John Birch ties to Common Core getting much needed exposure

[Scuba]

http://www.jsonline.com/news/education/common-core-standards-debate-heats-up-over-payments-by-john-birch-group-b99132291z1-230124131.html?ipad=y

Common Core standards debate heats up over payments by John Birch group

Leaders of the American Opinion Foundation, an independent nonprofit associated with the Wisconsin-based society, say they paid for about $5,500 worth of travel expenses for five Common Core State Standards critics to speak at the hearings in Fond du Lac, Eau Claire and Wausau this month. They said local citizens raised the money.

The latest select Assembly and Senate committees to re-examine the standards were spearheaded by Republicans, but many saw them as agenda-driven from the start because the highest-ranking education lawmakers in the state — Senate Education Chair Luther Olsen (R-Ripon) and Assembly Education Chair Steve Kestell (R-Elkhart Lake) — declined to participate.

...

Other Democrats on the House and Senate panels criticized the compensation of speakers. "What's new here is the clear attempt to hide who they are representing and who is paying their way," Tim Cullen (D-Janesville) said in an interview Thursday. "The direction of the committee is clearly biased, but that's exactly why I want to stay on it," he said

...

The out-of-state Common Core critics who received travel and lodging compensation were: Sandra Stotsky, a retired professor from the University of Arkansas; James Milgram, emeritus professor at Stanford University; Gary Thompson of the Early Life Child Psychology and Education Center; Ze'ev Wurman, a former U.S. Department of Education official in the George W. Bush administration; and Ted Rebarber, the CEO and founder of AccountabilityWorks, a nonprofit education group.

The Urinal / Sentinel also seems to be to muddying the waters regarding where Birch stands on Common Core, or is that just me?

More on this topic here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023960063

[MineralMan]

1. In that article, it appears that the Birchers are opposed to

Common Core curricula. They're not alone. Many people on DU are also opposed to its use as part of the changes in public education, too. This appears to be one of those issues where some from both ends of the political spectrum oppose Common Core, perhaps for different reasons.

[Scuba]

2. I think that's a red herring, thanks to the Urinal.

[MineralMan]

3. It's very confusing, to tell you the truth.

The article isn't all that clear, either. Too bad.

[jberryhill]

4. They are referred to as "critics"

So, their position is stated inferentially in the article, but one could idly skip by the word "critics" and what that might imply.

[UTUSN]

5. R#3 & K n/t