Diocese of Marquette replaces Common Core with Classical Curriculum in all diocesan schools

via Father Z

Educators and parents are increasingly dissatisfied with secular standards that neglect to emphasize virtuous development in K-12 academics, but one diocese in Michigan has responded by making the bold decision to implement a classical, liberal arts curriculum for all diocesan schools. And the diocese’s superintendent of Catholic schools, Mark Salisbury, told The Cardinal Newman Society that the program has been widely well-received by teachers and students and is improving education for the entire diocese.

“We are enthusiastic about our early successes,” Salisbury shared. “Teachers are happy with the results as well. We have improved our ability to teach students how to write well, students are learning and memorizing more poetry” and the curriculum’s integration of Latin studies “has helped students with English grammar, vocabulary and critical thinking skills.” A recent satisfaction survey of more than 440 parents for the 2015-16 school year revealed that 76 percent of parents were highly satisfied with the academic programs.

Prior to the classical education shift, the Diocese of Marquette had no set curriculum. 

...

The Marquette diocese also started an annual training conference for Catholic educators last year, and is hosting the 2016 Midwest Conference on Catholic Liberal Arts Education in Escanaba, Mich., this June. The conference gives participants the opportunity to discuss integrating beauty and truth into every subject. 

continue at Cardinal Newman Society

I think we are getting to the point where everyone gets that this is just a common sense move.  On the flip side, why would any Catholic school employ something other than a Classical Catholic curriculum to train students to think?

Common Core: Coming Soon to a School Near You?

This Federalist Society Civil Rights Practice Group Podcast features Jimmy R. Faircloth, Jr., Managing Partner of the law firm Faircloth Melton & Keiser LLC in Alexandria, Louisiana, and D. John Sauer, a partner in the law firm of Clark & Sauer LLC in Clayton, Missouri.

"The Common Core State Standards attempts to define what K-12 students should know at the end of each school year in key subject areas. The initiative garnered strong and broad support, but has come under increasingly heavy criticism from state and local officials, and parents. Supporters argue that uniform standards are an essential part of assuring quality education throughout the nation. Criticisms range from concerns about top-down, federal control of a traditionally state and local government function, to attempts to impose a nationwide curriculum, to a lack of field testing of the standards. Our experts discussed the standards and who has the better argument."

Two (conservative) takes on the Common Core

Sol Stern argues for, and Peter Wood against, in essays in the latest issue of The New Criterion.

Stern's, "Our conservative Core", stresses that Common Core places greater emphasis on content.

"The most hopeful part of the new Standards is that they reject the instructional malpractice that prevents the public schools from fulfilling their historic mission of producing literate American citizens who know something about their country’s history and its republican heritage."

Wood's "Core deceptions" stresses how the Common Core has been formulated and adopted.

"Within a matter of a few months, most Americans were placed under a new nationalized educational regime they had no share in creating and no opportunity to review."

Here in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, we can only wonder if there'd be less controversy now had the Chancery approached this issue with candor and patience.

GBPG: Green Bay Diocese backs away from Common Core

The Catholic Diocese of Green Bay continues its move away from the Common Core State Standards, and administrators expect to finish updated educational standards of their own by the end of the year.

The diocese has had a set of school standards for years. When Wisconsin adopted the Common Core in 2010, Catholic educators noted those standards complemented their own, and told school principals and teachers they could look to both set of standards for guidance.

However, growing political backlash against Common Core helped lead Catholic school administrator to back away from the new state standards.

"The problem isn't the standards, but the other stuff," said Joe Bound, director of the diocese's Education Department. "The bishop decided rather than have the two sets, we would stick with the diocesan standards, and at some point to review or update them."

Bishop David Ricken announced in spring Catholic schools would use the diocese's set of standards. Bound says he also asked administrators to review and update math and reading standards, which will be completed in the next few months.

continue at Green Bay Press Gazette

As I've said before, Bp. Ricken has a major focus on education.

I haven't had a chance to follow up but it's my understanding the Diocese of La Crosse is implementing Common Core in the diocesan schools.  They keep sending mixed messages on the topic and Bp. Callahan has said nothing public on the matter.

Catholic parents deliver 1,000 petition signatures to Abp Listecki to "Remove Common Core"

Milwaukee, Wisconsin -- Over 1,000 concerned Catholic parents have signed a petition asking Archbishop Listecki to remove Common Core from their Catholic schools.

