Common Core lessons blasted for sneaking politics into elementary classrooms

[Origanalist]

It's exactly what critics of the Common Core school curriculum warned about: Partisan political statements masquerading as English lessons finding their way into elementary school classrooms.

Teaching materials aligned with the controversial national educational standards ask fifth-graders to edit such sentences as “(The president) makes sure the laws of the country are fair,” “The wants of an individual are less important than the well-being of the nation” and “the commands of government officials must be obeyed by all.” The sentences, which appear in worksheets published by New Jersey-based Pearson Education, are presented not only for their substance, but also to teach children how to streamline bulky writing.

“We are doing a terrible disservice to this generation and the next if we only present them with one side of the argument and bombard them with ideas contrary to the American ideal."
- Glyn Wright, Eagle Forum

“Parents should insist on reviewing their children’s school assignments,” said Glyn Wright, executive director of the Eagle Forum, a think tank that opposes implementation of Common Core. “Many parents will be shocked to find that some ‘Common Core-approved’ curriculum is full of inappropriate left-wing notions, disinformation, and fails to teach the truth of American exceptionalism and opportunity.”

The politically charged lesson appears in a worksheet titled “Hold the Flag High,” in which students are taught about Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War. The assignment asks students to make examples of sentences; “less wordy by replacing the underlined words with a possessive noun phrase.” They are then presented with a half-dozen sentences describing the job duties of a U.S. president

Continued at http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/11/0...sneaking-politics-into-elementary-classrooms/

 

[moostraks]

It is as if questions 1-3 were a warm up. By number 6 I was seeing stars from my blood pressure rising so fast. This is why we homeschool. Thanks for reminding me.

 

[Christian Liberty]

It is as if questions 1-3 were a warm up. By number 6 I was seeing stars from my blood pressure rising so fast. This is why we homeschool. Thanks for reminding me.

The first three statements are true, even if I have no real compassion on the President for #1. I doubt the job of a mafia thug is easy either, doesn't mean we feel bad for them

4-6 are so obviously full of crap. I mean maybe, MAYBE (I still wouldn't accept it personally) if it was high school students, that would be one thing. But elementary school students? Really?

This is so obviously ridiculous.

If a teacher taught my child that I would tell them to go straight to Hell. Sue me.

 

[Original_Intent]

I am surprised #5 did not merit a red circle. Wow!

 

[dannno]

I am surprised #5 did not merit a red circle. Wow!

Ya the OP probably got this from a Republican forum and they just skimmed right by it.

 

[muh_roads]

Holy shit @ #5 & #6. Suck my member.

 

[Quark]

Wait so they're supposed to be learning writing, and instead they're learning statism? Yep, sounds like public school.

 

[Tinnuhana]

http://nashua.patch.com/groups/scho...-core-a-breakdown-of-the-pros-and-cons-nashua
Anyone else hear about this Nov 18 protest?

 

[Origanalist]

Ya the OP probably got this from a Republican forum and they just skimmed right by it.

The link is in plain sight danno.

 

[Origanalist]

http://nashua.patch.com/groups/scho...-core-a-breakdown-of-the-pros-and-cons-nashua
Anyone else hear about this Nov 18 protest?

It sounds pretty small at this point, and it's only pulling kids for a day. Better to get them out altogether.

 

[moostraks]

The first three statements are true, even if I have no real compassion on the President for #1. I doubt the job of a mafia thug is easy either, doesn't mean we feel bad for them

4-6 are so obviously full of crap. I mean maybe, MAYBE (I still wouldn't accept it personally) if it was high school students, that would be one thing. But elementary school students? Really?

This is so obviously ridiculous.

If a teacher taught my child that I would tell them to go straight to Hell. Sue me.

The first three were amusing in that they weren't terribly controversial but more relevant to one's personal position on the matter. So a warm up for where they eventually knock it out of the park by number 6. This is a perfect example of how government schools clearly indoctrinate the children so the system is self-perpetuating.

 

[buenijo]

Common Core is a very general set of guidelines and does not generate questions or even lesson plans. Please understand this. Note that I am not defending Common Core, but I merely desire a rational discussion. Bottom line is some individual showed their political bent while generating these questions. However, the questions could just as easily have been sympathetic to a libertarian perspective. In other words, Common Core is politically neutral. The problem with the Common Core standards is not the guidelines presented. The problem is the underlying premise of centrally controlled education. I recommend not taking a focus on the content, but fighting the basic premise. In my opinion, the focus should be to get the federal government out of education completely. The focus can then be taken to the state level.