This post is important. Please read and share!
STOP Common Core in Michigan continues to call for the passage of SB 826, a bill to Repeal & Replace Common Core AND assessments, as passed from committee. Sadly, the full Senate failed to vote on SB 826 before summer break despite the fact that it passed out of the Senate Education Committee without amendment. The House Education Committee never held hearings on the companion bill HB 5444.
We asked Senator Pat Colbeck , the Senate sponsor, for an update on SB 826 since we have not had any conversation with him for several month. Here was his response:
“There will be no action on legislation over the Summer other than continued review of potential substitute by parties willing to help ensure that the bill will be passed in a form that will minimize risk of legal challenge. I will be pursuing a vote on the Senate floor in September.”
We are concerned that a substitute with changes will water down the Repeal & Replace and permit the same “Pretend to repeal while really keeping Common Core” tactics
We specifically asked to see this substitute, but Senator Colbeck has not made it public. We asked to be part of the process and he has resisted. We are not sure why he has chosen to shut the grassroots out of the process.
Colbeck’s comments about legality are of particular concern. We DO want a bill that will minimize legal risk and the bill AS INTRODUCED went through an extensive legal review. Several items were dropped or reworked to make it “legal.” Senator Colbeck became the Senate sponsor of the bill without raising a comment or question about legality. Also co-sponsoring the bill was Senator Tonya Schuitmaker, an attorney. Does anyone think she would sign onto a bill that was obviously unconstitutional?
In fact, the question of Constitutionality was raised during the hearings in the Senate Education Committee. Senator Colbeck defended the bill, as introduced, as Constitutional. In a comment to me after the first hearing, Senator Pavlov said he expected the bill to pass “without amendments.” He did NOT raise any concerns about Constitutionality. The bill to Repeal and Replace Common Core and assessments passed his committee on a vote of 4-1. So there was consensus from the Senators that this was a strong Constitutionally-sound bill. That same day after the hearing, Senator Colbeck suggested privately that a substitute was necessary because the bill as introduced was unconstitutional. Why would he sponsor and allow a vote on an “unconstitutional bill?” Aren’t hearings the place to discover and resolve such significant issues? Why wait until after the hearing to disclose the problems?
Further attempts to discuss the bill and how we might preserve the intent in a legal matter were rebuffed. Attorney William Wagner offered us ideas but unfortunately, we do not know if Senator Colbeck is open to him or the ideas.
The grassroots has been shut out.
We’re not sure what’s going on but we know from other states that mischief happens behind closed doors. Lobbyists and donors do NOT want to repeal and replace common core but politicians need something to pass to pacify constituents who are adamant that common core and aligned assessments must go!
Senator Colbeck confirmed that a substitute, S-2, has been drafted. He left the following comment on my Facebook page after I posted a brief update raising concerns about the bill,
“The bill DOES NOT pretend to repeal Common Core. It REPEALS Common Core and replaces it with the Pre-Common Core MA Standards. No games are being played. Simply focused on passing the bill. That requires amendment to the introduced version of the bill. If S-2 version that I am working on is passed, it will be THE STRONGEST Anti-Common Core legislation in the nation. A “no amendment stance” as proposed in the above post will simply ensure continued implementation of Common Core in our schools. I do not find the continued implementation of Common Core in our schools to be acceptable.”
His comment is confusing to me given that it was Senator Pavlov who first took the “no amendment” stance and voted FOR the bill as introduced yet now Colbeck indicates that posture will ensure Common Core continues. So games are being played with a substitute. We’re just not sure who is involved or what is in the substitute, S-2. A commenter, Brenda S., on Facebook specifically asked Senator Colbeck when a S-2 will be released and he has not responded. Once again the grassroots have been shut out.
The little we do know about the substitute, S-2, is VERY concerning.
Based on public statements by both Senator Colbeck and Senator Pavlov, we are worried that their commitment is ONLY to “change the standards” and NOT REPLACE the assessments with the proven paper & pencil Massachusetts assessments. This would be a terrible outcome. The assessments are the hammer. Changing only the standards is insufficient and allows a faux replacement that we’ve seen in so many other states.
Instead of making the substitute S-2 public for all to read, Senator Colbeck shared his “checklist” for the bill. It includes this statement:
“Defines a new assessment based on the pre-CC Massachusetts standards”.
We requested clarification on what the “new assessment” means from Senator Colbeck. He has chosen NOT to respond. If the revised bill calls for a “new assessment based on the MA standards,” the door is opened for Common-Core-like adjustments and not a true repeal.
The whole premise of “REPLACE USING PROVEN MA STANDARDS AND ASSESSMENTS”, is the PROVEN point. NEW is yet again, UNPROVEN.
We must stop experimenting on our kids! We must stop holding teachers and kids accountable using unproven tools. Replacing the M-STEP with the proven pre-common core Massachusetts assessment ensures a TRUE repeal.
We believe SB 826 might be held hostage for political opportunity, since this timeline now puts the vote AFTER the August primary.
Senator Pavlov is facing a primary challenge in his run for US Congress. He did move the bill through committee very efficiently and deserves credit for having done so. But if a watered down version is offered to the entire Senate, his credibility to his commitment to “Get Rid of Common Core in Michigan” is questionable.
We have also heard Governor Snyder may be involved. There is talk that we must pass a bill Governor Snyder will sign. We know Governor Snyder supports a seamless Prenatal to 20 data base for Workforce Development. The pre-CC MA standards and assessments are proven to prepare kids for life after high school, but they do not play into this P-20 model. We must work to pass a good bill that protects kids and strongly urge on Governor Snyder to do the right thing.
We honor both Senator Pavlov and Senator Colbeck for their conservative record and mean no disrespect. The big money and power behind Common Core is exceptionally difficult to stand up to and the pressure is enormous. No state has successfully exited Common Core, though many have made heroic efforts. In many states politicians and educrats played games, including a Constitutional challenge, to stop a repeal or give appearance of removing Common Core. But grassroots parents and teachers on the ground know the truth.
Our Stop Common Core Team has been criticized for publicly challenging our allies, but we believe we must present the truth to all our faithful followers. All of you have put forth incredible effort and energy to help with this battle. When our leaders falter, we must call them on it and promise to give them all our heartfelt support when they decide to stand tall, stop the games, and re-enter the battle arm-in-arm with their grassroots supporters.
Please Senator Colbeck and Senator Pavlov, stand up for the grassroots not shut us out! Stand up to those big money forces and do what is right for kids. Drop discussions about a sub and PASS SB 826 AS APPROVED FROM COMMITTEE!