Tennessee Business Coalition Shows Support for Common Core

A Tennessee business coalition, Businesses for Tennessee Prosperity, announced it supports the Common Core standards. This group includes members of the state’s regional chambers of Commerce, the Tennessee Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and the Tennessee Business Roundtable. 

However, there are a few mistakes in its statement:

It’s absolutely not a federal program or mandate. Common Core State Standards were developed by states, by governors, by commissioners of education, to make sure that states had rigorous standards to prepare students for the 21st century.

Common Core was not developed by the states. In fact, private interests groups in Washington, D.C., started it and did not add any educators until they realized they needed more credibility. Then they added the National Governor’s Association and the Council of Chief State School Officers.

The Department of Education was involved in meetings about Common Core and put in over $2 million. They also forced states to adopt the standards by holding Race to the Top funding over their heads.

In December, Breitbart News’s Dr. Susan Berry noted that Common Core’s roots are very similar to ideas by President Barack Obama and Bill Ayers. More evidence has been presented that shows the central purpose is social justice and income redistribution.

Republicans and Democrats alike do not like Common Core:

Republicans worry it’s an unproven federal initiative. Democrats say it’s being implemented too quickly. “My fear is that we’re rushing into this Common Core a little too fast, before we really understand what it’s all about,” says TN Rep. Craig Fitzhugh, (D) Ripley.

Parents, students, and teachers have spoken against Common Core. In November, student Ethan Young spoke out against Common Core at Knox County. His classmate Kenneth Ye talked in front of the same board on December 4.