Some thoughts on Common Core ….

Just received this email from the district superintendent. Dr. Stotsky’s views of Common Core are substantially aligned with that of Dr. James Milgram–in a word: Negative.


I think Common Core is a ‘happy name’, meant to inspire confidence in ordinary citizens who don’t have the time to do their own research and are inclined to defer to so-called ‘experts’. In reality, the slightest interest paired with cursory research and at least some independent thought and analysis would reveal to almost every citizen and voter in Ridgewood that while we were busy doing other things, K-12 education in this country has devolved into a true farce.Some derive substantial monetary profit from this circumstance (remember our dalliance with the new superintendent and his wife who turned tail and fled when they found the path into Ridgewood was not paved with rose petals?).

Some, like former Assistant Superintendent Regina Botsford, have been ‘All In’ on this development from the start due to their ideological bent being in favor of warping K-12 curriculum and policy toward their goals and dreams in other areas of life. For example, deliberately disadvantaging boys in math has long been a tool for those who wish to reduce what they see as a stubborn performance disparity in STEM academic subjects and perceived under-representation of women in relatively high-paying STEM jobs.

Still others, like Bill Ayers, and in the decided opinion of this anonymous author, Barack Obama, Valerie Jarrett, Rahm ‘Never Let a Crisis Go to Waste’ Emanuel, and Eric Holder, have found comfort and strategic advantage in creating and maintaining an environment of doubt and uncertainty, and if necessary, chaos. They envision a fundamental transformation of this country and are simultaneously targeting every institution that arguably represents or upholds a worthwhile tradition in the realm of Civil Society, be it religious, social, cultural, educational, moral, or otherwise, for degradation and destruction. And yes, you are right to observe that none of these people has articulated even a murky vision of what it is that they intend to build on the rubble they leave in their wake.

Finally, we have the Foundations, and the wealthy backers of same, like Bill and Melinda Gates, that are obsessed with perceived global overpopulation. Any collection of relatively well-heeled or at least arguably well-credentialed misanthropes with a sufficiently anti-social agenda, including most reform math zealots and other promoters of substance-denuding constructivist educational theories will be at or near the top of the list when it comes to attracting funding and other types of largesse from these organizations, who see themselves as citizens of the world and therefore do not concern themselves with the niceties of local accountability.

With this much firepower on the side of limiting the depth, breadth, value and utility of our children’s K-12 education, it is easy to become overwhelmed and leave it to the next guy or gal to show up at a local panel discussion that, likely as not, is intended to provide nothing more than the appearance of objectivity as Ridgewood and other New Jersey towns continue the process of throwing themselves headlong into the destructive morass of modern constructivist educational theory.