Who is for/against Common Core?
Democrats: For
-According to the graph above, more than half favor common core standards and feel it is a good policy.
-2012 Platform: The platform states that President Barack Obama and Democrats in general are intent on providing states and communities with the "flexibility and resources" to improve K-12 education. It then goes on to say: "To that end, the President challenged and encouraged states to raise their standards so students graduate ready for college or career and can succeed in a dynamic global economy" 1
-Democratic support has barely changed over the past year, from 64 percent in 2013 to 63 percent in 2014. 2
Republicans: Against
-Republicans tend to be against common core standards as shown in the graph.
-Support among Republicans has dropped from 57 percent in 2013 to 43 percent this year 2
-June 2013: Georgia Republican Party voted unanimously to oppose Common Core
Conservatives have criticized the Common Core proposal claiming that it is an intrusive order from the government.
A Republican candidate running said it would have taken him “three seconds to reject Common Core in its entirety,” according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. 3
Minor Parties:
Libertarians: Against
The Libertarian Party of Florida (LPF) overwhelmingly passed a resolution condemning the implementation of the CCSS in Florida. The LPF offers its full support of activities to halt further implementation of CCSS in the state of Florida and supports a full repeal of any action that has authorized the implementation of the Common Core Standards. 4
Interest Groups:
FOR:
The NAACP National Education Program strives to ensure that all students have access to equal public education by eliminating educational related racial and ethnic disparities in schools. The NAACP Common Core Standards Toolkit is designed to be a resource of information for NAACP units on Common Core Standards. 5
AGAINST:
Citizens United- Citizens United is an organization dedicated to restoring our government to citizens' control. They argue that "It is disgraceful that the media isn’t doing more to report not only the failures of the curriculum standards themselves, but the horrible rollout of these standards in the states that have adopted them." 6
How it affects elections:
The majority (57%) prefer a candidate who says that, "Common Core State Standards are supported by 75% of the teachers and will help students learn more and be better prepared when they graduate high school" vs. the candidate that says, "they were developed in secret by the Obama administration and are being imposed on kids without input from parents and local school boards". 7
Constitutional Implications:
Unconstitutional: Conservative's argue that the Common Core Standards violate the 10th amendment of the Constitution which specifically states, "The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people." They feel the common core is mandated by the government and therefore not reserved for the states or to the people to create their own standards. If the people or the state itself does not have a say in the implementation of the Common Core, it is considered unconstitutional in their eyes. 8
Who is for/against Common Core?
Democrats: For
-According to the graph above, more than half favor common core standards and feel it is a good policy.
-2012 Platform: The platform states that President Barack Obama and Democrats in general are intent on providing states and communities with the "flexibility and resources" to improve K-12 education. It then goes on to say: "To that end, the President challenged and encouraged states to raise their standards so students graduate ready for college or career and can succeed in a dynamic global economy" 1
-Democratic support has barely changed over the past year, from 64 percent in 2013 to 63 percent in 2014. 2
Republicans: Against
-Republicans tend to be against common core standards as shown in the graph.
-Support among Republicans has dropped from 57 percent in 2013 to 43 percent this year 2
-June 2013: Georgia Republican Party voted unanimously to oppose Common Core
Conservatives have criticized the Common Core proposal claiming that it is an intrusive order from the government.
A Republican candidate running said it would have taken him “three seconds to reject Common Core in its entirety,” according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. 3
Minor Parties:
Libertarians: Against
The Libertarian Party of Florida (LPF) overwhelmingly passed a resolution condemning the implementation of the CCSS in Florida. The LPF offers its full support of activities to halt further implementation of CCSS in the state of Florida and supports a full repeal of any action that has authorized the implementation of the Common Core Standards. 4
Interest Groups:
FOR:
The NAACP National Education Program strives to ensure that all students have access to equal public education by eliminating educational related racial and ethnic disparities in schools. The NAACP Common Core Standards Toolkit is designed to be a resource of information for NAACP units on Common Core Standards. 5
AGAINST:
Citizens United- Citizens United is an organization dedicated to restoring our government to citizens' control. They argue that "It is disgraceful that the media isn’t doing more to report not only the failures of the curriculum standards themselves, but the horrible rollout of these standards in the states that have adopted them." 6
How it affects elections:
The majority (57%) prefer a candidate who says that, "Common Core State Standards are supported by 75% of the teachers and will help students learn more and be better prepared when they graduate high school" vs. the candidate that says, "they were developed in secret by the Obama administration and are being imposed on kids without input from parents and local school boards". 7
Constitutional Implications:
Unconstitutional: Conservative's argue that the Common Core Standards violate the 10th amendment of the Constitution which specifically states, "The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people." They feel the common core is mandated by the government and therefore not reserved for the states or to the people to create their own standards. If the people or the state itself does not have a say in the implementation of the Common Core, it is considered unconstitutional in their eyes. 8
1. Ujifusa, Andrew. "Democratic Platform Hails Common Core, Praises Teachers." Education Week. 2014. Accessed December 9, 2014. http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/campaign-k-12/2012/09/dem_platform_praises_common_co.html
2. "Undernews." : Democrats Still Support Common Core as Teachers Rebel. 2014. Accessed December 9, 2014. http://prorevnews.blogspot.com/2014/08/democrats-still-support-common-core-as.html.
