Bill Gerling
Jefferson City
Dear Editor:
Common Core was not an Obama initiative. It was an initiative on the part of the National Governor’s Association and the Council of Chief State School Officers (commissioners and state superintendents). The purpose was to provide rigorous uniform standards among states for testing and comparison purposes. Obama offered competitive grants to states producing strong academic standards but Common Core counted only 40 out of 500 points in the grant evaluations. Common Core covered only math and language arts but incorporated concepts from other content areas as well. It was adopted and then dropped by Missouri after many school districts and state had spent money to adopt and implement it. Missouri Learning Standards were written and adopted after millions had been spent on the Common Core because certain legislators and a few members of the public objected to them.
American history, civics and government are required in all Missouri school districts for graduation — Common Core would not have eliminated them as alleged.
The federal government did not take over the entire college loan industry as alleged. However, students are attracted to it for lower interest rates, no credit checks, and possibility of loan forgiveness through public service. If loan payments are late or defaulted one’s credit score will take a plunge. If one settles for less than amount owed it remains on credit history for seven years and taxes are paid on the difference. The cost of college has increased 538 percent since 1985. Some reasons for increases are inflated demand as 56 percent drop out without a degree in six years, marketing, lack of state funding, and administrative costs. There has been massive fraud among some higher education institutions such as Trump University, which was forced to pay former students $25 million as the result of fraudulent promises. Trump will take this as a tax write-off while students will pay taxes on the settlement.
The claim that most immigrants are uneducated is refuted by the fact that 30 percent of immigrants over 25 years of age had a bachelor’s degree vs. 31 percent of native Americans. It will take funds to educate new immigrants but the ultimate result will be a richer and more diverse America.
I do agree that drugs have robbed society of useful labor. Part of this has been fomented by doctors and drug companies who have helped feed the opioid epidemic.