Friedman Foundation says NO to Common Core
Looks like that’s one more for the good guys! The Milton Friedman Foundation released their stance on the Common Core Standards today. They have never been in support of the national standards, but until today they did not have a public position. It was worth waiting for as the language was quite strong:
“Ultimately, the power of parents trumps the desire for common standards, particularly standards decided by either state or federal education experts or bureaucrats.”
Executive Director of the foundation, Robert Enlow, emphatically called the standards out for what they are; a centrally controlled program which puts bureaucracies over people:
“In the end, the debate over standards comes down to who you think should have final say over education: parents or government. Some will say you can be on both sides, but when parents want one thing for their children and the government wants something different, one or the other is going to make the final decision. Once we say government makes the final decision, the issue that really counts has already been decided.”
Enlow asks a very important question; “Can the very institution that is largely to blame for the K-12 mess we are in now be the same institution that saves our children?” I have posed that same question to supporters of the Common Core, such as Derek Redelman of the Indiana Chamber of Commerce, but their support of federal mandates in education shouldn’t be a query. The Chamber of Commerce gave the full weight of their lobbyist group to support No Child Left Behind, the most burdensome federal education program of our time. I guess I shouldn’t ask questions that history has already answered.
The Friedman Foundation’s strength to champion on the side of parents and freedom of education is a stark contrast to that of the Chamber of Commerce who puts institutions over individual Americans. That’s the difference between being for the people and being for hire.
Hats off to Robert Enlow and the Friedman Foundation!
“Ultimately, the power of parents trumps the desire for common standards, particularly standards decided by either state or federal education experts or bureaucrats.” Seems to suggest that FF is opposed to the entire notion of standards whether they are generated by the state or at national level. Would you say this is the general position of those opposed to CCSS as well? Is this then to say that each district or diocese (or even each individual school) should generate its own standards in ways that serve its local constituents? Just curious how deep anti-CCSS position is when it comes to curriculum standards. Thanks!