Common Core opponents assemble at state capitol

PHOENIX — It was called Common Core, then Gov. Jan Brewer renamed it Arizona College and Career Ready Standards. By any name, it has opponents and they showed up at the state capitol Wednesday.

“Common Core is telling our local school districts how children must be educated from the federal government level,” Diane Douglas, who’s running for Superintendent of Public Instruction.

The group asked people to vote yes on HB 2316, the last of a bunch anti-Common Core bills. Their signs read “Protect student privacy” and “Bring back local control.”

“What is something you would not want to be taught to your children?” asked Douglas. “Whatever your individual hot buttons are, the federal government can now come in and say, ‘It’s going to be taught your children.'”

Those who do not want to get rid of Common Core say it could cost the state nearly $1 billion in federal aid.