Your Opinion: Common Core teachings

Dear Editor:

The Constitution puts great emphasis on personal liberties and places firm limits on governmental powers that affect the rights of individuals.

George Orwell's book "1984" is a frightening portrait at a totalitarian society that punishes love, destroys privacy and distorts truth.

Brainwashing is the common name used for a method of changing a person's beliefs, standards and ways of behavior.

I believe that Al-Quaeda is responsible for 9-11. We landed on the moon, Oswald assassinated JFK and Common Core is the instrument of indoctrination.

Under the Constitution each state operates its own school system. The states allow local school districts much freedom in planning their own curriculum. In spite of the lack of central control there are many similarities among school curriculum throughout the United States.

During the late 1950s and 1960s social problems forced the development of new ideas and attitudes. For example, the exploration of space and the growth of computer technology caused a demand for more engineers, mathematicians and scientists.

In the early 1970s crime, drug abuse and poverty resulted in increasingly serious problems. Many schools turned to their communities for help in meeting such demands. Community councils were set up to advise some schools. Community volunteers and tutors helped in classrooms and took part in other activities. In some communities schools without walls permitted older students to pursue their studies in libraries and museums. Some of these students gained practical experience in business, industry, government and social agencies.

During the 1990s Common Core grew out of the question of practicality and matter of convenience. It rests on party lines and not on our beliefs and values. The far left decided it was much easier to achieve political change and social improvement by government action by lowering the bar of expectation for students through our school system.

In Common Core students are taught only the far left ideology. In the social sciences students are taught only the official version. They have little chance to learn about or discuss other points of view. Some facts in history textbooks are changed to agree with the party line. Other facts are simply not mentioned at all.

In 2013 the federal Department of Education bypassed Congress and approached the states with a proposal for money if they accepted Common Core as an education policy set at the federal level. Gov. Nixon promptly bypassed the state legislature and accepted the proposal.

"Freedom is a precious commodity. Like virtue, once it is given up it is difficult, if not impossible, to regain." Cal Thomas.