On this Saturday BEFORE Thanksgiving, why not send a note concerning Common Core Standards to your student’s school. You can widen the circle by sending letters to school boards, chambers of commerce, local representatives or senators, state level legislators, your governor, your US Representatives and Senators, and the list can go on. What? I’m sure you think I’ve lost my mind, but read on, my followers..I’ve got a plan that may help rid us of Common Core!
The Plan:
Simply put, this old Southern mindset can serve our anti CCSS fight well. You catch more flies with honey than you do vinegar. Widely misunderstood as ‘weak’ or ‘meely mouse’, this mindset has been able to be applied to successfully bring down many a nasty person or plan. You might think it’s a bit too late for being nice in such a nasty fight, however, knowing we must be able to work with these people to free our students from CCSS, it does bear putting into practice..especially when we’re so close to our season of thankfulness.
The Letter:
So, maybe you aren’t gifted with smooth words in tense situations. That’s okay. When I began speaking out against Common Core, I didn’t always have eloquent words either. BUT, I did speak from my heart. Guess what? So can you. You know how fighting Common Core has caused you to feel. Isn’t time others did too? What if you’ve BEEN telling others how you feel and you might as well be talking to a brick wall. That’s okay. keep trying..your sentiment WILL get through.
In the interest of our ‘Sic’ ‘Em Saturday’ theme, where we have some kind of action to put into play, here’s a sample letter you can write and send. If you choose to email your letters, super! If you send your letters via private message or even Twitter, that’s great! In this sample, I’m writing Senator Do-right. Feel free to use this sample OR use it as a template to create your own. Yes, I understand your receiver may be on vacation, but, that’s okay, your words WILL get through to them at some point. Persistence is key.
Date: Today’s the Day!
Ms. I’m Fed Up
1234 Get Rid of Common Core Way
No Deposit, No Return, USA 56789
Dear Senator Do-Right,
I thank you for your service to our great state of “No Return”. You, have given much to our citizens and it is time for us to give back to you. While you have many issues which vie for your attention and many people and communications fill your every moment, I’d like to take just a few moments to express to you one issue that is on my mind constantly. This issue troubles me to my very soul as I see its damage played out everyday in my local school and I fight it on a personal level every night when my children struggle with homework.
What is so important to me that I would take time to share with you? Quite simply, Senator Do-Right, it’s Common Core State Standards that has me so consumed. While I’ve been fighting on this side of the capital city, I know that you have been busy fighting as well. Your presence on the Education Committee has been tremendous. However, Senator, I know there’s even more we can do, together! Please find below the points I feel most strongly about. I would be happy to schedule an appointment with your office to share even more evidence that Common Core State Standards are NOT right for the students in No Deposit, No Return.
1) The Common Core State Standards are illegal, frankly Senator Do-Right any other issue pales in comparison to this fundamental fact that is widely ignored. Our 10th Amendment is violated. At least 3 federal education laws have also been broken and no one has been arrested, fined, or jailed. I know for a fact you didn’t vote for the Common Core Standards, because none of our legislative members did!
2) No study has been found that proves ‘international benchmarks’ exist. I know you’ve seen the evidence to support the drastic drop in grades our state has experienced. Why is the legislative body not more actively addressing this? Has any law been passed that cannot be re-written so that the BEST for our students is once again protected?
3) Senator Do-Right, if you aren’t aware of this, I know it is my civic duty to tell you that Common Core goes before and beyond K-12th grades. Preschools have Common Core! Post-Secondary education has Common Core! Carefully crafted laws, initiatives, programs, and funding have tried to hide this, but I have the documented proof that YES, Common Core is in all our educational choices, institutions, and budgets. I know you and your fellow Committee members fought hard for Career Tech Education, but, sir, that’s only a portion of where Common Core hides beyond high school! That Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act recently signed in Washington has Common Core embedded, data mining that will join with the U.S. Department of Education’s Student Longitudinal Data Base System! We must dispel the rumors that Common Core is only K-12 and is only known by “Common Core”.
Thank you, I look forward to continuing our conversation very soon.
Respectfully yours,
Ms. Fed Up
Pointers:
When writing letters, spell all titles out (ex: Senator, NOT Sen.)
Be respectful, yes, the person you write may not know you OR may not like you BUT they are still in a position of power that can be helpful to fighting CCSS.
Make your letters as personal as possible. An official receiving a chain letter will more than likely throw it away before reading it.
Keep letters to one page, these folks are immensely busy people. It’s better to give them a little important information and then schedule a follow up meeting where you’ll have more time and can take hard copies of any evidence. Remember, they work for US, not we cower to them! Be sure to leave a way for them to get in touch with you. You’d be surprised that most officials will be curious about learning more IF they are treated with respect, dignity.
Always begin your letters with thanks. If it takes you a little while to find something they’ve done to be thankful for, that’s okay. The point is, you start off with as positive a footing as possible, not a negative footing.
Do your homework before you mention any voting records, etc. Nothing kills credibility like incorrect facts.
If you know the official has ties to any of the known CCSS issues (like data mining, testing, etc.) use that knowledge to let them know you are a savvy citizen and are fully aware of what’s going on.
Remember that sometimes the officials don’t know about all the places CCSS hides simply because they are SO busy. Yes, they may have the resources to find out, but without the time to find out or the direction to look into, they aren’t going to be as informed as we are. That’s where we can really shine!
What if who I’m writing to is a well identified CCSS supporter? Then, my friends you do 2 things: 1) still use thanks and respect, 2) give them as many credible facts, figures, links, reports, etc. as possible. Leave no stone un-turned. The truth sets us free, it’s time they faced the truth. We know some will not be able to handle the truth that CCSS is a horrid mess, that’s okay, because, thankfully, we can exercise our freedom to replace them come next election.
