Entries by Chris Quackenbush

School ‘Accountability’ Gone Wild

Children should not be measured like products of “factory style” schools, where we sort out the “defective” student products and throw them away. They should be educated based on their individual, God given spark of genius, to be the best they can be. When you test a monkey, a fish, and an elephant on their […]

Common Core, who supports it, who opposes it and why. The final battle for freedom…

WHO ARE THE PLAYERS? The Left:  loves the upside down history rewritten to show America’s heroes as villains, loves the super sexed texts and progressive themes.  Loves the emphasis on politically correct “group think” over individual responsibility, loves the humanist approach and moral relativity taught today, loves the “one World” theme of equalizing outcomes. They […]

Why our Schools are Failing — Part II

This is part two in a series of articles on the complex issues surrounding the national debate over the controversial Common Core. To read Part I click here. Our faulty, Common Core Standards HOW THE STANDARDS WERE WRITTEN Diane Ravich, education historian, wrote an excellent article in the Washington Post on her top reason for rejecting […]

The Logic of Testing  – Common Sense, NOT Common Core

Our Florida State and Federal legislators claim we must hold schools accountable for results so that they, the government, can cost justify the expense of education to the taxpayers.  Since 1985, they have increased their emphasis on testing, culminating in No Child Left Behind, Race to the Top and Common Core. Well, let’s see how […]

The Florida FIX was IN: How Jeb Bush and his puppets threw our kids under the bus

A group of concerned experts got together to create logical and thoughtful solutions (HB1121 and SB1496), informed by other states’ efforts to remove Common Core and high stakes testing.  We were excited to present the best solutions we’d seen nationwide.  We trooped off to Tallahassee and presented this to as many Florida legislators as possible. […]

Common Core: Into the Bowels of the Beast

This week, Once again, several grassroots activists fighting to restore local control and to bring common sense not common core to education, headed off for the long drive to Tallahassee.  Bob Root, of American Patriot News hosted us from the outskirts of the city and we helped put his excellent papers together for distribution. We […]

Florida: Bill introduced to reduce Common Core mandated testing — But does it?

Florida State Senator John Legg has presented a new bill February 2, 2015 with much fanfare, Education Accountability – SB 616. Like most other efforts by those who created the problem, this one creates more questions than answers.  His bill attempts to solve the problem of too much testing by simply demanding that schools should limit […]

Florida Association of District School Superintendents and FL School Boards Association partner with Pearson and other Corporate Cronies

Today I received the newest policy release from the Florida Association of District School Superintendents.  To say that I was disappointed is an understatement.  It pledges full support for Common Core by name.  The new report advocates convoluted minor reforms to adjust to changes and declining student performance which they do not understand, or will not address. Joy […]

ACTION ALERT: Common Core and High Stakes Testing Smoking Gun Information

Here’s important information I heard in the Florida State Senate Pre K-12 Education Committee hearing I attended in Tallahassee January 7, 2015.  At hour 1:15, after Commissioner Pam Stewart’s presentation, Senator Gaetz said this: “Here’s what I’ve learned today” “We don’t know how much time is consumed by Statewide Assessments.” “We don’t know how much money […]

Florida Common Core: If you’re not catching flak you’re not over the target!

It is often said, If you’re not catching flak you’re not over the target, so we must be mighty close in our battle against Common Core. Jeb Bush decided he’s had quite enough, and has “lost patience” with Common Core opponents, he said in a December 2nd article.  What he means is we should stop upsetting […]