You can watch a YouTube clip of that gentleman addressing the School Board on Common Core at its meeting here.
Well, even though the School Board decided to take no action on its previously-approved 2015 Legislative Platform, the item is once again on the County’s Consent Agenda for this Tuesday’s meeting.
The Resolution reads, in part:
WHEREAS, government closest to the people is the form of government that best serves the people; and
WHEREAS, the Collier County School Board, superintendent and teachers are the best people equipped to service our students and parents.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, THAT THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF COLLIER COUNTY hereby calls upon the Governor and the Florida Legislature to protect Florida’s Constitutional grant of broad home rule powers bestowed upon Florida’s School Boards to pass legislation that restores the control of standards, curriculum, and assessments to the local County School Districts under State of Florida, Article 9, Section 4b.
Note the reference to “standards, curriculum and assessments.” This is how they cleverly yet erroneously conflate standards (determined at the state level) with curriculum (decided locally) and assessments (a combination of state and local decisions).
You can read the item’s Executive Summary here and the full Resolution here.
Below is the email I sent to the Collier County Commissioners asking them to pull the item from the Consent Agenda and vote no.
Dear Commissioners,
Item 16.H.3 “Education Sovereignty” is on the Consent Agenda for your Tuesday, February 24, meeting.
At its meeting on February 10th, the School Board discussed the need to change its 2015 Legislative Platform and decided not to do so.
I urge you to respect THEIR sovereignty in this matter.
Please pull Item 16.H.3 from the Consent Agenda and vote no on the “Education Sovereignty” Resolution.
Your emails to the Commission two weeks ago succeeded in getting them to defer this item to this week’s meeting. Your emails are needed again.
Please take a few minutes and ask the Commissioners to VOTE NO ON THE “EDUCATION SOVEREIGNTY” (aka Anti-Common Core) Resolution.
Commission Chair Tim Nance – TimNance@colliergov.net
Commissioner Donna Fiala – DonnaFiala@colliergov.net
Commissioner Tom Henning – TomHenning@colliergov.net
Commissioner Georgia Hiller – GeorgiaHiller@colliergov.net
Commissioner Penny Taylor – PennyTaylor@colliergov.net
Our elected County Commissioners need to know we’re watching them.
Please share this post with your friends. You and they can subscribe to Sparker’s Soapbox by email at https://www.sparkers-soapbox.com and “like” me on Facebook at http://facebook.com/sparkers.soapbox.