How progressives got their agenda implemented so quickly (and in Utah)

[From Susie Schnell]

If you are a Progressive Educator or leader on the National/Federal Level and want to get your education agenda through quickly to as many states as possible, you need the support of conservative Republicans. So…

1. You push this agenda through individual “states” instead of “federal” because we like state’s rights.

2. You appeal to their desire for “higher standards” because we believe in an educated populace.

3. You talk about modernizing schools with the latest technology and equipment

4. You partner with private institutions since it appeals to our sense of capitalism and free enterprise

5. You talk about college and jobs because this is foremost on our minds in a failing economy

6. You hold national conferences to teach these ideas to state and local school boards and get them to buy into it.

7. You write the national standards, assessments and curriculum through gov’t partnered organizations so it doesn’t seem like the govt is writing them directly.

8. You help each state board of education write their own bills for implementing this plan, either directly or by using a “model” so all states are coming up with the same laws throughout the land, but think they are being independent. (Do you really think that our state board wrote these bills independently or maybe they got help?)

9. You advertise this as a Governor’s and State’s thing to the general public so no one looks behind the curtain.

10. You get as many Republicans and conservatives to accept your plan because of the nice sounding ideas, and they don’t realize they are setting up the foundation for a federal takeover of education. Families and conservatives don’t question these conservative legislators, but trust they are only after state’s rights and what is good for the children. Without realizing it, these good legislators have enacted laws to usher in this progressive agenda.

11. Get everyone to sign off on the standards as if there’s a crisis and this must be done right now.

12. Progressives never give up. When they don’t get their way, they just go back into their caves, re-strategize, change phraseology and try again. We ALWAYS have to be on guard for new tricks.

Problems:

1. This whole idea was set up by the Federal Gov’t, USOE and dangerous national interests who are working together, like Bill Gates, Linda Darling-Hammond, Pearson, and large corporations set on making billions by partnering with the federal govt, states and local districts for a guaranteed income for years. These Public Private Partnerships threaten not only local control, but also real free enterprise for smaller businesses that have not been chosen by the govt for these contracts. What the Federal Gov’t cannot legally do, and visa versa, the other partner can accomplish. We have been tricked into thinking this is a locally grown program in Utah.

2. The next phase in this process is to develop Century 21 Community Schools which will invite more Public Private Partnerships (PPP). Big corporations contract with federal, state and local school entities to go into these community schools full time, 6-7 days a week, and provide services of free healthcare and dental, PreK-12 education, job placement programs, recreation, daycare, 3 meals a day and every service you can think of for the entire family. This has already started in Ogden School District and Ogden’s plan is to make every school in it’s district a full service community school. Arne Duncan speaks a lot about this plan and thousands of these schools are popping up all over the nation. All of this data (healthcare, psychiatry records, academic scores, meals, recreation, etc) will be a part of the state and national data base because these families go to a one-stop community center with every amenity they need. No need to go home or church or extended family.

3. Right now, we’re just talking about school records from Pre-K to college to work. That’s bad enough. But by setting up extensive data collecting technology, we are easily setting ourselves up for the next step of education when full-service 21st Century Schools will be the growing phenomenon.

https://www.redorbit.com/news/technology/1999361/utah_state_office_of_education_partners_with_pearson_for_new/

Please look beyond just Common Core, compare it with Obama’s National Education Goals, and look to see what these bills in Utah are setting up in the bigger scheme of things for the future.

Simple, local and parent-centered are the answers.

Thanks,

Susie Schnell

2 Responses to “How progressives got their agenda implemented so quickly (and in Utah)”

  • Pamela:

    Very excellent analysis;  Susie is exactly right.  The most interesting observation I have seen with the Common Core Agenda is promoting the Standards without sharing the rest of the information on the Assessments, Curriculum and the Agenda of those who are behind it all.  The Standards are the least controversial part of the entire package, and it is the only part of the package that is ever addressed by those promoting it.  I believe many proponents have no idea that there is more to the standards than the standards themselves.  They do not stand alone.

    The standards, by themselves, are a step up from the bottom and a step down from the top of former standards.  If you liken the standards to a capsule, it is easy to see that you can’t really analyze the contents of what is inside a capsule until it opens.  If you swallow it first, you are at the mercy of its content. 

    Looking at Marc Tucker’s involvement in creating the CCSS, which parallels his writing in his “Dear Hillary letter” in 1992, reveals that CCSS and all that goes with it, did not originate in Utah, and will not be allowed to be adapted with flexibility and freedom. The goals are just the opposite.

    Utah educators need to look inside the capsule of the standards before they decide to swallow it.  I strongly believe it is poison for all Utah schools.  

  • Anonymous:

    A lot of rhetoric without the specifics.  Could you please be more specific.  You say that the CCSS are a poison capsule for Utah schools.  Show us how.