Evidence continues to emerge that Common Core State Standards represent untested, experimental standards that are threatening the independence of Catholic schools. Many Catholic parents share the sentiments of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops that the Common Core was developed for a “public school audience” and is “of its nature incomplete as it pertains to Catholic schools.”

"A Catholic school's first priority is to get children into heaven, not Harvard. Second, to teach the children how to think, not what to think. Common Core changes the integrity of our Catholic schools making them nothing more than public schools with crucifixes, statues, and prayers.”
– Heather Schweitzer

Catholic parents are frustrated that school standards were changed without adequate parental notification or input, and feel that their concerns are not being addressed by Archbishop Listecki or the Archdiocese. The other four dioceses in the state have decided to not adopt the Common Core standards. The petitioners pray that this petition will inspire the Archbishop to reverse the decision to adopt the Common Core standards in the Milwaukee Archdiocese, and to remove Common Core materials from their schools.

Media Contacts:
Steve Becker: mozdiripple@gmail.com 414.588.5214
Abby Figi: abby.m.figi@wi.rr.com 414.235.4700

About Catholic Parents Against Common Core - In the Milwaukee Archdiocese A group of concerned parents, troubled by Common Core, created a facebook page and outreach program to help educate parents about the tactics used to pass the standards, the academic cost of the standards and the impact of Common Core on the mission of the Catholic schools. We invite parents to visit our facebook page for more information.
https://www.facebook.com/endcommoncoreinthemilwaukeediocese

Concerned Catholics in the Milwaukee Archdiocese, are invited to sign our online petition
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/176/132/362/end-common-core-in-the-milwaukee-archdiocese/

I think the Archdioceses approach here is totally off base.  Cutting the parents out of all the decision making on the education of their children, not letting them have meetings on church property, and who's the group with tin foil hats on their heads?  Why would anybody trust the archdiocese to educate their children when they clearly do not believe the fundamental truth of our faith, that parents are the primary educators of their children.   I have yet to see Dr. Kathleen Cepelka confirm that she even agrees with that statement.

USCCB Acknowledges Common Core Concerns

“Catholic schools must consider standards that support the mission and purpose of the school as a Catholic institution,” states the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) Secretariat of Catholic Education in a recent document answering frequently asked questions (FAQ) about the Common Core State Standards (CCSS).

In the FAQ, the bishops acknowledge the “growing concerns about the effect of these standards on Catholic schools in our country.”

While the bishops recognize the right of government to assist in education, they assert that the Common Core was developed for a “public school audience” and is “of its nature incomplete as it pertains to Catholic schools.”

“As our world becomes increasingly secularized,” the FAQ says, “it will be a task of the Church through an appropriate education to help parents and families sift through the realities and difficulties of the culture and provide a solid foundation and basis for living as disciples of Jesus Christ.”

The bishops strongly affirm the role of parents as the “first educators of their children as a God-given responsibility.” It follows that, “Parents possess the fundamental right to choose the formative tools that support their convictions and fulfill their duty as the first educators.”

The Church aids parents in forming their children by establishing Catholic schools—and local bishops “employ… the gifts and talents of parents and the professional educational community at all stages of establishing and operating Catholic schools at the local level.”

In response to concerns voiced by Catholic parents over the Common Core, The Cardinal Newman Society developed Catholic Is Our Core. The project provides Catholic parents, educators and Church leaders with guidance and resources in exploring the Common Core and concerns about its potential impact on Catholic schools and students. The Newman Society has encouraged all involved in the implementation of the Common Core to pause until the standards are thoroughly and rigorously evaluated.

continue at Cardinal Newman Society

HT Verso

Dr. Duke Pesta to speak on Common Core in La Crosse tonight

Common Core - Dangers and Threats Presentation - April 14th, 7:15pm at St. Luke's United Methodist Church (1022 Caledonia St., La Crosse)

Have you heard about Common Core?  The chilling truth behind these new national education "standards" will shock you.  Common Core represents the latest and most comprehensive step in the drive toward complete government control of our children's education. To learn more about  it, there are two things you can do.

First, go to CatholicIsOurCore.org which explores the controversial Common Core State Standards (CCSS) and concerns about their potential impact on Catholic schools and students. The site is a project of The Cardinal Newman Society, which promotes and defends faithful Catholic education and sponsors the Catholic High School Honor Roll.

