Florida is one of 17 states where some parents are deciding to keep their children home from school today to protest Common Core standards -- a set of national standards that were developed to give all states common goals and benchmarks.
"November 18th is being touted as "DON'T SEND YOUR CHILD TO SCHOOL DAY," according to a web page promoting the "event."
Disparate groups hate the Common Core standards for various reasons -- tea party types see them as an intrusion of the federal government into local issues and a violation of privacy, while liberals and some teachers see them as imposing too much administration, disrespecting teachers' knowledge at the local or individual level and taking away their flexibility.
"As parents, we claim the privilege of directing our childrens' educations, free from SLDS (state longitudinal database tracking systems), free from Common Core-aligned testing, standards, or "model" curriculum; free from private trade group EIMAC/CCSSO data collection, free from federal micromanagement, free from federal "accountability"; free from the both student and teacher data mining and tracking that is offensive to individual liberty and to Constitutional, local control."
The website's press release states:
"This event is part of a national protest against the Common Core State Standards and it will take place in every state across this great country!
The eighteenth of November is significant to our movement, not only because this is the first day of American Education Week, but it is also Revolution Day!! Organizers are encouraging parents, students, teachers, and others to join the cause...
Please participate in this event and encourage everyone you know to do the same! We recommend that you keep your children out of school on November 18th and help us send a message to the federal government. We the people want evidence-based curriculum that is locally controlled and which does not require data mining our children. Instead of sending your children to school on November 18th, get your children out in public and raise awareness by educating others on the dangers of the Common Core State Standards!!!"
Parents and educators nationwide have released an executive order, demanding an end to the use of unauthorized student data mining. They have posted the following graphic to their site explaining their stance:
Other states participating include New York, Connecticut, Michigan, Tennessee, Ohio, Louisiana, Kentucky, Illinois, South Carolina, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, West Virginia, North Carolina, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Alaska, according to The Free Patriot.
