Spellbinding Words of Wisdom

If there is a silver lining in Common Core it is definitely that it has awakened the general public and engaged them in discussions about the quality of education in America.  At Hoosiers Against Common Core, we have certainly never classified ourselves as proponents of the status quo.  We certainly are not.  We recognize that there are many problems that exist within today’s schools, both public and private, and that as a whole they are far from what they should be.  However, we recognize that unless Common Core is halted, the prospects for improving education in Indiana or elsewhere will be nullified.  To quote the title of one of the earliest critiques of Common Core, if it persists we will be “Closing the Door on Innovation.”

While the door remains slightly open, with a chance that Indiana still may pull out of Common Core, we need to take a long hard look at the history of education.  We need to recognize that there was a time in this county when the literacy level was higher, the books children read were more “rigorous” (pardon the phrase), and students who graduated, even from only the eighth grade, did so having obtained a wealth of knowledge unparalleled today.  There is so much talk about  “21st Century Skills” that we have almost forgotten that once upon a time, obtaining “knowledge” was the mark of an educated person. To see what a truly well-educated person sounds like, please take the time to watch the spellbinding testimony below of retired teacher, Bonnie Fisher, who testified before the Indiana Legislative Study Committee at the September 10th hearing.  Ms. Fisher’s experience in education is varied and extends far beyond that of  the K-12 classroom, including extensive reviews of over 800 textbooks from both today and decades gone by.   Her eloquence and command of the English language is truly breathtaking and will leave you in awe of her.  It goes without saying that she, who was educated without government “standards” and without attention to “21st Century” skills, knows precisely what is needed to improve the quality of education.  The only obstacle, of course, is getting public officials and those in positions of authority to listen to her.