Issue Position: Experimentation on children

Issue Position

Submitted via email by candidate

I will never use our children for experimentation. Back in the 1950s a new concept called "New Math" went nationwide. It failed. The superintendent thinks she is so good that she can bring it back under the name "Common Core Math". Now college educated parents cannot help their 2nd-grade children with their math homework.

Back in the 1950s a new concept called "Sight Reading" went nationwide. It failed. The superintendent thinks she is so good that she can bring it back under the name "Common Core Close Reading." Now our state pass rates have gone from almost 80% in 2012 to about 40% now. You figure how successful that is.

Back in the 1970s a new concept was introduced called "Open Classroom" promoted as "Schools Without Walls" went nationwide. The first thing done when the buildings were occupied was build walls This failed. But the superintendent thinks she is so good she can bring it back under the name "Common Core Project-Based Learning". Common Core Project-Based Learning is being promoted with DPI tax dollars through the movie "Most Likely to Succeed." The superintendent has told everyone that she will make sure this is implemented statewide as soon as possible. But Mr. Dintersmith, the producer of this movie, said Project-Based Learning is unproven, thus an experiment. Mr. Dintersmith also said it could up to take up to 15 years before we know if this works. This means our children entering school NEXT YEAR will graduate before we know IF this works. So, if this fails, are we going to tell students, "Well you are adults now, we're sorry you are not prepared for life. Good luck"? We need to decide why we are sending our children to school. Are we sending them to learn what they need to be successful in life or to be Human Capital Guinea Pigs for the superintendent to experiment on? The superintendent has planned to turn every school in North Dakota into her own Experimental laboratory and our children and grandchildren into her lab rats.

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