What happens in each state reminds us that we are all connected. Politicians vie for elected positions and education school officials take advantageous stands. To be for or against Common Core State Standards is ever-changing. How much of this depends on who makes decisions? Is it a Governor who hopes to become President of the United States? Is it a State School Superintendent or is it we, the people…and who are “we.” Are we ever the same? What perhaps is predictable is that there will be conflict. People who say that what we do is for the children may wish to bear witness to what becomes of that claim.

In Louisiana we have what may be seen as example. Governor Bobby Jindal and State School Superintendent bicker. Jindal began the current battle by declaring he was getting the state out of Common Core, which he himself had once supported. At present, Governor Jindal posits that the standards are deficient. Yesterday, these same standards were efficient; an efficient means for climbing the political ladder. That has not changed. What is different is that now, there is an odd coalition. The Tea Party and teachers unions have come together. The two vehemently and vociferously oppose Common Core State Standards. This is the electorate. Parents and people who care about the future of our children have taken a stand! Politicians desirous of their votes ceded to their demands.

Indiana, Oklahoma and South Carolina legislators have withdrawn their support for what was once a bipartisan agreement. Will Louisiana be the next state to bow out? Well, that all depends.

[Consider political positioning and for-profit agendas. Then look into the ring. In one corner we have a Presidential aspirant. In the other we have a School Superintendent who sees Education as a privilege. Who is right and who speaks for the “Right”? There is the question; who speaks for the children?]

Moments after Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal (R) issued an executive order that declared he would withdraw his state from the Common Core education standards, Education Chief John White chimed in. “The state will continue to implement the Common Core standards.” White said, “We are not willing to subject our children to last-minute changes to throw our system into educational chaos.” And Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, President Chas Roemer observed the dispute is “purely political.”

Longtime Louisiana resident and Educator, Dr. Raynard Sanders offers his opinion and updates us on the situation….

“This Louisiana Gov. Jindal versus Superintendent of Education White thing is really insane, both them supported the Common Core which is more failed practices for the children of Louisiana in 2010. Now Jindal opposes it because of his presidential aspirations and White continues to support because of his aspirations to be the national patriot of the for profit education industry (Gates, Broad and the Walton’s).

Since Jindal removed Louisiana a couple of weeks ago from the Common Core school districts and parents in Louisiana are in limbo as to what assessment tests students will have to take next school year (which starts in 6-8 weeks). On Tuesday, White and Chas Roemer (President of the BESE Board) vowed to fight Jindal and push through a motion to hire attorneys to sue Jindal. Now it seems that White and Roemer need the approval of the Louisiana Attorney General and maybe Jindal to hire special counsel and today Jindal suspended White’s authority to sign contracts.

It appears now that the parents and school districts are just left hanging while these two aspirants battle each other in the press…of course the parents and schools are not important.”

Perhaps. But perhaps this scenario makes for a better education. Might it be that this brouhaha is an opportunity to begin what could be the vital conversation? Imagine how wondrous it would be if no tests were delivered. Won’t that be great? Our youth would be given an opportunity to authentically learn, think, and be authentically assessed! Let us leave those who love to bicker bickering! Leave the political and profiteering opportunists behind. Our children cannot wait!

Common Core Battle Escalates
BESE head: Students losing in this fight

By Mike Hasten | Originally Published at Shreveport Times., July 3, 2014

BATON ROUGE — The Jindal administration has taken its battle with Superintendent John White to a new level, canceling some of the Department of Education’s contract authority to get the department to stop implementing Common Core.

White received notice from the administration Wednesday, one day after the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education voted to seek legal advice on whether the Governor’s Office is overstepping is authority, that he could no longer approve contracts involving more than $2,000.

BESE President Chas Roemer says the dispute is “purely political” and Gov. Bobby Jindal is playing to an audience. He said students are the ones who are losing in the fight.

Jindal began the fight by declaring he was getting the state out of Common Core and the related test, known as PARCC. He then got his Division of Administration to block a contract for purchasing tests for the state’s accountability program and ordered an investigation into the education department’s testing purchases.

That prompted BESE and his administration to vote Tuesday to enlist an attorney, at no expense, to advise it on the legality and constitutionality of Jindal’s actions.

Late Wednesday, the administration greatly curtailed the Department of Education’s authority to approve contracts.

“Any professional, personal, consulting or social services contracts exceeding $2,000 which your agency enters into from this date forward will require the approval of the Office of Contractural Review,” Pamela Rice, interim director of the office, said in message to White.

The department had authority to approve contracts up to $20,000.

Commissioner of Administration Kristy Nichols said in a statement Thursday that “OCR’s review of state education assessment contracts uncovered concerns related to DOE’s compliance with procurement procedures. For this reason, it is important that any new contracts be reviewed by OCR to ensure compliance with applicable laws, regulations and executive orders.”

White responded, “We continue to have concerns that the administration’s actions are unconstitutional and illegal. We will not cease our efforts to raise expectations for the children of Louisiana.”

BESE, a constitutionally established body, wants an expert in constitutional law to advise board members on the legality and constitutionality of the governor’s actions. The approval includes the possibility of filing suit against the governor to get a court decision.

But Nichols also has put a clamp on that move, too, by citing state law that gives her, along with the attorney general, authority to rule on whether BESE can enlist an attorney. She says it applies even if it’s free advice and representation.

State law (R.S. 49:258) says, “Any appointment of private legal counsel to represent the state or a state agency shall be made by the attorney general with the concurrence of the commissioner of administration.” It also spells out the procedure that must be used in assembling the contract.

Nichols’ office said she also gets to participate in setting the contract guidelines and participate in the appointment process.

Choice Foundation, a New Orleans charter school group that supports Common Core, said it would support a lawsuit by BESE and its board members are considering filing a suit if BESE can’t.

Barry Erwin, president of the Council for a Better Louisiana, said the administration’s actions to limit the Department of Education have “the appearance of inappropriate heavy-handedness related to the governor’s opposition to Common Core and related testing. A disturbing pattern seems to be emerging.”

Erwin asserts that there’s “no explanation other than that the administration is using inappropriate and overreaching administrative tactics to scuttle Common Core testing contrary to the intentions of the Legislature and BESE. That would be wrong.”

Legislators killed every attempt to get the state out of its commitment to implement Common Core. Some bills sought to create “Louisiana Standards” and a related test.

BESE unanimously voted in 2010 to participate in Common Core.

It has since reaffirmed its commitment, but three members object.

Related Read White, BESE “Special Counsel” Subject to Attorney General Approval. By Mercedes Schneider. deutsche29. July 2, 2014

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