Second, attend a presentation by Dr.Duke Pesta, a professor of English at the University of Wisconsin, Oshkosh. He will provide examples of how Common Core threatens to further undermine, weaken, and centralize public and private education in our country. There is free admission and limited seating.

Dr. Pesta spoke last month at the same location and prior to that he presented at a La Crosse public school. Those who have previously attended are thankful they did because they now have a better understanding of how these standards are impacting our children. In addition to the standards, parents are becoming very concerned about all the new types of data being collected on their children, as well as the disciplinary records that are being kept without their knowledge.

You may recall that Steve interviewed Dr. Pesta on this blog a few months ago.

And on a related note, it was confirmed by a group of parents that Common Core curriculum is already in La Crosse diocesan schools:

At the meeting with Dr. Susan Holman, Superintendent of Catholic Schools, she said they allow School Systems to pick their own books, and they depend on the Administrators to keep to the curriculum and evaluate teachers. Based on past experience and current, this means parents have to monitor as these  "aligned with Common Core" books are already in the Catholic schools in La Crosse.

Becky Gerritson Testifying before the Common Core Hearing at
the State House March 11, 2014 from Wetumpka
Tea Party on Vimeo.

Relevant Radio refuses to air anti-Common Core ads in Milwaukee area

Came across a new Facebook group - 266 Likes so far.

Catholic Parents Against Common Core - In the Milwaukee Archdiocese

And I thought this was interesting

Post by Catholic Parents Against Common Core - In the Milwaukee Archdiocese.

Also found an online petition: End Common Core in the Milwaukee Archdiocese

I have to be honest here, Abp. Listecki has doubled down on Common Core.  Unless there is a major financial backlash he's going to stick to his guns on this.  

Part two of our interview with Dr. Duke Pesta

Recently, Common Core expert Dr. Duke Pesta sat down to answer some questions with us. If you missed part one, click here to catch up. Given the stakes, you can't afford to not know what the federal government has in store for our children's classrooms.

Some Common Core proponents argue that Common Core isn’t a curriculum. It’s merely a set of basic standards that ensure students develop essential skills and a sufficient knowledge base. How would you response?

Yeah, that’s one of the great lies, one of the great deceptions of Common Core. They say it’s not a curriculum.

Technically, in the most technical sense of the term, that’s true. The standards are just guidelines. The problem is the national tests completely cover those standards. They currucularize them. The textbooks that are available for Common Core completely and utterly are 100 percent curriculum-driven by those standards. So it is a distinction without a difference. You can call them standards however you want, but they have completely become pedagogy and curriculum in the schools that use them, which is to say most public schools right now.

It seems as though Common Core accelerates the focus on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math). Does this focus come at the expense of the humanities? And if so, what are the dangers?

It’s ironic. You keep hearing that these standards are more rigorous and that their focus is higher level, but that doesn’t really seem to be true. In English, for instance, they remove 50 percent of the literature content, the classical poetic, fictional accounts, the great Western and American classics. Those books that give kids a sense of our heritage, who we are, our cultural history and require increasing skill in terms of reading comprehension. And 50% of those texts are now replaced with informational texts, most of which are tendentious and political in nature and do nothing to stimulate growth in reading comprehension skills.

The other big problem with it is that every single study we have pretty much shows that kids learn to write after they learn to read very complicated texts. What Common Core does in the English courses is it de-emphasizes reading and elevates writing. So they end up doing more writing than reading, and that’s not a good way to teach kids how to write in a complicated way.

Does Common Core impact public schools only? Or should families with children in private schools be concerned as well? How about homeschooling families?

Private and homeschool [families] should be very worried about Common Core. Before the SAT and ACT went over to Common Core—which they’re in the process of doing—private school and home school kids did very, very well compared to public school kids on all the standardized tests. Those tests were basic knowledge tests. But now the ACT and SAT are moving over to Common Core, which means those kids who have had Common Core learning methods are going to do better on these tests than kids who haven’t been exposed to Common Core methodology, even though the non-Common Core kids may be much more advanced and much smarter ultimately in terms of what they know. And that’s probably going to be the case. The fact is that now the standardized tests are all tailored to Common Core.

This is the beginning of the way the federal government will say “Well look at how private and home school families are failing our kids. For the last 20 years, they’ve had higher scores, but ever since we incorporated this wonderful Common Core curriculum, home school and private schools have gone down by comparison. That’s going to be an excuse and a provocation to try to remove or limit home school or private schools in the future.

