeschooling in basically all circumstances, it is not a violation of the citizens rights to force them to put their children into public school.  So, basically, our government feels that as long as a rule is made that everyone is under the same rule and homeschooling is deemed illegal  to everyone, not even sanctioned for special circumstances, then for those people who then choose to homeschool will not have any legal right to do so.  Even more to the point:  government says no = basic rights, amendments, freedoms don't matter, even though we have already shown that we are legally within our rights to raise our children as we see fit.  In the future we're headed for, will they still be our children to raise?