COMMON CORE: Anne Arundel County Parents Form Group to Speak Out Against New Common Core Curriculum

A group of Annapolis-area parents have formed a group, Parental Awareness of Common Core (PACC) designed to generate awareness about the Common Core curriculum currently being utilized in the Anne Arundel County Public School system (AACPS).  The group is comprised of parents from several schools located on the Broadneck peninsula and includes both elementary and middle school parents.   

Members of the group have growing concerns about the Common Core Standards and how they are being implemented in area schools.  “As parents, we are troubled about how these standards are affecting our children,” said Kelly Thompson, parent of an elementary and middle school student. “Many of us are experiencing firsthand behavioral, emotional, and performance issues in our children.  The effects of the new standards are manifesting themselves in the form of lower test scores, student stress, negative self image, and lack of confidence.”

The focus of the group is to educate, share information, and support children throughout the entire school district.  The group is in the early stages of organization and is seeking other parents and community members that may have an interest in learning more about the Common Core. The group has monthly meetings to discuss issues, educate new members who want to learn more, and explore and implement action plans. PACC has established a Facebook page to serve as a centralized location to share articles, videos, links, and other pertinent information. Interested parents or community members may visit http://www.facebook.com/groups/ParentalAwarenessOfCommonCore/ to learn more.

“We started this group because our children enjoy learning, but they have become increasingly nervous, agitated, and stressed to the point of not wanting to go to school in the morning. We believe something needs to be done,” said Thompson.