Finally, how can parents stand against Common Core?

Parents need to unite. As things stand right now, they are still for the moment the single most important voice in their kids’ education. The federal government is trying to change that. The federal government is trying to make the state responsible for your kids’ education in ways it’s never been before. So if parents are concerned about what and how their kids learn, this is a hill they need to take a stand on because Common Core will effectively succeed in separating parents from their kids when it comes to what and how your kids are taught.

An Interview with Common Core expert, Dr. Duke Pesta

Common Core continues to be a controversial subject in Wisconsin and throughout the nation so I wanted to get a better sense of what it is and why it's a threat to Catholic families. Fortunately, Dr. Duke Pesta, expert on Common Core and the academic director of Freedom Project Education, was kind enough to take some time out of his schedule to talk with us.

The debate over Common Core is heating up in both public and private schools. For those who aren’t familiar, could you tell us what, exactly, is Common Core?

Common Core is a set of curriculum guidelines, standards for curriculum. Right now we have English and math standards that have been implemented in the schools, and they were put together by a small cadre of activists and lobbyists. These standards were written largely behind closed doors with very little educator input and funded to the tune of $150 million by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

The reason 45 states in the union adopted Common Core standards without ever have seen them is because of the Race to the Top program…which gave states a waiver from No Child Left Behind—previous bad education legislation. And it offered hundreds of millions of dollars of taxpayer money to the states provided that they took Common Core, that once the Common Core was released—it hadn’t even been written yet—[Common Core standards] would be adopted by the states. So that’s how 45 states came to be under the onus of Common Core without having voted on it or seen what the standards were.

Why should parents be concerned, and what are some of the big problems with Common Core?

Parents should be concerned because first and foremost it’s a radical encroachment on parents’ rights, local school board rights, teacher rights. It’s a huge encroachment in that…more than ever before, these standards run technically through the federal government.

All the testing…that Common Core will do, is all nationalized. All of the textbooks have gone Common Core, which means that even though standards are standards, they actually are a curriculum as well. All these standards have been put together into all these textbooks—that are the only Common Core textbooks you can buy. The standards themselves…have been curricularized. The tests themselves require conformity to a certain pedagogy and a certain approach to be able to pass those tests or to even take them. That’s a huge problem for parents.

Also you have issues with data mining in conjunction with the federal government and with Obamacare in particular. The schools become gathering houses for all sorts of information on your kids, radical and often times sensitive information.

Parents should be concerned also because [with] the continuing federalization of the standards, you’re going to have very little opportunity to make any changes in your local school—a bad lesson, a bad book, bad subject matter. Right now you can go to the school, complain and opt out. Once this all runs through the federal government, you’re not going to be able to do that anymore.

Given these problems, why is Comon Core being pushed so hard? If not the students, who stands to gain from its implementation?

Common Core is being pushed so hard because—as with everything else in the federal government right now—the government is in a very expansive mood in terms of growth. Big government all across the country. If you think about how much control the federal government has over your body now because it runs health care, think about how much control the federal gov’t is going to have over your families and over your kids once they ultimately control education from the top down. So that’s the end game.

And in terms of who benefits from it, well, there’s all sorts of crony capitalists—people like the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The big donors to common core are going to reap windfall profits. The textbook companies, many who are aligned behind Common Core. All these textbook companies are making millions and millions of dollars providing these textbooks. The testing consortia are going to be responsible for writing these tests. Big money for these groups. Crony capitalism and special interests: that’s who [are] going to profit immediately.

Tomorrow we'll be back with part two of our interview with Dr. Duke Pesta--including a chilling explanation of what Common Core means for Catholic schools and homeschooling families.

Catholics United for the Faith responds to Milwaukee Archdiocese Common Core decision

via Cream City Catholic - quoting Catholics United for the Faith newsletter - perhaps from the print version of MkeCH? 

