Scott Schneider has been fighting for democratic dialogue
Indiana State Senator Scott Schneider, an education reformer in Indiana, has been a leader in fighting to ensure that the Indiana legislature gets input into the decision of whether to adopt the Common Core Standards.
He called a hearing to investigate the Common Core Standards. Experts testified at the overwhelming cost, content, and legal issues associated with the Common Core.
Senator Schneider, believing the issue deserved legislative input, drafted a resolution that calls for the investigation of the Common Core by a study committee:
“Indiana has long been acknowledged nationally for having high education standards and many are concerned that moving to Common Core State Standards would be a significant step away from the expectations we currently have in math and English,” Schneider said. “It’s my hope the study committee will thoroughly examine national standards compared to locally developed state standards to ensure we are not going backwards.”
Senate Resolution 38, which passed out of committee by a vote of 10-0, calls on the Legislative Council to establish an interim study committee to examine:
• Implementation of the recently adopted Common Core State Standards in Indiana
• Appropriateness of adopting future Common Core State Standards for Hoosier students
• Whether or not the Common Core State Standards are at least as rigorous as Indiana’s nationally recognized standards
• If there is any impact from national standards to locally developed standards
“Many national subject matter experts in math and English agree Indiana’s current standards, established as a result of input from parents, teachers and education leaders in their respected fields of expertise, are higher than the Common Core State Standards’. But with very little public input or knowledge our education leaders voted to lower the bar by switching to the Common Core. I find this unacceptable and believe Hoosiers expect more of our education system.”
The resolution, having sailed unanimously through the committee, now passes to the full Indiana Senate for consideration.
Senator Schneider deserves to be congratulated for being an effective voice demanding that the Common Core Standards should be subjected to a full-fledged evidence-based democratic debate. This sort of debate will shine the light of truth on what has been thus far a backroom, prohibitively expensive, undemocratic, special interest-driven, mediocrity-laden rush to nationalize education policy.