Common Core: Get Over It

     The debate is raging over Common Core. Is it a good thing? I live in a local district that is spending several million dollars in order to realign textbooks because they are aligned with Common Core. I see Facebook messages from relatives across the country that are in opposition to Common Core because it is against there conservative values. Those individuals think this is the government telling us what to do, and that is inherently wrong. While I agree with this principal at times, I think the debate over Common Core is not a place to fight this fight, in the end Common Core won't matter that much, and this debate inherently shows the deeper issues with education in the United States.
     Why are conservatives all the sudden up in arms over this? This is just aligning standards between states. Standards of Learning have been around in the United States for all 9 years of my career. Common Core just takes those and aligns them between states. Isn't this a good thing? Should students be able to move from state to state and get the same education? If states begin to align standards with each other, students who move will have the same opportunity for an education in every state. The other thing people forget is that this was an initiative from the governors. Yet this is an easy thing to blame on President Obama and the liberals in charge.
     The other thing that people forget is that this will change with in the next 5 years. I have been in education for 9 years, and its a common principal that you see a new initiative every couple of years. Education is so politicized these days, that teachers are asked to change direction every time there is an election. In the end this means Common Core will go by the wayside probably at the end of the President Obama's term
     This shows the main problem with education today. Its politicized. Every politician thinks they have the solution to solve education. Most have not seen a classroom in over 20 years, and their own children have been out of the classroom for over 10. Education needs to change, and the decision making process needs to be put in the hands of educators. Maybe that means a different nomination process for school boards, Maybe it means politicians putting educators in positions of power. There has to be a change. Until there is, education won't change.