I hate even to acknowledge John Merrow's most recent venture into not having a clue, but his attempt at humor is yet more evidence that the evidence doesn't matter:
The Common Core and the End of the World
In Merrow's evidence-free world, all who question the Mighty Common Core are nothing more than end-of-the-world loonies. To investigative journalist Merrow, Rand Paul, Anthony Cody, and Diane Ravitch are of equal credibility (that is, not credible).
That's pure and utter lunacy.
While it appears that many of today's media voices are unable to consider more than a dualistic view of the universe, the facts remain that some Common Core shouting (the Beck, Maulkin, Tea Party kind) is without evidence, and serves only a predetermined "I hate gov'ment" agenda.
But many educators, academics, and scholars have credible concerns behind calls for slowing down and even abandoning Common Core. To that, I posted at Merrow's blog:
This is an ill-informed attempt at snark (I guess). The entire piece lacks credibility as it conflates too many unrelated positions, but this post does illustrate that just because you CAN compare doesn’t make the comparisons valid.
Many educators and scholars have credible and evidence-based concerns about Common Core; in fact, the evidence is overwhelming that we have no need for new or “better” standards and/or tests. The entire 30-year experiment with standards-/test-based accountability has done only harm.
A better post would address that some wailing about CC is petty and uninformed, but that other concerns are important and thus should be informing policy.
A little evidence:
http://atthechalkface.com/...
NEPC review of Common Core: http://nepc.colorado.edu/...