Conservative Leader Debunks Pro-Common Core Myths at CPAC

In a panel discussion at CPAC Thursday, American Principles in Action (APIA) education director Emmett McGroarty debunked pro-Common Core talking points and made the claim that a Republican presidential nominee who supports Common Core would essentially be “unelectable” against Hillary Clinton in the general election.

“The strategy of Common Core proponents has always rested on certain talking points—and I think it’s important to realize that those talking points were crafted before Common Core was even drafted,” McGroarty said. “They say it’s state-led, they say that the standards are rigorous and internationally benchmarked—the fact is that none of these things are true. Common Core locks students into an inferior, low-quality education. The proponents are hanging on to those false talking points because they recognize that if people realize they’re not true, Common Core will collapse.”

McGroarty added that the Common Core protest movement continues to grow.

“This is a movement led by grassroots activists—by moms—and they’re going to war against anything that interferes with their right to have a say in what their children learn,” he said, and that includes Republicans in Congress, that includes Democrats in Congress, that includes the current attempt to try to re-authorize No Child Left Behind.”

“It’s a very strong movement, it’s a passionate movement, and it’s one that’s growing by the day,” he added.

The Common Core standards were developed by three private organizations in Washington D.C.: the National Governors Association (NGA), the Council for Chief State School Officers (CCSSO), and progressive education company Achieve Inc. All three organizations were privately funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and none of these groups are accountable to parents, teachers, students, or taxpayers.

There is no official information about who selected the individuals to write the Common Core standards. None of the writers of the math and English Language Arts standards have ever taught math, English, or reading at the K-12 level. In addition, the Standards Development Work Groups did not include any members who were high school English and mathematics teachers, English professors, scientists, engineers, parents, state legislators, early childhood educators, and state or local school board members.

No independent studies have been performed on the Common Core standards to prove the claims that they are “higher,” more “rigorous,” “internationally benchmarked,” or will make students “college- and career- ready.”