Residents hold presentation on Common Core Standards

PLAINS - An informational meeting concerning Common Core State Standards and education was held on Wednesday March 12, at the Plains Bible Chapel. It was organized by county residents – Paula Snyder, Art Hassan, Kathy Hassan and Linda Hohenstein.

The purpose of the meeting was to explain how the standards were created and how they were implemented. Approximately 25 people were in attendance.

Hohenstein gave the presentation. Afterwards a short video was shown entitled “The Changing Role of Education in America: Consequences of the Common Core.”

The video documents a one-day conference at Notre Dame University on September 9, 2013 to discuss the “destructive” implications of Common Core Standards and the future education of America’s youth.

A press release provided by Hohenstein about the meeting stated, “ Governor Brian Schweitzer, State Superintendent of Schools Denise Juneau and the Montana Board of Public Education were solely responsible for accepting the trade-off of our childrens’ locally controlled education for federal money.”

It goes on to say “the state legislature and parents and taxpayers in local school districts were neither informed nor consulted about the acceptance of the Common Core Standards. Now that people are becoming aware of the consequences of the ‘total transformation’ of our educational system, there is a full-court press on to debunk the opposition.”

Anyone who wants to learn more about the opposition to the Common Core Standards and assessments can visit montanasagainstcommoncore.com. The site also has opt-out forms available for the parents who do not want their children to participate in the assessments beginning in April.

Hohenstein is a retired schoolteacher who taught in both Oregon and Montana.