S.C. Lawmakers Hear Testimony on Anti-Common-Standards Bill

http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/curriculum/2012/02/south_carolina_bill_to_withdra.html

A bill to prevent implementation of the common standards in South Carolina is rumbling through the state Senate.

According to the Associated Press, there were so many people that wanted to testify at yesterday’s subcommittee hearing that another hearing was scheduled for next week.

The bill was introduced last year in the state Senate, as we reported to you.

Sponsored by Republican Mike Fair, S. 604 would bar the state from putting into practice the standards that were adopted by the state board of education in July 2010.

Interestingly, the hearing yesterday drew common-core opponents from out of state. A Senate education committee staffer was kind enough to supply me with a list of those who testified. Supporters of the bill include names that have appeared in EdWeek stories (see below):

Joe Mack and Jane Robbins (both from the American Principles Project); Williamson Evers (research fellow, Hoover Institution, Stanford University); Jim Stergios (executive director, Pioneer Institute); Ze’ev Wurman (California high-tech entrepreneur)..

The list of those testifying against the bill was heavy on school district folks, and didn’t seem to include anyone from out of state:

Tripp Dukes (assistant superintendent for instruction, Anderson school district 5); Amy Hawkins (director of middle and high school programs, Anderson 5); Rose Wilder (superintendent, Clarendon school district 1); Cindy Smith (school board member, Lexington school district 1); Robbie Barnett (associate vice president for workforce, education and manufacturing policy, South Carolina Chamber of Commerce).

Also seen in Education Week.