The Common Core Question

Vote Your Liberty

Vote Underwood

for

State Representative

Ninth Hampden District

Lincoln once said that  a danger to the United States is  every man trying to leave his mark on society. Our system of education is  not exempt from this danger.  New methods of  teaching come into and out of vogue. Its adherents  attempt to make it the law of the land because they cannot convince everyone that they are correct.  The “see and say” method of reading replaced the phonetic system of teaching reading. The was followed by the book “Why Johnnie Cannot Read,” which rightfully blamed the “see and say” method for a new wave of illiteracy.   Each generation has its “new math.”

Massachusetts has always been the leader in education. School started  on the Mayflower.   We should be willing to share or successful methods with anyone who wants to emulate our results.

One problem I see with Common Core is that school is being turned into an endless test.  This is no accident. These tests will be purchased from companies  which sell them.   Examinations should be a minor part of  a course to determine understanding.  It should not become  a major part of the course, nor a major part of the budget.

But I am not going to support replacing  the traditional and successful method of teaching arithmetic and math  throughout the state with an untried and  unproven method.  I understand that  some children are not learning math  when it is taught in the traditional way, and we need to do something special for them.   But I am not going to vote to scrap a system that has been successful for most people for generations.

So I will not be voting for “Common Core.”