Wall Street Dictates Common Core State Education Standards

Positioning Wall Street's Common Core State Standards Initiative

"When it comes to K through 12 education, we see a $500 billion sector in the US alone that is waiting desperately to be transformed by big breakthroughs that extend the reach of great teaching,"  Rupert Murdoch November 2010

Common Core State Standards Rule

Without any ado, Mr. Murdoch and his brethren, the American Legislative Executive Council, have captured the prize. It's called the Common Core State Standards curriculum. This lightening bolt educational enterprise is under review in North Carolina and other states.

As of 2013 most (forty-five) state K-12 education policies re English language arts/mathematics texts, testing, and student data retrieval are under the corporate-designed Common Core regimen. The National Governors Association and the Council for Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) facilitated the marketing of the Common Core educational product for its behind-the-scene beneficiaries. A list of business entities partnering with CCSSO can be found on the Council's website.

June Atkinson, Superintendent of Public Instruction, is North Carolina's Chief State School Officer and an advocate of the Common Core agenda.

The rationale for choosing Common Core (NC 2010) over the standard course of study (2004) is illustrated on the state's Department of Education website. After analyzing the comparative examples, it is debatable whether Common Core is an improvement over the standard course of study.

Questions as to whether the novel Common Core instructional technique will satisfactorily serve students and the state were posed by Lt. Gov. Dan Forest in July 2013. The areas of concern presented to June Atkinson are: the standards, cost and implementation. A copy of Mr. Forest's questionnaire letter may be viewed here.

Common Core State Standards sponsors posit that their technology-based education plan is superior to other concepts and critical to the country's future.  Americans and world citizens have
been educated absent computers and Common Core so that CCSSO hypothesis can be put aside.

Computers, like books, are only instructional tools. Those who trust corporate claims re education reform should perhaps reflect on Mr. Murdoch's comments.

America's public educational system is dysfunctional because state governments and their corporate enablers regard educators and their pupils as costly burdens. State legislators have violated the No Child Left Behind Act with impunity while enacting measures toward privatizing education. Should these Wall Street schemes prevail, students will be deprived of President Bush's promise.

Contrary to Mr. Murdoch and the American Legislative Executive Council's point of view, public education is not a salable commodity.

Proposed US Air Strikes on Syria May be Crossing the Rubicon

The Obama administration has determined through (non-United Nation) sources that Syria's President Assad is responsible for the sarin gassing deaths of four thousand citizens since March.

President Obama is trying to persuade the members of Congress and world leaders that the use of toxic weapons is a strike point. American citizens, according to the latest poll, oppose the Obama plan; the global community also disapproves. Perhaps those in disagreement have read: "To some, US case for Syrian gas attack, strike has too many holes."

Syria has been in a state of civil war since 2011, The article: "Syrian Oil... and what caused the war?", may help clarify the issue. This internecine battle has caused more than 100,000 fatalities and a two million refugee crisis.

The government in exile, the Syrian National Coalition, is favored by the U.S.

Both the National Coalition and the Assad government deny responsibility for the gas attacks. National Coalition forces, i.e. the Free Syrian Army had access to chemical weapons depots so the guilty party is not yet proven.

Bloomberg reports that the National Coalition 's Free Syrian Army has recently been armed with missiles, tanks and other armaments for invasion post U. S. bombardment.  This news indicates a regime change initiative on the part of National Coalition supporters.

Excepting Israel—Egypt, Syria, Libya, Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Oman, Jordan, United Arab Emirates, Sudan, South Sudan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Lebanon and Turkey are unstable and subject to spontaneous conflagration.

Examples:

UN's Del Ponte says evidence Syria rebels 'used sarin'—BBC News,  May 2013 Saudi Arabia's 'Chemical Bandar' behind the Syrian chemical attacks?— RT Question More, May 2013
Syria Chemical Attacks: What we know—BBC News September 2013
Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic— UN August 2011-June 2013
Egypt Military Cites Religion to Quell Ranks—NYT, August 2013
As Egyptians Ignore Curfew, Talk of U.S.- Brotherhood Conspiracy—NY, August 2013
Brutality of Syrian Rebels Posing Dilemma for West—NYT, September 2013
Dozens Killed in Attacks Across Iraq — NYT, August 2013
Al Qaeda in Iraq Scores Big—NYT, July 2013
Despite Gains, Leader of U. S. Forces in Afghanistan Says Troops Must Stay—NYT, July 2013
Militants Attack Prison in Northwest Pakistan—NYT, July 2013
U. S. Pushes for Global Eye on Obscure Conflict in South Sudan —NYT, July 2013
Libyans Fear Standoff Between Muslim Brotherhood and Opposition Forces—The Guardian, August 2013
Iran Plots Revenge, U. S. Says—Wall Street Journal, September 2013
A young Yemeni writer on the impact and morality of drone-bombing his country—The Guardian, May 2013
Politics of Oman—Wikipedia
Jordan—Wikipedia
Is Iran planning revenge strikes if US hits Syria? —Fox News, September 6, 2013
Everything you need to know about Syria's chemical weapons—Washington Post, September 2013

Discord in the form of revolution and civil war is often fostered for U. S. military-industrial purposes. When these efforts do not produce the desired results, claims of weapons of mass destruction may be raised. Case in point— Iraq. Contrary to U.S. intelligence assertions, toxic chemicals were not present in Iraq in 2003.

Disingenuous U.S. Policies

It is impossible for government officials to classify the pending Syrian missile attack as a humanitarian gesture because U.S. drones, in violation of international norms, have obliterated alleged combatants and an unknown number of others not on the kill list.

Without impunity and absent the rule of law, the CIA has kidnapped, then tortured suspects in facilities around the world. Some interrogations have been fatal.

The Reagan administration during the Iran-Iraq conflict supplied Saddam Hussein with weapons of mass destruction. These United States produced poisons were responsible for the death of many.