[Steve_Seattle]

"I smell a rat here."

Some liberals object to Common Core because of the testing requirements, not because of the dubious pedagogical methods and curricula content that alarm conservatives. This girl might be the well-coached child of a liberal - she focused almost exclusively on the testing requirements.

[Mannaggia l'America]

Some liberals object to Common Core because of the testing requirements, not because of the dubious pedagogical methods and curricula content that alarm conservatives. This girl might be the well-coached child of a liberal - she focused almost exclusively on the testing requirements.

Exactly. I am not against testing and standardized tests. The teacher's union is vehemently against them. Their arguments about "teaching to the test", etc. ring hollow with me. Don't like "teaching to the test" - then don't! If you are teaching what you should be and getting through to the kids, then they should ace the test.

The teacher's union just do not want their members to be measured. They do not want anyone to question whether or not they are actually educating the kids, that there are some teachers better than others. You should not question them, they are smarter than you. Trust them.

[imardmd1]

You may be quite right in this. Note that in a later comment I spoke of “judicious testing,” (and that does not include Common Core methodology) to identify the efficacy of a local school system, not merely to evaluate the individual student’s preparation.