Fr. Joseph Shimek, in the most recent diocesan promotion of Common Core, claims that where Common Core standards are relevant, “their integration…is directly managed by the Archdiocese, making sure that nothing unacceptable is embedded in them.” Really? For almost 15 years the diocesan “Valuing Your Sexuality” (VYS) program required middle school boys and girls to draw pictures of genital, body parts and sexual activity! In VYS, birth control, abortion and sex acts were “opinion” questions, judged through moral relativism. After being exposed on national TV in 1985, VYS was finally canceled in the early 1990s. In addition, in the early 1980s, eighth graders in a local Catholic school were given a Planned Parenthood book (with 12 pages of contraception instruction, including pictures) by the parish priest! Around that same time, a senior English class at a local Catholic high school was assigned The World According to Garp, until stopped by a parent. (Would not Quo Vadis, or Ben Hur, have been a better novel for Catholic seniors?) And, now parents are being asked to trust the diocese?

the whole thing over there.

Wow.   I looked up the Garp book, it is bizarre.

I was told that perhaps thousands of concerned parents have contacted the archdiocese with complains about the Common Core adoption - and that the archdiocese is not replying to anyone.  

Money talks - I hope you have an independent school in your area to take advantage of if you are unable to homeschool.

Also Dad29: The Father of "Common Core" v. Fr. Joe 

TPE: Freeing them from this meddlesome issue

N.L. posts at The Economist's Democracy in America Blog on the controversy surrounding Common Core education standards.

"Many more horror stories will unfold about the common core this year. And you never know, one or two of them may even be true."

For example, in a letter to the members of the USCCB Committee on Catholic Education defending Common Core, three members of the faculty of Loyola University of Chicago wrote,

"Many opponents of the CCSS point to Appendix B as proof that objectionable texts are required and that some classical texts are prohibited."

You might here expect them to show how the texts referred to are not objectionable. They do not.

"The concern that Catholic schools won't be allowed to use their own texts is a misread [sic] of the Common Core State Standards. No Catholic school is required to use any of the texts in Appendix B and they may add other texts."

This letter was published as an op-ed in the print edition of the Milwaukee Catholic Herald of December 5, 2013.

continue at The Provincial Emails

Image

Diocese of Superior, Bp. Christensen rejects Common Core

via FatherZ

The Diocese of Superior (WI) has opted out of Common Core!  Here is a statement from the Diocese (their diocesan website is fancy enough that, right now, it isn’t working.  You get stuck in a flash loop.  Nice.):

That puts my count at this:

Madison: Diocesan
Green Bay: Diocesan
La Crosse: Diocesan
Milwaukee: Common Core
Superior: Diocesan

Milwaukee is the lone adopter in the state. 

Wisconsin Catholic Common Core roundup

Update on Superior

So as I mentioned in the last post on this topic, here's the score:

Madison: Diocesan
Green Bay: Diocesan
La Crosse: Diocesan
Milwaukee: Common Core
Superior: Common Core Diocesan

I'll try to break this down schoolwise, we sort of did this on an old post.   Fill me in and I'll update the list accordingly.

This is a list of the Catholic High Schools in the state that are affected.

La Crosse Diocese - 8

Aquinas (La Crosse)
Providence (La Crosse) * Independent
Assumption (WI Rapids)
Columbus Catholic (Marshfield)
Regis (Eau Claire)
McDonell Central (Chippewa Falls)
Newman Catholic (Wausau)
Pacelli (Stevens Point)

Green Bay Diocese - 6

St. Thomas Aquinas (Marinette)
Notre Dame Academy (Green Bay)
Roncalli (Manitowoc)
Xavier (Appleton)
St. Mary Central (Neenah-Menasha)
Lourdes (Oshkosh)

Madison Diocese - 2

Edgewood of the Sacred Heart (Madison)
St. Ambrose Academy (Madison) * Independent

Milwaukee Archdiocese - 14

Catholic Central High School - Burlington
Catholic Memorial High School - Waukesha
Divine Savior Holy Angels - Milwaukee
Dominican High School - Whitefish Bay
Marquette University High School - Milwaukee
Messmer High School - Milwaukee
Pius XI High School - Milwaukee
Saint Joan Antida High School - Milwaukee
Saint Thomas More High School - Milwaukee
St. Anthony - Milwaukee
St. Catherine's High School - Racine
St. Joseph Catholic Academy - Kenosha
St. Lawrence Seminary High School - Mt. Calvary
St. Mary's Springs Academy - Fond du Lac

Superior Diocese - 0?

