The more one learns about the Common Core Standards, the more one has to ask, “Why is the federal government pushing this on the country?” And, by the way, this is not just about standards, but curriculum and standardized testing. There are far more negatives in this decision than positives.

These standards are lower or equal to what many states are now using. The only mathematician on the Common Core Validation Committee concluded that the math standards were too low and inadequate to prepare students for college and refused to sign off on them.

The students’ progress is accessed by standardized testing. Therefore, the curriculum is controlled by these tests. These tests will be used for college entrance, so all schools (public, private, religious) and homeschooled students will be taught this curriculum.

Common Core takes control away from states, school districts, and parents.

Common Core gives unprecedented access to students’ personal information to schools and third parties. The federal administration made changes to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act broadening what information can be collected and shared.

Common Core will require mega-dollars to purchase the “products” required to implement it.

With these serious concerns, we must ask some serious questions.

W. Steven Wilson, a professor of mathematics at John Hopkins University, said there are some states with clearly better standards in place now. Why are we not using these standards in all states?

Why were the standards developed without public debate, without legislative enactment, and without more teacher collaboration?

Where will the accountability be? Until now, parents could go directly to their school districts and state legislatures for accountability.

Why is adoption of these standards a requirement for states if they want waivers from No Child Left Behind and funding, especially when they were required to do so before they could see all of it. The tests will not even be ready until 2014-15.

Why were the Common Core Standards not internationally benchmarked so American students can compete in a global market?

When you look at how all this lays out, you must ultimately ask, “Is this more about control than educating students?”

LINDA ECKARD

Retired teacher Bentonville