Alabama Tea Party Continues Fight Against Common Core

The Alabama Tea Party rallied against Common Core on the Montgomery capital steps early Tuesday morning. State Senator Scott Beason (R-Gardendale) joined them with a copy of his fifth grade daughter’s reading assignment.

The reading assignment Beason reads to the crowd is about the benefits of hybrid cars, and according to the Gardendale Republican, it’s another example of the socialist indoctrination brought on Alabama school children by Common Core. While acknowledging the utility of cars, the text says that old-fashioned automobiles with internal combustion engines are bad for the environment. Hybrids are the better option, the text says, and the government should require automobile manufacturers to make them more affordable.

Beason is one of many state legislators who do not like Common Core and want it out of Alabama schools. Alabama State Senator Del Marsh (R-Anniston) outraged local Tea Party groups in December when he announced he would not bring Common Core to the floors in 2014. 

Meanwhile, Beason promised he would push as hard as he can to repeal Common Core. If nothing happens in 2014 he warns it may be too late. “We will look around one day and see what a mistake we made,” Beason said.

While Republicans like Marsh want the issue to go away, Ken Freeman, president of the Alliance for Citizens Rights, promised they will not stop fighting against Common Core. He reminded the Republicans they were able to win the Alabama legislature with help from these tea party groups and they will not forget if the lawmakers betray them:

“We have a lot of counterfeit conservatives here,” Freeman says, looking up at the Alabama State House. “We went hunting for donkeys first time, but we might have to hunt for a few elephants this time.”

Speaker of the House Mike Hubbard (R-Auburn) said Common Core will be a priority in 2014. He agrees with Beason it must be addressed now, and those in Alabama, not Washington, should set the standards for Alabama.

The Tea Party does have Governor Robert Bentley (R) on their side. He wants tough standards for their students, but does not want Washington to be involved:

“I am opposed to the federal control of our education system. And I’m opposed to the Common Core because of the potential for federal intrusion,” said Gov. Robert Bentley in an emailed reply just last week.