The third issue that could cause Bush headaches as a presidential candidate is his support for Common Core. He’s not backing down, despite the controversy, declaring at a charter high school in Hialeah last week, “The aspiration ought to be: Every child should be college- or career-ready. And we should benchmark ourselves to the best in the world. The good-faith effort of Common Core State Standards and now these Florida standards is the right path to be on.”
The problem for Bush is that a vocal chunk of the conservative grassroots thinks Common Core is precisely the opposite of a “good-faith effort.”
As that senior Republican strategist puts it, “Jeb doesn’t understand the intense and growing hatred of Common Core at the grassroots. I’m telling you, it’s a red line for GOP primary voters. No amount of explaining is going to fix it, and no amount of ‘for the good of the country’ talk is going to make it saleable to them. They hate it. They loathe Common Core. I started hearing it de novo from people not in our world of 24/7 political fury but ordinary types who are reacting to what their kids are bringing home.”
National Review [one of the better sources to find GOP support for Common Core....ironically]
One of Jeb Bush's primary accomplishments in his portfolio, if not the paramount one, is his success at education reform while governor of Florida. But you're right - he needs to be able to draw detailed distinctions from Common Core if he is to survive politically in the future.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry your post doesn't include your feelings except the slight slam to Huckabee. How are you on Common Core?
ReplyDeleteNicholas Darkwater is absolutely right; I thought that as I read that quote; ALL of Common Core is not bad; Bush will have to really draw distinctions if he thinks most of us will put up with a blanket agreement with it. Ridiculous. (from Z of GeeeeZ)
My comment on Huckabee refers to his shifting support for Common Core, depending on the audience he's speaking to.
DeleteI oppose Common Core. There is not only no need for, but no net positive effect from a national curriculum that has been bullied into our education system, with threats against teachers and parents who oppose it. CC is central planning. A nationally standardized curriculum breeds stagnation and stifles creativity in teaching. When it’s the only game in town, it’s the only game in town.
The Memorandum of Understanding that state education departments signed [when they aligned with Common Core] allows them to modify only 15% of the curriculum and standards.
It's both interesting and uneasy to read about the design and implementation of Common Core, but the end result is an expansion in central control of the education system....and as a homeschooler already on the defense against the public school monopoly, I see the writing on the wall. My wife and I are simply hoping we can get both daughters through high school before we're branded as criminals.
Jeb Bush, should he run for the GOP ticket, will do as all major party candidates do.....tack to the base during the primaries....then tack to the center for the general. Meaning that his support for Common Core will shift depending on his audience.