Following the testimony of Susan Kimball, who described the bullying and intimidation she received for her opposition to Common Core, fellow teacher Tonya Pobst testified before the Senate Education Committee. She said she was going inform the committee about the lies and deceit that surround Common Core in the Sikeston R-6 Public School District.
She described how tests that were once referred to as Common Core were being renamed.
On the evening of Thursday, Feb 27th, a curriculum meeting was held at the Sikeston Learning Center. The question was asked if the Smarter Balanced Science Field test was going to be given in the fifth grade this year, Pobst testified. The chief academic officer hesitated and then answered, Yes.
From the Smarter Balanced website:
The Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium is committed to supporting member states and territories as they implement the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). Working with educators, Smarter Balanced will identify high-quality curriculum resources aligned to the CCSS and professional development strategies that can be replicated across states.
Post said the test has been renamed from the Smarter Balanced Fifth Grade Science Field test to MAPP Science Field test.
This is now the name being used to notify parents and care givers for this Smarter Balanced Fifth Grade Science Field test, she said.
Rather than tell parents and caregivers they are implementing Common Core standards, schools appear to be hiding the fact from those who should know.
Sen. John Lamping, who sat beside Pobst during her testimony, recalled Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Commissioner Dr. Chris Nicastro saying Missouri was going to do its own thing.
I was in a meeting two or three weeks ago with Director Nicastro in that room and I made that claim that, Well, the history standards and the science standards are next up and she said, No, no, no, no. Missouri is going to adopt our own standards, Lamping said. Now we are hearing testimony today. They are taking Common Core science standards, rebranding them MAPP standards and Im just, I appreciate you being here so much.
Lamping then went on to condemn the harassment Pobst and Kimball received based on their opposition to Common Core.
Sen. Dan Brown offered his own testimony regarding the deceit regarding Common Core, saying hes witnessed it himself during presentations hes seen.
Watch her entire testimony below:
