Nixon's trip to Jackson a missed opportunity

By Jan Farrar

On Wednesday, a group of concerned citizens assembled outside Jackson Middle School to protest the adoption of the Common Core State Standards Initiative (CCSSI). As Missouri Gov. Jeremiah Nixon visited the school to promote his "Good Schools, Good Jobs" plan, local citizens took the opportunity to bring more awareness to their concerns regarding Common Core.

In 2009, Nixon bypassed the Missouri Legislature and Missouri parents, signing the state up for the CCSSI and effectively handing control of the education of our children over to the federal government. The notion the CCSSI was developed in a state-led effort has been thoroughly debunked.

It is interesting he chose to talk to children promoting a "global community" and "common standards" that will conscribe our children to be subject to that community and academically substandard. The education system he promotes will develop children as predetermined-assembly-line items rather than creating higher standards of education that would provide more engineers, doctors, business leaders and entrepreneurs. Wouldn't it have been more appropriate that he meet with the parents of these same children and explain why he thinks it's necessary to remove the educational control of our children from the local parents, teachers, school administrators and elected school board members?

These standards were developed by private trade organizations outside of the control of Missouri educators and legislators -- contrary to the propaganda and talking points disseminated by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Prior to Common Core, Missouri had Grade Level Expectations (GLE) that were developed by educational experts in Missouri and ranked third in the nation.

The real question to ask Gov. Nixon is why he is promoting dumbing down the education of our children?

Jan Farrar is a Gordonville resident.