Glenn has been talking about the dangers of Common Core for quite some time now, and as the new standards are rolled out in more and more states, parents, students, and teachers alike are speaking out about their frustrations and concerns. On radio this morning, Glenn played the anti-Common Core plea one concerned student, Ethan Young of Farragut High School in Knox County, TN, gave at a local school board meeting in Tennessee earlier this month. What did Ethan say that had Glenn calling it “the best argument against Common Core?
“The best argument against Common Core has come in from a student, and this kid is making the case so well, honestly I can't believe that he's in public education,” Glenn said. “He had a group of great teachers that taught him well, and he applied himself because, if you listen to this case against Common Core, it is right on the money. And listen to the crowd because the crowd seems to be teachers. The best case we have heard… against Common Core.”
“I mean already you're thinking who is this kid? I mean he sounds accomplished, he is not nervous, and he is making a great case,” Glenn said. “This is such great stuff. And if you listen to what he's saying here, and this is something we really need to emphasize.”
As Ethan describes, Common Core looks to create a one size fits all system that disregards the individual for the sake of the collective. Glenn liked the standards to an “authoritarian” regime because it seeks to strip the individual of everything that makes them unique, while pigeon holing teachers to the point where they are no longer teaching – they are simply regurgitating.
“Look at what technology does… Does it have just one font, or can we change the fonts so you can write a letter and it looks one way, and I can write a letter and it looks another way? Can you change the desktop, or does it only come with one desktop? Yes. It's a system that allows you to be the best of who you are,” Glenn said. “That's not what Common Core is doing… It's not about the individual kid, and it's certainly not about the individual teacher. And if you think things are bad now, you go frustrate the good teachers. You have the good teachers walk out and say, ‘It's not even teaching anymore. This is just checking boxes.’ Then our kids are really doomed.”
Glenn encouraged his listeners to continue to be vocal and to speak up about what they are seeing happen in their children’s classrooms. He asked people to share this particular story because Ethan does such an exceptional job at explaining the difference between enjoying the freedoms of learning and Common Core.
“Share it. Tweet it. Facebook it. Get it out. Make this as viral as you possibly can because this will speak to the teachers and it will also speak to moms and dads. And it should speak to all of the school boards around the country,” Glenn said. “Look, we do have faith in you to do the right thing. You've got to do the right thing here. And anybody who is actually doing their homework and is not, you know, cozying up to the trough will understand Common Core is a danger to our nation and to our children.”
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