The College Republicans hosted a talk by Assistant Professor of History Terrence Moore about his new book, “The Story-Killers: A Common Sense Case Against the Common Core,” on Feb. 6.
The book argues against the Common Core educational standards. These guidelines, published in 2012, are now implemented by schools in 45 states. Moore believes the Core’s increasing use of informational, non-fiction texts rather than literature is a danger to both the minds of students and the fate of classic books.
Moore pointed out that informational texts allow the Common Core designers to feed students political propaganda through superficial readings. In his lecture, he said the Common Core is ostensibly designed to promote college and career readiness.
“Since when is education merely for college and career readiness?” Moore asked the audience.
He mentioned the inability of informational texts to teach students the true aims of education: truth, beauty, and virtue.
Moore began speaking out against the Common Core last summer. He now speaks regularly, including before state legislators, in debate with the Alabama state superintendent of education, and at the Allan P. Kirby Center. Although he’s been involved in educational reform for years, Moore describes the resistance to the Common Core as unique because it is a “grassroots effort.”
“These resistance movements have started up almost exclusively because mothers have been bothered by the kinds of lessons that are coming home with their students,” Moore said.
Courtney Meyet, assistant professor of chemistry, has similar concerns as a mother. Meyet, who attended Thursday’s lecture, says she is troubled by the fact that the Common Core is untested, with no demonstrated success.
“I have two boys, one in eighth grade and one in high school, so I’m definitely interested,” she said. “What I find disturbing is that we’re looking to implement another set of standards that haven’t been tested.”
Moore said that public interest in his message has been a pleasant surprise.
“One of the things that I’ve been happy with is that a lot of tea party folks and parents are reading the book, but then so are state legislatures,” Moore said. “I was even called by a superintendent of education that wanted to talk about the book. So it’s having some influence with some people who are in education at the moment and may or may not be able to do something.”
Hillsdale students also appreciated Moore’s lecture.
“My mom is a teacher, and I have become infected by her passion for Common Core, so learning more in-depth details about how it’s destroying our education system was very interesting,” said freshman Abby Bell, events coordinator for College Republicans.
Moore sees hope for future educational reform in three main areas.
“I think if we could continue with classical homeschooling, beef up classical charter schools, and then also see a resurgence of classical Catholic schools, it would continue this reform and would show more and more people what a real education would look like,” he said.
Junior Kirby Hartley became familiar with the Common Core when he saw the methods used to teach his little sister in school.
“They were judging based not so much on comprehending the reading, but looking more for rate of speech, like how quickly you could read aloud,” he said. “Basically, they want individuals who can repeat information, not people who are actually thinking.”
