SPECIAL DELIVERY: June needed paper. Dan gave her some paper.
Well, that didn’t take long.
Lt Gov. Dan Forest sent DPI Secretary June Atkinson roughly 20 pages worth of questions about the controversial Common Core curriculum. Did Lt. Dan get his answers?
Not exactly. Atkinson’s team at DPI responded by telling Forest’s office that they would need him to supply 10,000 pieces of paper to respond to his questions. (It’s astounding that a state agency with a $7.5 BILLION annual budget would need to bum some paper. )
Well, Lt. Dan — being the Southern gentleman that he is — came to the rescue of Miss June. He sent over exactly 10,000 sheets of paper so the good folks in Atkinson’s office could get to work on his questions.
Of course, the steno pool at McClatchy showed some concern about this:
Forest is a member of the State Board of Education. No word on how much time and money it will take DPI to answer his questions or how long Forest’s state-paid staff will spend going through the answers.
Really? Can you imagine how these “newshounds” would have reacted if DPI Secretary John Tedesco had responded like this to Democrat Lt. Gov. Linda Coleman? Lt. Dan is DOING HIS JOB — what he was hired to do. DPI Secretary June Atkinson — presiding over a public school system where 2/3 of high school graduates entering the state’s community colleges need remedial coursework — IS NOT.
I love it. Sounds like the LtGov called her bluff. Wonder what the next excuse will be?
She’s clueless to what CC is, can’t explain it, just seemed like a good progressive piece of legislation to June Peolsi.
Gina, I am very familiar with the Common Core. It requires students to learn how to add, multiple, subtract, divide, and learn how to use fractions, decimals, percentages, algebraic and geometric functions to solve problems. The Common Core also requires students to learn how to read, write, listen, and speak, as well as how to spell and punctuate. If you will give me a call at 919, 807.3432, I will be glad to explain what I know about the Common Core. I will also be glad to meet with you face to face and go over each standard K-12.
June, ALL school programs do those things. It is the devil in the details that you KNOW about and don’t want to reveal. And by the way, if you have so much time to take phone calls and meet with citizens personally, why don’t you set up a meeting with the Lt Gov?
Common Core is going down. Please stop fighting it and do what is right for our kids.
June, have you considered the constitutionality of a federally standardized curriculum? http://whatiscommoncore.wordpress.com/2012/07/22/defending-the-constitution-requires-rejecting-common-core/
I am confused, Dr. Atkinson! I thought those requirements were always the responsibility of the educators in this state. I didn’t realize they were something newly implemented over the last few years due to common core. Thank you for clearing that up for us! It explains the statistics concerning our graduates.
I am confused, Dr. Atkinson! I thought those requirements were always the responsibilty of the educators in this state. I didn’t realize they were something newly implemented over the last few years due to common core. Thank you for clearing that up for us! It explains the statistics concerning our graduates.
Well look there Ms. Atkinson, you answered Mr. Forest’s question in less than 100 words.
So why don’t you explain common core!?
Aren’t public schools supposed to already be about requiring students to add, multiple (muliply), subtract, divide, etcetera? What’s so special about this creation of private interests in conjunction with the National Governor’s Association?
The ‘explainers’ sent to my county to sell CC kept saying it is a state led effort. I’ll have to say it is not; certainly not by any legitimate method. Our state representatives hardly know anything. The ‘explainers’ also kept minimizing the federal role, even while slipping up every now and again with the term “nationalizing education.”
I think Secretary Atkinson needs to use those 10,000 sheets of paper and answer the Lt. Governor’s questions, distribute those answers for public consumption, and then come to our counties to answer our concerns.
June,
You have time to get on the phone with Gina regarding CC, but can’t find time to respond to the Lt. Governor on CC? You are upside down and backwards on your support of CC and that is apparent in your unwillingness to respond to the Lt. Governor on his questions about CC. Be responsible for the position you hold and answer his questions.
Waiting for the answers to the Lt. Governor’s questions! Thanks!
I would be interested to know Ms. Atkinson where you stand on the student tracking aspect of Common Core that is not published on their website.
Just an observation, I didn’t see or hear anything about Dr. Atkinson not wanting to answer the questions from the Lt. Gov. Additionally, I think that the conversations about the Common Core State Standards are being held based on hearsay. The information that people are basing their opinions on are grounded on what their friends, colleagues, legislators, and others have told them. Folks, should do their own research and come up with their own opinions and stand on the side of what they believe to be right for all children. I support the CCSS because the content of the standards are no different than what students have been taught for years. If wanting children to be able to think critically is “of the devil” then we have a much bigger issue on our hands than dealing with standards. Again, just an observation!
Dr. Atkinson, I am pleased with the work you do for the children in NC. On another note I did not see where she was not going to answer the questions. I’m glad to see the Lt. Gov. has extra paper because we use recycled paper for our students.