"Rotten" At Its "Common Core"

 Typically, as your Senior Pastor, I try to reserve my Newsletter Articles to keeping everyone informed of what is going on (or what is about to happen in the future) in the life of our church and how it is contributing to our obedience to our Lord and Savior’s Great Commandment (John 13:34-35) and Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20). However, since my biblical role as a “pastor” (i.e. “shepherd”) includes trying to “protect” the flock from things both “within” and “outside” the church that can deceive and/or destroy us, I felt compelled to make you aware of a new “forbidden fruit” opportunity being offered to the “temporarily free” citizens of the United States to eat which is “ROTTEN AT ITS VERY CORE” and will lead to one more major loss of our independence and freedom as individuals and as a nation. 

      This new temptation which is being “swallowed” by our State Governments all over America (including here in South Carolina) appears to be “pleasing to the eye”, “good for food” (i.e. “able to strengthen us”), and “able to make us wise”; but, in reality, just like the original forbidden fruit, it will eventually cause our “eyes to be open”, “our children damaged by our foolish sins”, and “our banishment from the land of freedom we have lived in” (since America’s Constitution was ratified in 1788). The name of this “forbidden fruit” is called the Common Core Standards (CCS), which is nothing less than the federal government’s takeover of public (and eventually private) education of our children.  In 2010, without the knowledgeable consent of the citizens of South Carolina, the “appointed” (non-elected) members of our State School Board voted to accept the National Common Core Standards in spite of the objections of Dr. Mick Zais, our ELECTED State Superintendant of Schools.  To try to “justify” the radical changes this “unconstitutional” expansion of the federal government’s control of education within South Carolina are going to have on how and/what are children will be taught in grades K-12, the State School Board is serving out Washington, DC flavored “koolaid” to fool the public into thinking that these new National Education Standards are absolutely “necessary” and “beneficial” to help our children compete for and get the best “jobs” in the expanding and changing “global economy”! (Note:  I will not get side-tracked into the biblical warnings about a ONE WORLD GOVERNMENT in this particular article! Ha!)

      While I am still gathering more and more information about the CCS and just how “drastic” it will change America as you and I “used to know it” (and I will preach about this subject in July 2013), I want to share with you just a few “facts” of what I have learned so far, so that you still have time NOW to call our State Senators and Representatives (as well as the Governor and the South Carolina School Superintendant) to REJECT the CCS Education Initiative BEFORE IT IS VOTED INTO LAW IN THE UPCOMING LEGISLATIVE SESSION:

       1) For almost 100 years, “Progressives” (i.e. “Socialists”/ “Communists”), have tried multiple strategies to change the fundamental values of “the American way of life” (i.e. “capitalism”, “free enterprise”, “individual liberty OVER governmental control”, etc., etc.).

       2) With the election and re-election of the most “Progressive” President that America has ever had (Pres. Barak Obama), plans and strategies to expand government control over “individualism”, “privacy”, and “free enterprise” have been rapidly being implemented. (Has anyone heard about the mandated National “Obama Health Care” Plan???)

       - The actual education “standards” that are the “core” to CCS was written NOT BY ACTUAL CLASSROOM TEACHERS or EDUCATORS, but by a “Progressive” non-profit, Washington D.C. based organization called Achieve, INC.  They were funded by The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation through a donation of $100 million.  (NOTE:  “All the TESTING for CCS requires extremely advanced COMPUTER equipment which will potentially net Microsoft BILLIONS of dollars!!!”)

      - The strong motivation that South Carolina Legislators had in 2010 to accept the CCS federal education program was because it came with a “BRIBE” from our Federal Government.  In 2009, during the heart of a recession, President Obama’s “stimulus” bill set aside $4.3 Billion to offer “cash strapped” State Governments extra funding for State Education if they would GIVE UP THEIR STATE RIGHTS TO CONTROL PUBLIC EDUCATION (as per our 10^th Amendment to the Constitution!!!).  Although our previous Governor, Mark Sanford, “rejected” the stimulus money (for great reasons!), the South Carolina Legislators overrode his decision and voted to accept the money and begin IMPLEMENTING the CCS program throughout our state without INFORMING THE PUBLIC or asking us to vote “yes” or “no” to the STRINGS ATTACHED TO RECEIVING THIS FEDERAL “BRIBE”!!!

       - Not only is the implementation of this “federal” education control going to cost us as state taxpayers MILLIONS of dollars, it also is going to change WHAT and HOW our state certified teachers teach.  For now, the CCS has only been approved for standards in Math and English (Reading & Writing); however, the ultimate goal is to set the standards of the ONLY THINGS THAT CAN BE TAUGHT nationally in regards to HISTORY, SCIENCE, SOCIAL STUDIES, and SEX EDUCATION.  The national “history” standards will include a tremendous amount of Anti-American, pro-Global Government material.  When these are all implemented, the GOAL of those backing the CCS, includes changing the SAT and the ACT tests used by Colleges to determine student admission to reflect ONLY what is mandated taught through CCS.  This means even HOME SCHOOLERS, CHRISTIAN SCHOOLS, and even Non-Christian PRIVATE SCHOOLS will be FORCED to teach what our FEDERAL GOVERNMENT wants them to know (such as “pro-evolution”, “pro-homosexuality”, “pro-communist” agendas  as the only reasonable viewpoints!!!).

       I will talk more about this subject later, but for now, if you want more information about this you can check out websites like: www.againstcommoncore.org and www.truthinamericaneducation.com.  If you are upset about this “secret” and “unconstitutional” change being implemented by our “elected” state leaders, please get yourself “informed” and then write letters and make phone calls to our “representatives” in Columbia to tell them we do NOT approve of CCS and want them rejected.  Now is the time to say “NO” to government’s expanding elimination of our freedoms. If they are allowed to control when and where we can go to a doctor for medical care, and if they can control all information being taught to our children, HOW LONG DO YOU THINK IT WILL BE BEFORE THEY CONTROL WHAT IS BEING PREACHED IN OUR CHURCH PULPITS???

                The Psalmist asked: “When the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do?”.  The Bible tells us that “the righteous” are to pray (Philippians 4:6-7), to gain wisdom (Proverbs 1:20-27), and to ACT (Proverbs 24:11-12).