WATCH: Father Forcefully Ejected From Town Hall Forum for Asking Common Core Question

[silvershadow]

A father in Towson, Maryland, was forcefully ejected from a local town hall forum for asking the wrong question.


Robert Small had concerns over the Common Core education initiative, feeling that it was dumbing down the curriculum in his local school district.

"My question is, how does lowering America's educational standards prepare kids for community college?" asked Small, before soon being approached by a security guard — who was also an off-duty cop — and being dragged away from his seat.

The outspoken father then implored the crowd to take action. "Don't stand for this," said Small. "You're sitting here like cowards. You have questions!"



Read more: http://foxnewsinsider.com/2013/09/21/watch-father-forcefully-ejected-town-hall-forum-asking-common-core-question#ixzz2fXpHHWJw

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[TheDeputy]

1. Don't question the overlords!

You will be arrested.

[OffWithTheirHeads]

2. Asking questions = terrorisim!

[earthside]

3. I hate that this is Fox.

And perhaps there is more context ...

However, this type of government behavior is increasingly prevalent at the local level.

At city, county and school district board meetings and town halls there is emerging this attitude on the part of local elected officials that we average ordinary folks ought to just shut-up, pay our taxes and let them govern without questioning.

[silvershadow]

8. Yeah, I know. I worried before I even posted. Even a stopped clock is right twice a day.

So, I posted it. Actually, it surprises me, to tell you the truth. Editors must not be paying attention over there.

[RC]

4. Didn't this same thing happen when they were holding hearings on the ACA health care?

Why, yes it did.

[Niceguy1]

5. there is more to this story

He didn't have the floor ....

[bowens43]

11. there's always at least one who will defend this kind of abuse...sad

[Niceguy1]

12. I am not defending it. we just have one side...

Of what happened.

[chervilant]

15. Yeah... he didn't have the floor...

That completely justifies arresting him.


(jic)

[Niceguy1]

16. I have seen it at city council

Meetings where people don't respct others or refuse to give up the podium when their time is up. This guy was not arrwsred..he was removed.

[chervilant]

18. BTW,

I should have mentioned before: I am not interested in viewing any more of your posts, and have taken the necessary step to insure I don't.

[Niceguy1]

19. I am crushed

And don't know how I am going to get through the day....

[Downwinder]

6. Longer article from the Baltimore Sun.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/education/blog/bs-md-co-common-core-arrest-20130920,0,7127220.story

[OregonBlue]

7. I asked our teachers on back to school night what they thought of common core.

The response was that it is an attempt to assure that children who move and change schools are not left behind. Every school should be teaching the same things at the same grade level. Most of them did not seem to feel that it was a negative. They still have time for creative teaching. They are opposed to the "teaching to the test" approach but felt there has to be some way to guarantee that children who move a lot (especially during hard times) are receiving the same level of learning wherever they land.

We have a wonderful school and if our teachers support it, I guess I don't have a problem with it.

[Taitertots]

9. Thinking or talking about anything (other than corporate entertainment) has been declared...

Potential for terrorism.

He didn't read the scripted question that made them look good. That means a corporate police officer has to rough him up and throw him out.

Am I the only one troubled that police moonlight as "security" guards; but they are really just private police officers. Can I buy a police officer to drive me to work and ticket anyone who cuts us off?

[Scuba]

10. Be this guy.

[Puzzledtraveller]

20. ^^this^^

Guy

[Mellow Drama]

13. I support the curriculum. This is really tough for me.

We need to ensure the schools have the right tools to teach students about how to learn the right things, such as progressive environmentalism, socialist economics, and generally against the current capitalist structure. It is not right for parents to question this.

But I don't think he should be arrested. This will only arouse the Tea Party goons and potentially hurt Common Core, which will be the REAL tragedy. Yes, the parent may be educationally abusive, but we should have shut him up in other ways.

[chervilant]

17. Common Core is not

'the right tool' for our children. And, it's essential for parents to be involved in their children's education, and to ask questions.

For decades, our system of public education has been designed to produce factory fodder and service industry drones. In the past decade, corporate megalomaniacs (chief among them, Bill Gates) have used their money and influence to privatize schools--blaming 'bad' teachers and 'greedy' unions for the 'failure' of public education in order to fund charter schools and secure profits for a very small number of wealthy business people. NCLB, RTTT, and ubiquitous, unrelenting poverty are the worst challenges to public education. But, only true educators will talk about these challenges.

Those of us who've tried to teach critical thinking skills have been denigrated and/or RIFfed (if not fired outright). And, the United States continues to rank near the bottom in math and science...

If you've not already done so, please view Sir Ken Robinson.

[alp227]

14. Baltimore Sun editorial

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/editorial/bs-ed-common-core-20130923,0,1836253.story

In the grand scheme of obstructions at public meetings, Howard County parent Robert Small's insistence on challenging state and local education officials about the new curriculum being implemented based on Common Core standards barely registers. He engaged in no name-calling, made no threats and was asking a question directly related to the topic at hand. Had Baltimore County Superintendent Dallas Dance overlooked Mr. Small's breach of protocol — questions were supposed to be submitted in writing rather than called out by members of the audience — he and the others on the panel might have been able to dispel some myths about what the Common Core entails. Instead, Mr. Small's arrest by an off-duty Baltimore County police officer, which was captured on video, is serving only to fan a misinformed but growing backlash to the new standards.

The likes of Glenn Beck are attacking the Common Core as a federal takeover of the nation's education system. Though that's hardly accurate, it's a narrative that is helped immeasurably by what happened to Mr. Small. At a public forum in Towson on Thursday, Mr. Small stood and asked the panel to respond to his concern that the Common Core would lower standards and prepare students for community college rather than four-year universities. Mr. Dance can be heard on a video recording of the incident seeking to silence Mr. Small and promising that his question would be answered. Mr. Small would not yield the floor, and shortly thereafter a security guard approached him and said, "Let's go." Mr. Small kept talking. The security guard showed him his badge, grabbed Mr. Small's arm and forcibly pulled him into the aisle.