“You do not need a PhD in education to understand this”, Christie said.
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Kasich didn’t mention the standards by name and said multiple times that picking standards should be done locally.
And Christie wasn’t the only one in the spotlight at the education summit. Said cash and a few other trinkets, like waivers from the federal No Child Left Behind law, would be forthcoming as long as these states signed onto the Common Core reform.
The word political was a qualification to the sentiment Christie expressed in an interview earlier this month with CNN’s Jake Tapper – spurring the president of the American Federation of Teachers, Randi Weingarten, to accuse Christie of promoting “a culture of violence”. The review came in response to loud criticism of Common Core. “When something doesn’t work that we try, we then have to change it”.
Common Core State Standards, which outline K-12 standards and expectations that its developers hoped all states would adopt, is among Bush’s biggest liabilities with the conservative base.
“Common Core?”
However, a couple of candidates sought to show they can work with unions, while reassuring conservatives here that their policies prioritized children over teachers.
Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker used the sympathetic audience to tout his clashes with labor unions.
To his fellow teachers, he said, “I’m not the villain, and you’re not the villain”. “I think some of this stuff ought to be bundled up, block grants ought to be given to expand these programs that are totally effective at a lower cost”. “I think the people are responsible for holding the governors accountable”.
Members of the National Education Association, including teachers from New Hampshire, Maine and Connecticut, say the Republican candidates only want to knock down teachers and diminish public school resources.
Jeb Bush, a leading proponent of the education plan now often derided as “Obamacore”, tempered his language on the issue before the crowd at Londonderry High School in Londonderry, New Hampshire.
Former Florida governor Jeb Bush said teachers support education reforms – such as allowing students to progress through subjects at their own pace and possibly graduate early – but teachers’ unions don’t.
Ohio Gov. John Kasich isn’t backing away from his support for the Common Core standards, which separates him from many of his GOP rivals.
“I don’t write the [curriculum, ] President Obama doesn’t write the [curriculum]”, said Kasich. The group is planning a similar forum in Iowa in October. “I’m not gonna change my positions because there’s four people in the front row yelling at me …”
“You know them”, Bush said. When they do talk about education, the large Republican field – 17 candidates – typically debates the merits of Common Core. “There should be no federal involvement in curriculum or standards to be sure, either directly or indirectly”.
“When Washington spends more money, the quality of education in this nation does not improve”, she said. Instead, Fiorina said she would look for someone whose top priority would be to audit the Department of Education to better determine its legitimate functions.
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Both Kasich and Bush have supported Common Core educational standards in the past, although Kasich avoided providing a direct yes or no answer about whether he still supports the standards while onstage Wednesday.
