SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO AM) - An attempt to replace the Common Core curriculum in South Dakota with a curriculum fashioned in Massachusetts failed Thursday morning in the Senate Education Committee.
Bill sponsor, Republican Senator Phil Jensen of Rapid City, said South Dakota's version of Common Core standards were imposed on students, not by legislators "whose job it is to make such decisions," but by the governor and the officials of the state Department of Education.
Jensen says the legislature was not consulted or informed of this "radical overhaul of public education."
Jane Robins with the American Principles Project, a conservative think tank, claims Common Core has always "been surrounded in deception." Robins says proponents claim the standards were developed by state governors and educators but "in fact they were written by a few people in Washington D.C."
Robins does admit there was some feedback offered from relatively few people, but she says it's unknown if the drafters ever considered the input.
South Dakota Education Secretary Melody Schopp opposed the measure telling legislators that the proposed Massachusetts' standards were established at least a decade ago and some as far back as 17 years ago. She says that curriculum is obviously outdated.
Schopp says a course in United States' history ends in 2001 leaving out a large gap of history and she says a lot has happened in the last 16 years.
Committee Chair Senator Jim Bolin of Canton says it costs money to start new agendas and it costs money to remove old agendas. "Money we do not have."
The measure was sent to the 41st day on a five to two vote
