« Nineteen countries and education systems outperformed the United States in reading on the Program for International Student Assessment, or PISA 2012, compared to nine systems when the test was last administered. in 2009. “While we stand still, other countries are making progress,” said Jack Buckley, commissioner of the National Center for Education Statistics, which published the U.S. PISA report. (Hein). From the outside, the “Common Core” initiative that President Obama and the administration have been pushing for since 2009 seems like a good thing for education, our children, and the future of our society, but once we look at it on closer inspection, this is not the case. . I believe we absolutely need a serious improvement in the American education system; but Common Core is not the answer. As citizens, whether we have children in school or not, we should not allow this program to be implemented in our states and in our schools. Common Core violates the U.S. Constitution, it has serious and growing opposition from many educators and parents because it is worse than the current programs many states already have in place, it hobbles states, and it obstructs the law of parents to choose the education of their children and be very expensive to implement and all of this must be financed on the backs of taxpayers. Common Core is a new way of learning, called conceptual learning. All new textbooks, technology and teacher training are needed. State education leaders and governors in 48 states are said to have come together to develop the Common Core, a set of clear college- and career-ready standards for kindergarten through 12th grade in English, literacy and mathematics and it is supposed to be designed to ensure that...... middle of paper ...... stagnates as other nations make gains. "Education Week: U.S. Achievement Stagnates as Other Nations Make Gains. np, nd Web. May 4, 2014." Frequently Asked Questions About Public Charter Schools. » What is a charter school? | Frequently asked questions (FAQ) about charter schools in New York, Massachusetts and New Jersey | Uncommon Schools. Uncommon Schools, and Web. May 6, 2014 . Golod, Amy. “Common Core: Myths and Facts” Common Core: Myths and Facts - US News, May 6, 2014. Staff, Editorial “Setting the record straight on Common Core: Part 1 "Setting the record straight on the common core: part 1 | Pioneer Institute. Pioneer Institute, nd Web. May 6, 2014. "The Role of the Federal Government in Public Education in the United States." The Role of the Federal Government in Public Education Education in the United States. np, nd Web. May 6 2014.