Rand Paul on Common Core

A correspondent of his shared this part of a letter from Senator Rand Paul on the "Common Core" curriculum boondoggle:

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President Obama has been focused on nationalizing what is taught in each of our nation's schools since he was sworn into office. The President's flagship "Race to the Top" competitive grant program was used to entice states to adopt the K-12 standards developed by a joint project of the National Governors Association and the Council of Chief State School Officers. Also, in the President's 2009 Blueprint for Education Reform, it is suggested that the adoption of these common standards could one day be a qualification for states wanting future Title I dollars for low-income schools.

I have many concerns about the constitutionality and transparency of the Common Core State Standards Initiative as well as the loss of local control of curriculum and instruction.

I want to bring power back to the states and local communities. There is too much of the federal government trying to tell the local governments and local school districts what to do. I believe each area and its needs are different-Tompkinsville is different than Bowling Green, which is different than Louisville. Therefore, we need to have more local decisions. I have more confidence in parents, teachers, and local school districts to make decisions than I do in Washington.

As I continue work on the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, remain confident that I will take every possible opportunity to return the power of education back to the states, where local communities and parents can make decisions in students learning.

Again, thank you for reaching out to me with your concerns. It is an absolute honor to represent the people of Kentucky as their United States Senator. I took the oath to uphold the Constitution of the United States with great pride and it was a very important moment for me. I understand the gravity of the responsibility I have been entrusted with; I acknowledge the tremendous amount of work there is to undertake. I am quite optimistic about what can be accomplished and look forward to empowering the American people through legislative action. "