In a statement released Dec 1st, Senator Vitter, who is also running for governor, threw his support behind the status quo by advocating for "rigorous" standards, testing and accountability which is current education policy in Louisiana.
To ensure that LA's standards will always be "rigorous," Sen. Vitter indicated that he would like for them to be created by an unelected commission so that Louisianians will never have to worry about anyone ever being able to get rid of them. He also wants to include "blue ribbon" parents on this commission. The senator did not elaborate on which parents will be chosen nor what the criteria will be for those parents to qualify as knowing what is best for all of our children. We do know, however, that if Sen. Vitter was supporting a Representative form of government, he would not be in favor of an unelected commission.
He also favors giving the education standards a different name...again. Previously, Louisiana's rigorous standards were referred to as "GLE's" or "Grade Level Expectations." Currently, they are called "Common Core State Standards", which is the title the senator first supported. It seems that Sen. Vitter now supports changing the name of the standards to something with "Louisiana" in it.
Some reports indicate that by changing the name, Louisiana would once again be in control of our standards. Well, after much research, The People, LLC have found that Louisiana IS actually still in control of the standards. In fact, our elected Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) changed the name from GLE's to Common Core in the first place! So, technically, they could change the name again--and even include "Louisiana" in the title--which should please Sen. Vitter.
What does any of this mean for Louisiana's students? Well, nothing, really. If Sen. Vitter gets his way, only the name will change. Our students will still be held to the same "rigorous" standards and subjected to statewide assessments that no one can see. So, once again, an elected official makes a big commotion about nothing.
Maybe it's time we get some new elected officials.
To ensure that LA's standards will always be "rigorous," Sen. Vitter indicated that he would like for them to be created by an unelected commission so that Louisianians will never have to worry about anyone ever being able to get rid of them. He also wants to include "blue ribbon" parents on this commission. The senator did not elaborate on which parents will be chosen nor what the criteria will be for those parents to qualify as knowing what is best for all of our children. We do know, however, that if Sen. Vitter was supporting a Representative form of government, he would not be in favor of an unelected commission.
He also favors giving the education standards a different name...again. Previously, Louisiana's rigorous standards were referred to as "GLE's" or "Grade Level Expectations." Currently, they are called "Common Core State Standards", which is the title the senator first supported. It seems that Sen. Vitter now supports changing the name of the standards to something with "Louisiana" in it.
Some reports indicate that by changing the name, Louisiana would once again be in control of our standards. Well, after much research, The People, LLC have found that Louisiana IS actually still in control of the standards. In fact, our elected Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) changed the name from GLE's to Common Core in the first place! So, technically, they could change the name again--and even include "Louisiana" in the title--which should please Sen. Vitter.
What does any of this mean for Louisiana's students? Well, nothing, really. If Sen. Vitter gets his way, only the name will change. Our students will still be held to the same "rigorous" standards and subjected to statewide assessments that no one can see. So, once again, an elected official makes a big commotion about nothing.
Maybe it's time we get some new elected officials.