I see zero Catholic High Schools in the Diocese of Superior?
http://www.catholicdos.org/index.php?cat=1240406070823452

Summary:

Worth mentioning, Bp. Callahan did state this was a topic of discussion at a recent WCC meeting:

The Diocesan Pastoral Council was also given an update on my meeting with the Wisconsin Catholic Conference held in Milwaukee at the end of October. Items discussed there included healthcare mandates and the preservation of conscience rights for medical professionals, the immigration reform efforts currently being considered in Congress, and some discussion of the Common Core in education curricula that may have some effect on Catholic schools.

Bp. Ricken

Is it necessary for us to “adopt or adapt” the “common core standards?” No, it is not necessary. Some Catholic schools across the country are “adopting” these standards, while others are “adapting” them, in the hopes that the standards will improve their academic performance. Private schools are not required to adopt or adapt the “common core standards.” Several years ago, in the Diocese of Green Bay, we developed comprehensive standards of our own and these have served us very well.

I have instructed our diocesan Department of Education staff, school principals and school system administrators that they not “adopt or adapt” the “common core standards,” but may use them only as a reference to improve the curriculum we already have. It is my directive that the schools of the diocese utilize the diocesan standards previously in place and not substitute for them with “common core standards.”

Bp. Morlino

Lastly, and most importantly, it is undeniably clear that the success our schools have had and continue to enjoy stems directly from the Catholic approach to education which seeks to model all things on Christ. This recognizes and affirms the dignity of each student as unique daughters and sons of Christ, and in so doing challenges students not only to acquire a “standard” level of knowledge and skills, but to realize their full, God-given potential, to develop and refine these gifts and skills, and then use them to better society and the lives of others through service to God and neighbor. It is precisely this focus on the development of the whole person that results not only in exemplary academic performance, but truly places our students on the path to holiness and sainthood. Our students are encouraged not only to succeed academically, but to live lives of heroic virtue. It is not the fundamental aim of Catholic education to develop the intellect for academic success alone, but to develop all the skills and faculties of the human person, oriented toward Christ and His service. It is precisely this moral orientation that guides our students in the use of their gifts and allows them to achieve great things, to transform our world and to achieve the ultimate standards -- holiness in this world and Heaven in the next. 

Catholic schools in the Diocese of Madison will not adopt the Common Core State Standards. Rather, our parish elementary schools will continue to use our own, diocesan academic standards.

The Diocese of La Crosse has commented to The Cardinal Newman Society (Bp. Callahan has not publicly commented):

The Diocese of La Crosse, Wis., will be “neither adapting nor adopting” the controversial Common Core State Standards, the Catholic school superintendent has told The Cardinal Newman Society.

Yet we do find this on a La Crosse diocesan school's website:

St. Paul School has integrated the Diocese of La Crosse Catholic School Language Arts Curriculum into its education foundation. This curriculum is aligned to the Common Core Standards. Guided by Catholic values, this curriculum helps form students into lifelong learners who critically examine literature, effectively research information, and clearly articulate their thoughts and ideas through written and spoken language.

So....  I'm not sure. 

In the Diocese of Superior, I found some stuff.  It looks like there was a Common Core initiative in 2010 that Catholic schools began complying with.  The Diocese of Superior shows on these charts that at that time they did apply Common Core standards to certain aspects of the curriculum.  Are these the same standards that are being rolled out today?  I'm not sure, perhaps someone can enlighten us.

And as we have seen now, the Archdiocese of Milwaukee has attacked anyone who would question the Common Core standards or their implementation. 

Anti-Common Core Speaker Disallowed from Speaking on Church Property

And Abp. Listecki:

Why the recent uproar over “Common Core”? I believe it stems from a basic mistrust of authority, especially the government.

There is a joke: “Hello, I’m from the government and I’m here to help you.”

There is a fear that standards which lead to curriculum will embody a type of social reconstruction envisioned by the “cognoscenti” (those in the know).

We live in a secularist mentality, which fosters value-free neutrality and the suppression of freedom of expression which would not be tolerated in a Catholic school, yet could be promoted in the public-sponsored forum. Many are fearful that a type of social reconstruction could be embedded in the promotion of types of literature, or selected topics or the preparation and constructions of exams.

La Crosse Diocese Rejects Common Core Standards for Schools

The Diocese of La Crosse, Wis., will be “neither adapting nor adopting” the controversial Common Core State Standards, the Catholic school superintendent has told The Cardinal Newman Society. And last week, Bishop Robert C. Morlino of Madison, Wis., joined a growing number of diocesan leaders who are refusing to conform to the Common Core in their Catholic schools.

