Alabama teacher-turned-Senator: Common Core has to go

Alabama has a “common” dilemma; one many other states around the country have taken steps to resolve.

As a State Senator, as a retired public school teacher of twenty-five years, and most importantly as a father, I am passionate about providing students in Alabama with the best education possible. I believe the purpose of education is to prepare, enable, and inspire students to fulfill their dreams. During their time in school, they need to be taught how to think, not what to think.

Today, we have a problem facing our state education system, but one for which there is a logical path to resolution. The unproven, new Common Core standards, which replaced Alabama’s previously praised state-driven standards, are limiting our ability to excel and putting our students at risk. The objective of Common Core to raise standards is not bad, but why would we be “common” when we could be the best? Why would we follow a path on which we have very little control of the final destination?

I can understand that the business community sees Common Core a way to show that Alabama is like other states and not “subpar.” I can agree with parents and conservative activities that are riled by the data collection components and many of the questionable education standards. However, reaching an effective, student-centered solution has been hindered by unwavering supporters and unmovable opponents. In response to this issue, I have filed Senate Bill 101 to start a dialog on the issue.

This legislation arose from the outcry I heard in my district and across the state. Parents are flustered, and teachers are frozen. Education Next, a group that polls about education every year, showed in their 2014 national survey that support for Common Core among teachers has dropped from 76% to 46%. These are the talented, educated individuals we entrust every day to impart knowledge to our children, and they do not support Common Core. Sadly, many of them are afraid to speak up on the issue in fear of retribution from school administration and the education bureaucracy.

So how do we move forward? The best way is to gain an understanding of why supporters like and why opponents assail the Common Core standards. Opponents do not like the limitation of local control, lack of data security, and over-standardization of the classroom under the standards, while supporters argue that creating high standards that will meet the future needs of the global economy is vital to our education system.

As a state, we should raise standards, but we should also enable teachers to tailor their lessons to their classroom needs. We should consider what tools our students will need to succeed in the future economy, but we should also protect their individuality and their privacy. The business community should be given a seat at the table, but parents and local school boards should have the final say. Finding a solution does not mean we have to repeal Common Core in its entirety, but rather we only preserve the components that are effective while addressing its glaring failures. These are principles that should unite all sides. When opponents and supporters approach the issue with an “all-or-nothing” stance, no one wins.

In this debate, it’s time to stop demoralizing the other side, to set aside our differences, and to focus on a solution that will empower our students. I believe it is time for Alabama to lead, not to be “common.” We can only have a world-class education system if we have the freedom to locally control all aspects of our educational standards through the valued input of parents, educators, and business leaders. Retooling the system to have our own state standards is not a mark of regression, but a step toward improving on the foundation already built.

I am committed to acting as a voice of reason and an advocate for our students, parents, and businesses on this issue. I believe that by listening to stakeholders and identifying best practices, we can find a student-centered solution that will make Alabama proud.

Over these next several weeks, I will engage all interested parties and create an environment where we can find points of agreement. Once this is accomplished, I will continue to make sure the legislation achieves for Alabama the highest standards possible, so that other states and the world take notice of our commitment to educational greatness.

Thank you in advance for your feedback on this incredibly important project that will yield positive dividends for Alabama for years to come.

Senator Rusty Glover, a retired educator, represents District 34 (Mobile County) in the Alabama State Senate.