https://www.facebook.com/CitizensConstitutionalCaucus
Have you heard the news?! NC has a plan to counter Common Core in the works! That’s right, a grass roots group of dedicated citizens from across the state is working tirelessly to put together a serious alternative to the CCSS in NC. While those in Raleigh appear to be content with the status quo in education, this group of citizens isn’t AND what’s more..they are seeking out other like minded persons to join in on the action. I can’t think of a better way to spend a Saturday afternoon, can you? (okay, college football season notwithstanding).
Who’s Behind This?:
The NC Citizens Constitutional Caucus is. The Caucus is a group of citizens who wish to aid and assist those elected officials who have committed to follow the U.S. Constitution and the state’s constitution. In addition, the Caucus has purposed itself to helping educate the people in state issues. The goal? To honor our country’s true way politics should work and can work.
What’s the Plan, Man?:
Quite simply, offering the students of NC a much better education than that of CCSS. The NCAFA, NC Academic Freedom Alliance, a portion of the NC Citizens Constitutional Caucus, has been meeting since late 2014. NCAFA has hosted some meetings and has been educating the general public on what CCSS is, how they have purposed to stop it, why they believe it’s not the best for NC, AND how you can be a part of the action! Meetings are free to attend, open to all interested in saving our students from the abysmal experiences they are having with CCSS. Pretty cool, huh?!
What’s the Replacement for CCSS?
The NCAFA is working quickly to have a complete set of CCSS free standards for NC as soon as possible. This is not to compete with the current NC Academic Standards Review Committee, but rather an option not previously being offered by anyone else to help solve the CCSS wreckage before it causes more unnecessary damage to NC’s educational system.
If you’re not familiar with NC’s past academic standards, then you’ll want to see what you can learn about the “Greensboro Plan”. GP was an excellent set of standards (so I’ve been told by veteran teachers who were extremely pleased with the standards and have studied them extensively) used in the Greensboro, NC area about 25 years ago or so. That is, until some ‘new fangled’ ones came along and the Greensboro Plan was sent to the archives. I’ll include the PDF file I was able to locate on the internet so you can get a taste of how serious the NCAFC is about quality education. From what I’ve understood, the GP will be the BASIS of what is developed as an offering for academic standards. Consider this undertaking a work in progress.
For a look at some of the Greensboro Plan (which is to be low cost, easily implemented, and highly successful), see: gp1
If you’d like to order the book the GP author wrote (which is still in publication, I believe, and will have the entire plan), http://www.criticalthinking.org/pages/the-greensboro-plan-infusing-reasoning-and-writing-into-the-k-12-curriculu/545 If you want to search your regular media outlet to see if they have it, here’s the ISBN number: ISBN: 0-944583-06-7
The book is well worth reading. It contains excellent quality educational ideas.
How Can I Help Out in NC?:
Excellent question! NCAFA is looking for volunteers from every county in the state. That’s 100 counties in all. Certainly, as many from each county are welcome..the more citizens we have, the better our team can be!
The counties will have a watchdog team captain. The captains (all 100) will lead their other county neighbors in what’s going on in the educational systems closest to them. Then, the state wide watchdog leader (that’s my new position) alerts the 100 to any news that’s breaking about CC in the state or nation. The 100 will then pass the word along. That way, quicker actions can be made across the state because everyone will be so well connected. It is NCAFA’s hope that other states will want to connect with this kind of effort. That way the states can begin to take back the sovereignty in education that Constiutionally-wise belongs to us. The group will also be taking a legislative approach to helping right the educational system in NC. So, if keeping an eye on the local school system isn’t your thing, you can help out legislature-wise.
While email will serve as the main communication, meetings across the state will afford us time to meet in person and put our heads together for a more effective results. Any other sort of communication mode will be used as well. Anything to get the word out as far and as wide as possible.
The next meeting is happening today (March 21st) in Charlotte. It’s free (donations are not required, but welcome) and open to all who are concerned about the damage CCSS in doing in the NC schools and wishes to be a part of the solution. We will meet at the Mecklenburg County Rec. Dept. of the Hickory Grove Elementary School, 6709 Pence Rd. We’ll get stared at 1:30 pm. If you can’t make that meeting, then there’s one set for April in Asheville, NC. The Facebook page will have the details, so be sure to locate the page.
https://www.facebook.com/NCAcademicFreedomAlliance
What Can I Do to Help if I Don’t Live in NC?:
Another great question! There’s plenty. You are in this fight for our students because you care. So do we. Any news that impacts the nation, will impact each of our states. So, if you discover something that you believe the state of NC should know about, share with the the leaders of NCAFA! If your state currently has a similar type endeavor to offer a truly credible set of standards to your state boards, work with us; let us know you’re out there! What have you found successful? What roadblocks have you experienced? Are you relying on older, more solid education standards or are is there an effort to write new ones that are CCSS free? Would you state want to join forces, have meetings, and keep an open flow of communication? Social media is doing a great deal of this for us already. However, the NCAFA is wanting to step up the action in this worthy journey. If you don’t have a similar group or project up and running but would like to start one, talk to the leadership of NCAFA! The group is dedicated to honoring the Constitution and the principles which made America great.
Worth Mentioning:
Researchers, educational experts all have shown and agree, a quality education doesn’t have to cost a fortune to implement; it doesn’t have to have an accompanying code book to be taught; it doesn’t have to high stakes assessments to prove our students are well rounded. We all are fighting for an education where our teachers aren’t punished, our principals not forced to dance to a P3’s tune, the school system can be run without federal control, and, our students can enjoy their time in the classroom.
An Audio File:
While I cannot find a video presentation of the March 7th debut of the NCAFA’s work in progress to replace CCSS, I can offer you the audio file link. The link can be found at: http://cctaxpayers.com/ccta-news/ (*Note: the audio is all the way at the bottom and is dated 2/2/15; this is a discussion that was to help promote the live unveiling of the NCAFA’s work called the “NC Plan”)
The NC Plan (as it is to be known by) was officially unveiled, in public, for the first time during the NC Coastal Tax Payers Association meeting on March 7th, 2015. I was honored to be present and introduced while there. (*Note, you may even remember my live tweets from the meeting) I must say, it is truly refreshing to see a set of standards that builds up students, respects teachers, and honors our nation.
I look forward to sharing more, to meeting new folks, and continuing to kill CCSS. Join me!
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