The Common Core State Standards Initiative is a misnomer; it is, in fact, an effort to nationalize education. Because it would be unconstitutional for the U.S. Department of Education to standardize education, the private Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has funded development of the Standards and bought cooperation from the National Governors Association and the Council of Chief State School Officers. But the Obama administration has also played a major role in persuading states to quickly embrace the untested Common Core by offering federal grants for compliance.
What does this have to do with Catholic schools? Although free to maintain their own standards, Catholic school leaders are concerned about being left behind, because their states and most of the nationally benchmarked tests are conforming to the Common Core. The result, if unchecked, will be a national and largely voluntary compliance with standards that are academically flawed, untested and not focused on the core mission of Catholic schools.
Catholics believe in the principle of subsidiarity. As the center of authority moves away from local control, so too does the ability for input to be provided by those who are closest to the students being educated. That is why parents are the primary educators of their children: “Since parents have given children their life, they are bound by the most serious obligation to educate their offspring and therefore must be recognized as the primary and principal educators”.
(Cfr. II Vatican Council, Declaration on Christian Education Gravissimum Educationis, 1965, n. 3)
- “How Do We Advance Subsidiarity? Like other aspects of Catholic social teaching, what subsidiarity requires most of all is that Catholics live as Catholics” James Kalb | The Catholic World Report | 2.5.2014
- “The Common Core and the Private School: The Overreaching Effects of a National Standard” Maureen Van Den Berg | American Association of Christian Schools | 1.6.2014
- “NCLB Extension Letter from Department of Education” and “Specific Extension Letter” U.S. Department of Education | 11.14.2013
- “Common Core National Standards and Tests: Empty Promises and Increase Federal Overreach into Education” Lindsey Burke, Brittany Corona, Jennifer A. Marshall, Rachel Sheffield, Sandra Stotsky | The Heritage Foundation Special Report #141 on Education | 10.7.2013
- “Common Core: The Dangers of Federal Power in Education” Video presentation by Allan Carson and Maureen Van Den Berg | Family Research Council | 9.25.2013
- “Reclaiming Education Freedom: The Fight to Stop Common Core National Standards and Tests” Video presentation by Lindsey Burke and Joy Pullmann | The Heritage Foundation | 6.21.2013
- “Girl Scouts ‘Tag Along’ with Common Core” Lindsey Burke | The Heritage Foundation | 5.1.2013 All Girl Scout merit badges are “fully aligned with the Common Core State Standards Initiative.”
