Louisiana educators say they’re upset, discouraged and disheartened at U.S. Sen. David Vitter’s Monday announcement that he no longer supports the Common Core standards.
“I think the fear is change,” says Nicole Nelson, an elementary teacher in Caddo Parish. “I think we’re on the right track, and we have to continue. It’s going to take time, but I’ve seen what students can do when teachers use these standards. I’ve seen a new level of collaboration among teachers. It’s just change that we’re scared of, and we’re kind of confusing curriculum with standards.”
As Gannett Louisiana reports, Nelson was one of several teachers who participated in a Monday afternoon conference call about Vitter’s statements. The educators acknowledged that the Common Core implementation has been a rocky road for teachers, students and parents, and that more work needs to be done to make sure everyone is ready to meet the new goals.
Vitter, a Republican running for governor next year, said Louisiana should establish its own system of standards and testing and end its use of Common Core. He is the only one of the four announced candidates for governor to come out directly against Common Core.
Baton Rouge business leaders told Daily Report on Monday that they’re also disappointed by Vitter’s flip-flop on the controversial education standards. Businessman Lane Grigsby, who has created a political action committee to support education reform, says he feels duped, and the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry is also upset with Vitter’s actions.
