New Jersey Grassroots Group: 'No More Common Core'

A group of parents and citizens called Concerned Citizens of Southern New Jersey is saying “No More Common Core” to its elected officials this fall.

The grassroots group is sponsoring a symposium on Saturday, September 27, featuring speakers Drs. Sandra Stotsky, Duke Pesta, Chris Tienken, Tom Borelli, and Deneen Borelli. The forum, which aims to educate parents and citizens about the Common Core standards in New Jersey, will be moderated by Peter Boyce.

Last month the group blasted Gov. Chris Christie (R) for issuing a “do nothing” executive order that created a handpicked study commission to make recommendations on the effectiveness of the assessments tied to the controversial standards.

“A ‘study commission’ handpicked by the Governor to satisfy the teachers does nothing to help the parents and less than nothing to retain the educational freedom of our children,” parent Janice Lenox told Breitbart News. “Our goal is a simple one. Get the legislation S2154, to establish a task force to examine Common Core, passed and sent to the Governor.”

“We’ve been told by legislators who support and have co-sponsored the legislation that the Governor will veto it, then the Republicans would have to force an override,” Lenox added. “They tell us that they would not go against the Governor for political reasons. ‘We, the People,’ however, say, let us worry about getting them to do the override. Don’t silence us before we have a chance to be heard.”

“We’ve had back room deals made between the Senate President, the teachers union (NJEA), and Christie-and with a stroke of his pen, the famous Executive Order #159, signed and put on the books,” she asserted. “It’s not worth the cheap paper it’s printed on. It completely ignores the children’s rights, which is our ultimate goal.”