A guest post by Melanie Kurdys, co-founder of Stop Common Core in Michigan
Convention candidates are out on the campaign trail these days. I am getting interesting feedback on two important candidates, Brian Calley, candidate for Lt. Governor and Ron Weiser, candidate for University of Michigan Regent..
Today, I received intel that both Weiser and Calley are claiming to be against Common Core. This is news to me. In the 2 1/2 years I have been fighting this issue, I have never seen evidence of either of them even being sufficiently informed of the issue, let alone standing up to try to stop it from coming into Michigan.
I heard Weiser actually said he would probably not interfere with K-12, but he would not allow Common Core at the University. Exactly how could he do that? Will he make sure U of M School of Education does not prepare new teachers to teach Common Core, but instead insist they learn traditional, classical education techniques? Where will these teachers get a job? What will he do when freshmen, deemed “college ready” with their Common Core diploma, show up unprepared for freshman math classes, lacking knowledge of the classics, unable to consider facts outside those hand-fed to them? Remember, Governor Snyder has bought into the Common Core model of P-20, which includes post K-12.
Both Calley and Weiser have records of political accomplishment. Calley as Lt. Governor, spearheaded the passage of legislation for Autism, an issue he really cares about. Weiser was instrumental in getting Right to Work passed in Michigan.
If either of these gentlemen were really opposed to Common Core, seems they would have been much more engaged in the issue by now. If they were interested in learning about the problems with Common Core, it seems they might have sought out state or national experts on both sides of the issue. I am well connected with state and national experts. Not only were they not sought out, neither of these gentlemen met with the national experts when they were in Lansing several times over these last 2 1/2 years.
And consider the facts:
– Ron Weiser is one of the biggest contributors to GLEP, the most prominent lobby group supporting Common Core in Michigan.
– During Lt. Governor Brian Calley’s time on the job, the Michigan not only failed to pass legislation to STOP Common Core, but reconfirmed Michigan as a Common Core State.
It is baffling to me that Michigan, with a Republican Governor, House and Senate, continues to implement one of the worst nationalized programs ever, Common Core.
Now Mr. Calley and Mr. Weiser say they oppose Common Core. True change of heart or political expedience? Are you willing to risk our kids when you could make a different choice?