Off the Editor’s Desk – 4-2-2013
Last week I brought up the issue of local control of our schools. I had more positive feedback from that column than I have had from any other. Some suggested that I should know something about “Common Core Standards.”
One person indicated that Common Core advocated sex-education for kindergarteners. I hope and pray that is not the case. I went to Google and looked up Common Core and I am going to reprint their mission statement.
“The Common Core State Standards provide a consistent, clear understanding of what students are expected to learn, so teachers and parents know what they need to do to help them. The standards are designed to be robust and relevant to the real world, reflecting the knowledge and skills that our young people need for success in college and careers. With American students fully prepared for the future, our communities will be best positioned to complete successfully in the global economy.”
I only have a couple of things that I don’t like about that. First is, why are we gearing all the education efforts toward college-bound students? Many do not attend college and many more do not finish. We should also direct students into careers that do not need a college education. And, as for the global economy, that’s many years away before we can complete. We are trying that now and many, many of the jobs that were once were in America have now gone overseas. Go to your local store and try to find the items that are made in the good old USA.
When looking over Google, I came across an item that listed eight problems with Common Core Standards. I would suggest that you look it up. I still believe that local control is the best.
While on the subject of government control, I got an e-mail from a site that I have subscribed to called, “Americans for Limited Government.” It was a release written by Marta H. Mossburg with the headline dated March 27, 2013; “The federal government today announced new regulations for buying fast foods.”
Starting in June of 2020, upon entering a national fast food chain or ordering from the drive through each person must undergo a “Body Mass Index (BMI) analysis. The score will determine portion size for adults and children and restrict the options available. Scores are: underweight, normal, overweight, obese and morbidly obese. You will get a color-coded ticket telling your score.
If a person is obese, he or she will only be able to order sugar-free drinks and meals of a combined 500 calories.
Cindy Dvorak, CEO of Calipers for Change, the company chosen by the government to launch the new program said, “Our devices will quickly, accurately and discretely inform patrons of their fat ratio and help them take positive steps to achieve an appropriate weight and fulfilling life.”
So I will go to “Burger King,” for 500 calories and then to McDonald’s for another 500 and back to Burger King.
If you don’t think that control is possible, they are already starving the kids in the public schools. But by 2020, I may be singing Obama’s praises to the devil or in a nursing home where a 500-calorie meal will do me just fine.
— Carlton