It’s been a month since Emmett reported on John Kasich’s ill-advised Common Core comments in South Carolina. Evidently, the Ohio governor still hasn’t gotten the memo that Common Core is poised to be a major issue in the 2016 presidential campaign.
While on a visit to a New Hampshire community college this week, Kasich was asked for his thoughts on the repeal of Common Core being a prominent issue in Ted Cruz’s Monday speech. Kasich responded:
“Sometimes things get to be political, they get to be runaway Internet issues. I’ve looked at it. The federal government did not tell us what test to give, the federal government did not tell us what the standards ought to be. It was set by governors. And some of the governors that set the standards are now saying they don’t like the program. You ought to ask them the question.”
It appears Kasich’s strategy for defusing the issue is to paint Common Core opponents as a bunch of online conspiracy theorists who have no real basis for complaint. This is not only inaccurate but also insulting to the parents and teachers who have done their research and have numerous legitimate reasons for opposing the flawed Common Core initiative.
Many other governors and legislators of both parties have realized this, which is why the movement to end Common Core has spread so quickly and seen such great successes in a relatively short period of time. If anyone is trying to ignore reality on this issue, it’s Gov. Kasich.
Paul Dupont is a legislative assistant for American Principles in Action.
