As students across San Diego County field test Common Core-based exams, some of their parents are banding together to advocate against the national education program, which encourages a deeper level of critical thinking in English and math through problem-solving and explaining how they found their answers.
Mary Baker is a parent in the Poway Unified School District and organizer of Citizens for Quality Education, one of several groups across the county voicing their opposition to Common Core.
Baker’s group is hosting two upcoming forums featuring a panel of three speakers: the first event is scheduled for April 23 at the Handlery Hotel & Resort in Mission Valley; the other is April 24 at California Performing Arts Center in Escondido.
“So parents can have some expert information that they can take to school board members," Baker explained.
The group is expecting a crowd of 500 . . .and not just parents.
"We’re wanting to get elected officials there and school board members -- even people in business," explained Baker.
The goal is to have an honest discussion about the merits of the standards and to address concerns about data mining, privacy issues and loss of local control over education, she said.
“The parents want the truth, they want information, and they’re not getting it,” Baker said. "Parents are frustrated because they’re going to their school boards and talking to them about their concerns and they’re basically just getting responses of ‘this is what we’ve adopted.'"
Some school districts have responded to parent concerns by holding their own informational meetings.
