Mary Harris, the newest Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education member, stated earlier this week that she opposes Common Core academic standards. She is also against the related PARCC test.
“I would like to see something replace Common Core that’s more beneficial to our students,” said Harris, former kindergarten teacher and principal of an arts magnet elementary school in Shreveport, Louisiana.
This is the second year the Common Core Standards have been in effect in Louisiana schools. This spring, third- through eighth-graders are set to take a test comprised of questions developed by the multi-state partnership.
Governor Bobby Jindal appointed Harris to fill the 4th District seat until a special election is held this spring. Jindal, who was once a Common Core supporter, has called for “Louisiana standards and a Louisiana test,” which goes along with a national push by conservative Republicans against the standards.
Harris said she opposes Common Core standards because “some of it is not developmentally appropriate for our students.”
Due to a poor implementation, some children didn’t have the skills they need to succeed, continued Harris. She believes the state could do a “good job of coming up with their own standards.”
Harris has been in education for 26 years.
Our country needs Common Core standards to help us monitor the progress of each individual student from year to year. It is obvious that Governor Jindal appointed Harris because she also opposes the standards. I hope that the rest of the Louisiana Education Board members can hold strong and keep Common Core standards in Louisiana schools.
