The funny thing that no one here is realizing is the devout union types in education also hate common core. Don't tell me none of you have at least one friend on FB that posts rants about CC. They hate uniform standards, I believe, much like the tea party.

People, there is not problem with standards--the problem comes with how they are evaluated and what determines success. Standards have been around a long time. Enforcing them leads to problems.

"The tax which will be paid for [the] purpose [of education] is
not more than the thousandth part of what will be paid to kings,
priests and nobles who will rise up among us if we leave the
people in ignorance." --Thomas Jefferson to George Wythe, 1786.

Anonymous wrote:It is absolutely amazing that Thomas Jefferson ever leaned to read without the help of the government.

I actually don't know very much about the common core curriculum and have tendency toward suspicion where Arne Duncan in concerned (though, as my caveat suggests, I don't know how much he has to do with it). So, I might be open to the Tea Party's argument on this topic. However, if this is the best critique you can present, I am not hopeful that I will be won over. Do you have a more substantive argument?

People like that hate public education just like they hate public television and public services.

Plus the TP has to do something to keep itself busy and grab some donations/revenue. This issue just came around at a convenient time, as they are trying desperately to remain relevant.

Anonymous wrote:It is absolutely amazing that Thomas Jefferson ever leaned to read without the help of the government.

OMG you illiiterate tea party imbeciles. You blab on and on about the Founding Fathers. And you don't even know that Thomas Jefferson was born to a wealthy family who hired private tutors and built their kids a private school house on their own estate. Upon his father's death he went away to become a boarder so that he could get more private education. After that at the age of sixteen, when the average Tea Party kid is taking off her promise ring on Friday nights so she can hook up with her C- defensive tackle boyfriend (no offense to defensive tackles), Thomas Jefferson was going to William and Mary. I'm sure the fact that he was playing violin and speaking French before the age of ten didn't hurt his application, nor did his wealth. After that he had five years of law study not on his own but under the direction of George Wythe, during which he was also required to read extensively in political theory.

So is your point that the alternative to government help is an extremely exclusive education available only to the wealthiest people in society?

Anonymous wrote:It is absolutely amazing that Thomas Jefferson ever leaned to read without the help of the government.

Yes, Jefferson learned to read without government help. Then he went to a government-chartered college and founded a public university. And yes he learned law on his own, but went on to create the first legal professorship - at a public school. I suggest you find a different argument.

Anonymous wrote:I figured out why the tea party is against this. It emphasizes critical thinking skills. They are worried they will get put out of business in a generation if that idea takes off.

I'm not sure they're even smart enough to have arrived at that conclusion. I think it's just an instinctual thing for them. Kind of like insisting the government stay out of their medicare.

I figured out why the tea party is against this. It emphasizes critical thinking skills. They are worried they will get put out of business in a generation if that idea takes off.

Actually, it's the public school teachers who aren't very bright. Every professor knows the education dept has the lowest sat students on campus. Of coarse that's why they need a union.

Anonymous wrote:It is absolutely amazing that Thomas Jefferson ever leaned to read without the help of the government.

Do you even have a degree? You don't seem like you're very bright.

Anonymous wrote:Oh, good grief. Why don't you pay attention. Believe me, education works better locally.

I don't believe you. There are some seriously bad local systems out there. All this does is set common standards. It doesn't dictate curriculum.

It is absolutely amazing that Thomas Jefferson ever leaned to read without the help of the government.

Oh, good grief. Why don't you pay attention. Believe me, education works better locally.

You know, I realize the Tea Party seems to really profess pride in anti-intellectualism. Why they think that's a good thing is beyond me, but whatever. Fine, choose to be dumb.

But this:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/tea-party-groups-rallying-against-common-core-education-overhaul/2013/05/30/64faab62-c917-11e2-9245-773c0123c027_story.html

This, I can't abide by.

Seriously. They're opposing something coming from the states, with bipartisan support, and basically amounts to common sense. How twisted is that?

Why does the Tea Party hate America? I'd really like for someone to explain this to me. Seriously, these people are the most backwards thinkers I've ever heard of in my life.