Release: Guthrie School Board calls for end to Common Core

A day after the Guthrie Board of Education passed a resolution for an end to Common Core standards in Oklahoma, Board President Travis Sallee and Legislative Liaison Jennifer Bennett Johnson, whom also serves on the school board, issued the following press release on the school district’s letterhead.

In what is believed to be an Oklahoma first; a local Oklahoma school district has approved a resolution calling for an end to Common Core Standards in Oklahoma. The Guthrie Board of Education approved the resolution during its Monday night meeting in Guthrie.

Those who supported the resolution believe that solid education of children is the responsibility of parents and the local board where there is maximum accountability and transparency regarding educational standards, curriculum, policies and programs. However, the Common Core Standards adopted by the State Legislature and the Oklahoma State Board of Education, without the input of local boards of education, erodes the principle of local control and surrenders our sovereignty to a national consortium of special interest groups with no accountability at the local level.

The now-approved resolution places the Guthrie Board in opposition to the Common Core Standards initiative, by any name, and supports the decision to withdraw from the P.A.R.C.C. assessments, and urges the prohibition of any Common Core aligned assessments.

“The Guthrie Board of Education supports strong standards and accountability in education, and believes the State of Oklahoma should protect its sovereignty to control and develop standards that reflect the interest and values of its citizens rather than subjugating them to unaccountable corporate and special interest groups,” explained Board President Travis Sallee.

“The Common Core Standards limit educational freedom by limiting autonomy, teacher creativity, best practices and cannot be replaced or modified. It relies heavily on standardized testing, which drives instruction that teaches to the test and limits the teacher’s ability to differentiate instruction,” added Legislative Liaison Jennifer Bennett Johnson.

The resolution urges the State Legislature to repeal the Common Core Standards, and prohibit any state official from entering into agreements that cede any control of education to groups outside the state, prohibit the development of standards by entities outside the State of Oklahoma and ensure full transparency in the development of curriculum and standards with the input of local boards of education, and requests the State School Board Association to circulate this Resolution to all member organizations for consideration and adoption.