Catholic Education Daily spoke to another Wisconsin diocesan education leader this week on the topic. “We are neither adapting nor adopting [the standards], we are using Common Core as a resource,” Dr. Susan Holman, superintendent of schools for the Diocese of La Crosse, told CED by phone. She explained that since the standards will drive the creation of and content for standardized testing, it is important that the diocesan education system monitor the standards because, “we need to know what is expected of our students.”

Holman went on to make clear, though, that “there won't be any change in how or what we teach.” She also stressed the centrality of the Faith in their education system, “What we do in the diocese is teach according to our curriculum, and we have a Catholic curriculum.”

Cardinal Newman

That would put 3-2 against Common Core

La Crosse: Diocesan
Madison: Diocesan
Green Bay: Diocesan
Milwaukee: Common Core
Superior: Common Core

WaPo features our bishops: Catholics split over Common Core standards

Catholic educators, scholars and bishops are engaging in an increasingly vocal debate about the Common Core State Standards, with a major split developing between those who support the Core and those who don’t. More than 100 dioceses have already approved the standards for their Catholic schools, but others are rejecting them, including the Diocese of Madison in Wisconsin, which last week sent out a letter (see below) explaining why.

The division is underscored by a $100,007 (yes, $100,007) grant that the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation — which has heavily funded the Common Core initiative — awarded to the National Catholic Educational Association in September “to support trainings and provision of follow-up materials for teachers on implementing the Common Core State Standards.” The association has come under some criticism this year for its efforts to help Catholic schools implement the standards through an initiative that it established with Catholic educators called the Common Core Catholic Identity Initiative, which, an association statement released last May says,

… provides resources to design and direct the implementation of Common Core within the culture and context of a Catholic school curriculum. Thus Catholic schools can infuse the standards with the faith, principles, values and social justice themes inherent in the mission of a Catholic school.

A month before that statement (see text below) was released, a Facebook page titled “Catholic School Parents Against CommonCore” was created last April.

continue at The Washington Post

Bp. Ricken: Common Core not replacement for Catholic school standards

The Diocese of Green Bay is blessed to have strong Catholic schools. It is because of the great work of so many that our students perform at the highest levels on state and national tests and our graduation rates are between 97 and 100 percent. I am so very proud of our Catholic school teachers, students and parents for their commitment and hard work in making this possible; after all, it is about the children.

As of late, the “common core standards” initiative in the public school system is fueling a fire storm of debate and heated discussion in the Diocese of Green Bay, the state of Wisconsin and the nation. The “common core,” as it is referred to, is a relatively new set of math and English/language arts standards designed to help children in public schools “race to the top.” It is an initiative, backed by government grants, intended to raise academic achievement and improve graduation rates in public schools. This initiative was developed in response to long-standing concerns by business, industry and leaders of higher learning indicating that young people are not sufficiently prepared for the work force or higher education.

Is it necessary for us to “adopt or adapt” the “common core standards?” No, it is not necessary. Some Catholic schools across the country are “adopting” these standards, while others are “adapting” them, in the hopes that the standards will improve their academic performance. Private schools are not required to adopt or adapt the “common core standards.” Several years ago, in the Diocese of Green Bay, we developed comprehensive standards of our own and these have served us very well.

continue at The Compass 

This is Bp. Ricken's original column on the subject  but well worth the read. 

Anti-Common Core Event Banned from Milwaukee Church’s Parish Hall

An event established to discuss the Common Core and its role in Catholic schools was barred from a parish after the superintendent of schools of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee discouraged them from hosting the event.

The Milwaukee chapter of Catholics United for the Faith has been forced to reschedule their upcoming lecture “Common Core: Dangers and Threats to Catholic Identity” with Dr. Duke Pesta, an English professor at the University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh and a former Catholic high school teacher, from a parish hall to a nearby hotel.

The event was originally scheduled to take place on Nov. 17, 2013, at St. John the Evangelist's Church Hall in Wisconsin, according to the flyer from Catholics United for the Faith.

But last week, A.P. Szews, president of St. Gregory's VII chapter of Catholics United for the Faith, received a phone call alerting him that the event could no longer be held on parish property because of Dr. Pesta’s involvement.

Pesta, who is one of the foremost critics of the Common Core standards, testified last month against Common Core at a public hearing in Wisconsin and has been outspoken about the dangers of its use to Catholic identity in parochial schools. He even recently appeared on Relevant Radio’s nationally syndicated The Drew Mariani Show to discuss this issue.

