Now Chicago teachers want out of Common Core

Add the Chicago teachers union to the teachers’ union in New York State and the president of the National Education Association who are now calling foul on Common Core State Standards as implemented.

A few of the things that irk teachers in President Obama’s home town include:

• The purpose of education is to educate a populace of critical thinkers who are capable of shaping a just and equitable society in order to lead good and purpose-filled lives, not solely preparation for college and career;

• The education of children should be grounded in developmentally appropriate practice;

• Common Core State Standards were developed by non-practitioners, such as test and curriculum publishers, as well as education reform foundations, such as the Gates and Broad Foundations, and as a result the CCSS better reflect the interests and priorities of corporate education reformers than the best interests and priorities of teachers and students;

• Common Core State Standards were piloted incorrectly, have been implemented too quickly, and as a result have produced numerous developmentally inappropriate expectations that do not reflect the learning needs of many students;

• Imposition of the Common Core State Standards adversely impacts students of highest need, including students of color, impoverished students, English language learners, and students with disabilities; and

• Common Core assessments disrupt student learning, consuming tremendous amounts of time and resources for test preparation and administration.