GrokTV: Cornerstone Common Core Forum - Intros - Granite Grok

GrokTV: Cornerstone Common Core Forum – Intros

This past Tuesday, the ‘Grok was invited to cover Conerstone Policy Research’s Common Core Forum.  Four nationally known educators and education consultants gathered to speak to an overflow crowd at St. Anselm College’s Institute of Politics.  Topics ranged from standards to privacy to its purpose (er, not what you think it is) and data mining – all part of the Federalization of what used to be local control education process and curriculum.

While I am going to go back and review each speaker’s video again to pull out the high points, here are some points that I did write down while manning three cameras:

#1 – Race to the Top – Federal Secretary Arne Duncan’s scheme to have states to compete adopt federal protocols by “coercive Federalism” by offering grant money.  Translated by the speaker: ..“they all had to compete to get their money back“.  A subdued laughter from the crowd ensued at the visualization but realizing that it turns State and local elected and appointed officials into beggars.  So much for the real sense of Federalism.

Introductory Remarks by Ashley Pratte (Exec. Dir) and Ann Marie Banfield (Educational Liason)

#2 – Contrary to what is being said, Common Core’s standards are not all that rigorous – it is aimed at the middle 40% of students to get into the run of the mill nonspecific college.  MA brought their standards up to be world class a few years ago – they are now dumbing them down to the lowered Common Core one.

#3 – Quote from Arne Duncan (I found it here in a fuller version, emphasis mine):

We want to see more states build comprehensive systems that track students from pre-K through college and then link school data to workforce data. We want to know whether Johnny participated in an early learning program and completed college on time and whether those things have any bearing on his earnings as an adult.2

This requires huge Big Data setups at both the educational AND work place – Progressives (who are pushing this) want to have as much data on you all through out your life to better manage the workflow.  Presupposed Elites will be doing command and control from the top  with over 400 data points – health, education, family income, religioun, voting record – starting with your child.  Common Core will eviscerate any sense of “privacy” currently in the laws as written today.  Our kids are no longer anything more than Human capital

#4 One of the styles of writing your children will be taught is called “Persuasive Writing” (similar to what I wrote here about HHS using teachers using kids to shill for Obamacare) whose main purpose is to coerce parents via emotional language (“whaddya mean you won’t buy into higher taxes for playground equipment – don’t you want us to fun at recess?) to support political messages (like here).  And note the callous intent of using kids against their parents; there was a government not too long ago that did that…..).

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