Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee’s campaign sent out a supporter e-mail on Friday. He does NOT like Common Core:
That is one heck of a strong statement. By my count, that is five instances of “kill Common Core” and four instances of “abolish the Department of Education.”
It will be interesting to hear more from Huckabee in the coming weeks and months as he continues to flesh out his position. Will he, for example, speak to Common Core’s low quality? Does he recognize that the old California and Massachusetts standards were far better? Will he propose policy solutions to safeguard state and local decision-making? And how specifically will he champion student privacy issues, as he appears willing to do?
For more on Huckabee’s positions and history regarding these issues, see the Common Core report card we issued last week.
Jon Schweppe is Deputy Director of Communications for American Principles in Action.
1 comment
You know what Mike, you’ve said publicly several times that you were opposed to common core, but privately said Let’s not give up on it. You were in the National Governor’s Association in 2004 when it created Achieve Inc. and President of it in 2005. Achieve Inc’s first attempt at a national set of standards was the American Diploma Project. ADP’s President testified in NY that their work was the basis for Common Core. You can afford to take a public position now that you oppose CC because you know that there are other pathways still open to get these national standards into states. The big point is, whether you’ve had a change of heart on this issue or not, we have several other candidates to choose from who have steadfastly remained opposed to common core, data collection and a nationalized attempt at a planned economy. You’re going to have to live with the bad reputation you frankly have earned and hear what so many other parents have to hear now from their schools. “We know you don’t like it, but you’re just going to have to live with it.”
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