3. Wilson, Reid. "The Republican Case for Common Core." Washington Post. 2014. Accessed December 9, 2014. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/govbeat/wp/2013/08/23/the-republican-case-for-common-core/.
4. Redlich, Warren. "The Libertarian Party of Florida (LPF) Opposes Common Core." Independent Political Report. 2013. Accessed December 9, 2014. http://www.independentpoliticalreport.com/2013/09/the-libertarian-party-of-florida-lpf-opposes-common-core/.
5. Goode, Victor. "Common Core State Standards Tool Kit for NAACP Units." NAACP Education Department. 2014. Accessed December 9, 2014. http://naacp.3cdn.net/7cb6683dc69bc66130_hqm6y7i9x
6. Bossie, David. "Breitbart.com: Common Core Is A Power Grab." Breitbart.com: Common Core Is A Power Grab. 2014. Accessed December 9, 2014. http://www.citizensunited.org/latest-updates.aspx?article=7880#sthash.BW4IBMYT.dpuf.
7. McLaughlin, John. "National - Collaborative for Student Success - COMMON CORE 05-05-14 Presentation.pptx - Google Drive." National - Collaborative for Student Success - COMMON CORE 05-05-14 Presentation.pptx - Google Drive. 2014. Accessed December 9, 2014. https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B_06TaO9jXYrcEF2OVhxUzJFREtGanRKVV9KVHdFMDZVcEhR
8. Salanitri, Roseann. "Common Core Unconstitutional and Illegal." Conservative News and Views Common Core Unconstitutional and Illegal Comments. 2013. Accessed December 9, 2014. http://www.conservativenewsandviews.com/2013/06/05/education/common-core-unconstitutional-and-illegal/.
2. "Undernews." : Democrats Still Support Common Core as Teachers Rebel. 2014. Accessed December 9, 2014. http://prorevnews.blogspot.com/2014/08/democrats-still-support-common-core-as.html.
3. Wilson, Reid. "The Republican Case for Common Core." Washington Post. 2014. Accessed December 9, 2014. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/govbeat/wp/2013/08/23/the-republican-case-for-common-core/.
4. Redlich, Warren. "The Libertarian Party of Florida (LPF) Opposes Common Core." Independent Political Report. 2013. Accessed December 9, 2014. http://www.independentpoliticalreport.com/2013/09/the-libertarian-party-of-florida-lpf-opposes-common-core/.
5. Goode, Victor. "Common Core State Standards Tool Kit for NAACP Units." NAACP Education Department. 2014. Accessed December 9, 2014. http://naacp.3cdn.net/7cb6683dc69bc66130_hqm6y7i9x
6. Bossie, David. "Breitbart.com: Common Core Is A Power Grab." Breitbart.com: Common Core Is A Power Grab. 2014. Accessed December 9, 2014. http://www.citizensunited.org/latest-updates.aspx?article=7880#sthash.BW4IBMYT.dpuf.
7. McLaughlin, John. "National - Collaborative for Student Success - COMMON CORE 05-05-14 Presentation.pptx - Google Drive." National - Collaborative for Student Success - COMMON CORE 05-05-14 Presentation.pptx - Google Drive. 2014. Accessed December 9, 2014. https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B_06TaO9jXYrcEF2OVhxUzJFREtGanRKVV9KVHdFMDZVcEhR
8. Salanitri, Roseann. "Common Core Unconstitutional and Illegal." Conservative News and Views Common Core Unconstitutional and Illegal Comments. 2013. Accessed December 9, 2014. http://www.conservativenewsandviews.com/2013/06/05/education/common-core-unconstitutional-and-illegal/.