Szews called the archdiocese shortly after receiving word that the event was banned from using the parish hall and received an email response from Kathleen A. Cepelka, Ph.D., superintendent of schools for the Archdiocese of Milwaukee. Catholic Education Daily has obtained that email.

Cepelka wrote that while she has no direct authority over the parish, she did say she had been asked about the event with Dr. Pesta. She wrote, “I discouraged having him speak at St. John’s because it’s my understanding that he has shared views in other places, which are contrary to the good faith efforts of St. John the Evangelist School and the entire Archdiocesan Schools program which attempts to provide the strongest academic program possible for our students.”

continue at: http://www.cardinalnewmansociety.org/CatholicEducationDaily/DetailsPage/tabid/102/ArticleID/2711/Anti-Common-Core-Event-Banned-from-Church%E2%80%99s-Parish-Hall.aspx#sthash.wnbp2gY1.dpuf

Wow!

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Abp. Listecki: Common core objection "stems from a basic mistrust of authority, especially the government"

There are certain topics which emerge as “hot button” issues. The very mention of these topics trigger all sorts of responses – some measured and some over the top.

Recently, the term “Common Core” has become just such a “hot button” issue. Responses range from intellectual vigilance to emotional anger.

Common Core is a set of educational standards for K-12 that 45 states have adopted to craft their curriculum.

“The standards are an extension of a prior initiative led by CCSSO (Council of Chief School Officers) and NGA (National Governors Association) to develop College and Career Readiness (CCR) standards in reading, writing, speaking, listening and language as well as in mathematics. The CCR Reading, Writing, and Speaking and Listening Standards, released in a draft form in September 2009, serve in revised form, as the backbone for the present document. Grade specific K-12 standards in reading, writing, speaking, listening and language translate the broad (and, for the earliest grades, seemingly distant) arms of the CCR standards into age and attainment appropriate terms.”

As you can read in the definition, every aspect of education is affected K-12. Therefore, parents should be rightfully attentive.

There have always been standards that in some way are measurable. We rely on the expertise of our teachers to grade papers A B C D F or percentages 100 percent or 69 percent or, in the early years, “gold stars.” I remember my gold stars, although there were too few.

Our high school students fret over the ACTs or SATs. Our Catholic grade schools are subjected to national testing. It would be inconceivable, as well as unfair, to not know the standards area or areas of testing or the materials that would be used in the evaluations.

We live in a demanding world where competition is fierce. So, as archbishop, I am concerned that we provide the best Catholic education possible, in an environment that is compatible with learning and that our students are not in any way placed at a disadvantage in their competition with fellow students from the public schools.

continue at MilCathHerald 

I disagree with the premise.  The concern is over the quality of education.   I'm not sure why he went for a low blow on this.  I think the intention of the article is to basically back his superintendent, but to say that those who oppose Common Core are backwoods hicks who hate government is disingenuous to say the least.  If Common Core mandated the study of the great books and philosophy, does he really think the same people would object? 

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Diocese of Madison rejects Common Core

via WisSJ

Catholic schools in Madison will not adopt the Common Core State Standards, according to a statement by Bishop Robert Morlino and superintendent Michael Lancaster of the Diocese of Madison that was circulated Wednesday. Rather, he said in a letter to parishoners, “our parish elementary schools will continue to use our own, diocesan academic standards.”

The announcement concluded a two-page letter outlining Catholic schools’ overall high academic performance when compared to national averages, for which the bishop credited the diocese’s current academic standards for curriculum.

Wednesday’s announcement follows another rejection of the standards for Catholic schools earlier this month by Bishop David Ricken of the Diocese of Green Bay, who said schools there will not “adopt or adapt” the standards. However, he said if public schools’ performance surpasses theirs, the diocese will revisit the idea.

And so Superior has also adopted Common Core a few years ago - at least in part, and I'm not entirely sure on La Crosse, I think they have adopted at least part as well.  Let me see if I can find details online.   

So tentatively, this is what Wisconsin looks like - This only applies to diocesan schools, the independent classical style Catholic schools can continue to use the tried and true method of Catholic education.

Madison - Diocesan 
Green Bay - Diocesan
Superior - Common Core
La Crosse - Common Core
Milwaukee - Common Core

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