The Common Core: A Train Wreck Coming for Catholic Schools…

The American Catholic ^ | 12/14/13 | The Motley Monk

[marshmallow]

For quite a while, The Motley Monk has been on top of the Common Core, concerned about its implications for Catholic schools.

Last September, The Motley Monk discussed some reasons why parents should be wary. In November, he pointed out why a number of Catholic school principals fear its potential impacts for curriculum. Also in November, The Motley Monk questioned whether the NCEA had embraced the secularist educational agenda of the Common Core irrespective of what those principals fear. The Motley Monk then followed-up with a post asking whether the NCEA’s President had put the proverbial “cart before the horse” by accepting money for staff development programs to implement the Common Core in Catholic schools from the Gates Foundation which is promoting the Common Core.

The Motley Monk is gratified that others are beginning to get the message and promote it.

* The Will Skillman Fellow in Education at The Heritage Foundation, Lindsey Burt, has written a commentary concerning the Common Core appearing in The Sunshine State News. Burke believes Florida provides a perfect example of a state where national standards will hurt the educational system, not help it. So also with greater centralization. Burke would rather greater accountability to parents and taxpayers. More important insofar as Catholic schools are concerned, Burke believes that if the Common Core standards are fully implemented, school choice will end and the “public system will continue to receive a steady stream of dollars and students, no matter how poorly it performs.”

[xkaydet65]

Catholic schools can get passed this. In NY some of the s best Catholic HSs do not give NYS Regents exams. When a state assembly committee member questioned one principal saying he believed parents had a right to know how well the school was doing and Regents exams showed those results, the principal replied, “99% of our graduates got to 4 year colleges. Last year we sent 34 students to Notre Dame. Those are how we and our parents measure results.” The committee tabled any bill requiring regents in private schools. So Catholic schools can avoid this.

[netguide]

It may become a problem when the ACT lines up with the Common Core however as I heard it may.

[rlmorel]

Bill Whittle "Afterburner: The Cookie Cutter Curriculum".

Please take the time to watch this. It is a stunningly brilliant and entertaining commentary by Bill Whittle on Common Core.

And send it to everyone you know...

[rlmorel]

"...whether the NCEA’s President had put the proverbial “cart before the horse” by accepting money for staff development programs to implement the Common Core in Catholic schools from the Gates Foundation which is promoting the Common Core.."

These initiatives like Common Core are corrosive agents on our freedom, especially if your freedom involves running a school with a religious agenda.

Christians should be wary about it.

[VermiciousKnid]

My son attends one of the high schools you mention here on Long Island. His school is exempt from the Regents exams.

They are able to do this for two reasons: First, the comprehensive examinations the boys take at that school are far, FAR more challenging than any Regents exam. Secondly, the school in question is NOT under the control of the Diocese of Rockville Centre. Instead, it is controlled by the Marianist Brothers, and does not follow the NYS curricula.

They have already stated that they will not be participating in Common Core. Sadly, the same cannot be said for the other schools in the area, as the diocese has indeed signed onto Common Core.

I predict disastrous results.

[cumbo78]

Two points. If your school does not give the NYS Regents, you don’t get funding. I work in a Catholic HS where 40% of the students live in the poorest Congressional district in the United States. If we don’t get the funding, our tuition would go up a minimum of $200.00 per month per student, and we would likely close. Second point. The President of the College Board was one of the creators of the Common Core. If your child isn’t exposed to it, it will affect him or her on the SAT’s. We need to get rid of the whole thing, PERIOD!

[VermiciousKnid]

You are correct. My son’s high school does not receive any funding, from either the diocese or NYS. Tuition at his school is approximately $8K/year (a bargain on Long Island, and less than half of what I pay in property [public school] taxes every year).

Tuition is further lowered by the enormous endowment fund the school maintains, and each boy is awarded about $1500 right off the bat. Merit scholarships are also available for the very highest achievers.

As for the Common Core, you are right again. My son has already encountered Common Core nonsense on some exams (the SATs). Thankfully, while he certainly noticed it, it did not adversely affect his score. He is a senior now, and is headed off to college in the fall, so he won’t have to worry about that anymore.

However, I completely agree with you -— Common Core must go! What an utter disaster it is!

Regards,

[rodeoraven7]

It is omnipotent, regardless of monks, foundations and even money. Everything else in my opinion is barricades to guide the flock. I think we are loosing sight of if we are building barricades keep us in or keep us out. Most barricades, I find keep me out, not in. Jackson Browne touches on this point quite well in the song barricades. The main point is the spirit and not so much the presentation. Freedom leads to the things we truly want.

[nurees]

Local schools here are ‘adapting’ not adopting the CC. Pulling out the positives but there are huge concerns over the ACTs. It will be interesting g to see what changes. To give them credit they are holding parent meetings pretty regularly.

[VermiciousKnid]

You know, when I first heard about Common Core, I wasn’t too worried, because there ARE things everyone should know a little bit about. (Like how not to end sentences in prepositions, for example...)

But this....this....MESS we have here...this isn’t what I was hoping for at all! The math curriculum alone appears to have been designed and written by insane people. It is indecipherable!

Anyway, nurees, I’m glad to hear your district is doing something. I understand my own public school district is fighting the CC tooth and nail, but since my kids are not in the system, I’m not up on all the finer points of their strategy. I do know that the parents are raising holy Hell about it. Let’s hope they succeed.

Meanwhile, I don’t see the advantage of having Catholic schools sign on to the CC. Not only does the CC frequently present topics in direct conflict with Catholic beliefs, but it also forces the Catholic schools to have the exact same curricula as the public schools. Without something to distinguish them from the public schools, fewer and fewer parents will opt for the extra expense of paying tuition on top of school taxes. I think it’s a net loss for the Catholic schools, and a huge mistake.

Regards,

[petercooper]

bttt