Do you live in the world of Common Core? If so, then you probably understand the anger and frustration that comes with it. But why is it so bad? Well, the system is very new and unproven and, according to Governor Cuomo, “was supposed to ensure all of our children had the education they needed to be college and career-ready – but it actually caused confusion and anxiety.”

In fact, it’s gotten so bad that some parents, outraged with the way Common Core is used to evaluate teachers, now refuse to allow their children to take some of these tests. According to Newsday, “A recent statement by the NYS Allies group called, among other thing, for an outright  ‘halt’ to the State’s use of Common Core guidelines.” But, if the participation rates of these tests are too low, then the government could decide to take aid away from schools.

I personally have nothing nice to say about Common Core. It was introduced to me when I entered 8th grade. I had always been good at math, but with an entirely new curriculum, math became a lot harder. Even last Thursday, I had decided to retake my Algebra I Regents in hopes of getting a better grade, having already passed.

But why should we have to retake our exams? Shouldn’t we be able to be taught what’s on the test and, better yet, the way it should be taught? Education isn’t an exam–it’s an experience, and I feel as though that is something we have all forgotten. But Common Core, in theory, isn’t this horrible thing that a lot of people like to portray it as. In fact, in theory, it’s a good concept.
Common Core strives to ensure that everyone gets the same education that will make them “college and career-ready,” according to Governor Cuomo. This would help to eliminate the rich-poor barriers in the education world, as the area you live in determines the school district you go to. If you live in a wealthy area, you’ll go to a wealthy school, and thus receive a better education. If education is standardized, however, all students would be taught the same curriculum with the same materials and the same opportunities as everyone else. This would make a child from a low-income household and one from a high-income household equally qualified. I’m confident that with some much-needed reforms, and a new formula for education, Common Core can become one of the greatest educational breakthroughs in our history.