In the News - Common Core Opponent Wins Local Election

This is how I spent part of my Saturday morning--standing out holding signs at the polls for a local candidate who was running for School Committee.

Patricia Gordon easily secured a seat on the Hampden-Wilbraham Regional School Committee. Gordon, a retired teacher at Minnechaug Regional High School, ran as an Independent candidate for one of two open seats in a three-way race.

While I haven't been heavily involved in local politics since 2003, I felt it important to support a candidate who believes every child is a "unique and different person and and needs to be treated as such in the classroom." Gordon believes in a grass roots approach to education, not in federal standards that concerned citizens--myself included--believe squash creativity in the classroom for teachers and students.

Gordon has called Common Core "a rigid technology laden approach to learning, which dictates spending a lot more money on technology improvements, according to the state’s timeline." We're already seeing some of these changes in the classroom when we visit for events. I've also seen what my daughters bring home for homework these days and I can't believe this is a way to make today's children more successful. Here is an example of a math problem posted on 94.7 WMAS Springfield, MA's Facebook page today. Please tell me how we are helping to prepare our children for a brighter future this way?

As Freedomworks contributor Julie Borowski says in her article titled, "Top 10 Reasons to Oppose Common Core," Common Core is bad for teachers, bad for parents, and bad for students.

Congratulations to Pat Gordon for securing a seat on the Hampden-Wilbraham Regional School Committee. I pray this means good things for the children, families, and teachers here.