AP Courses, Common Core, I bet you didn't know...
Since this information is wasted on most of the herd animals where I posted it, I'm posting here (crossposted to Facebook) so the effort serves some purpose.
The catalyst that sent me down this rabbit hole was this article, 'Oklahoma lawmaker seeks to do away with AP history courses, says they emphasize ‘what is bad about America’"
http://kfor.com/2015/02/17/oklahoma-lawmaker-seeks-to-do-away-with-ap-history-courses-says-they-emphasize-what-is-bad-about-america/
The herd animals where I saw this dutifully responded with their love of public education and AP courses, and the required insults.
Given my own experience of the ignorance of many who I came to find out took AP courses I was inclined to believe those lawmakers that it was more left wing propaganda than education. I had no idea how bad it is. The following are the posts I found with a few minutes research to educate the deliberately ignorant and angry. It covers arguments from both sides.
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As to the liberals who respond, "it worked for me and makes me feel good so who gives a damn about your experiences or the national scores versus other countries or remedial classes often needed for college", thank you for sharing how the system has benefited you personally.
Since the media is offering no substance except his charge and poll saying it's good for college, he's probably right.
Now I'll share my anecdote - I have too often met people who proudly proclaim they took AP courses who then expose a stunning ignorance of history. Apparently since they were being prepared for the agenda mills of four year schools no one needed to care. I would also offer that AP courses could encourage schools to slow track any students the government employees deem unworthy as early as 6th-9th grades because the main focus becomes the AP tracked students. I'll freely admit I have no data on that. For every parent who gleefully proclaims their kids got camp and free money for the agenda mills I would wonder what the performance of that school system is in general.
Look up national rankings for yourself. They aren't good. At what point do smart people start erring on the side of suspicion of the people running this machine?
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Here's a short critique published in the (hardly right wing) Atlantic. It links to others.
http://www.theatlantic.com/.../ap-classes-are-a-scam/263456/
Here's an op-ed in NPR rebutting it. The catch phrase playbook should be telling. "Critical thinking", a term synonymous for years with "agree with the left", opening with a series of insults of the author of the article, and we help minorities you racist I'm surprised he didn't work in "peer reviewed". He came close, though.
http://www.npr.org/.../166414595/op-ed-ap-classes-are-a-scam
Here's an interesting piece from the right wing National Review.
http://www.nationalreview.com/.../how-college-board...
Here's the LA Times attacking that, which tell sme all I need to know as to whose side to be on. Especially this money quote...
"The assumption that everything about the U.S. is or should be viewed positively and uncritically by Americans themselves or by people outside its borders can lead only to a lobotomized view of America and the world. That may comfort the right wing, but it produces ignorance, not understanding."
Deceitful strawman leading to condemnation of right wing. He forgot to add "peer reviewed" to complete my douchebag bingo card for that article.
http://www.latimes.com/.../la-fi-mh-us-history-20140827...
Here's an American Thinker piece tying AP and Common Core.
http://www.americanthinker.com/.../has_the_college_board...
...and finally...
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(This really sums it up:)
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This is from the College Board itself.... the bio of David Coleman,
President and Chief Executive Officer
"In 2007, David left McGraw-Hill and cofounded Student Achievement Partners, a nonprofit that assembles educators and researchers to design actions based on evidence to improve student outcomes. Student Achievement Partners played a leading role in developing the Common Core State Standards in math and literacy. David left Student Achievement Partners in the fall of 2012 to become president of the College Board."
https://www.collegeboard.org/about/leadership/david-coleman
Are you a fan of Common Core? I'm not.
Your mileage may vary. But that's all I need to know.
Returning to the OP: "Lawmakers argue that AP courses are similar to Common Core and that they violate legislation since Common Core was repealed last year."
It would seem these idiots have a point. Same people, same agenda.
Actual critical thinking means not always assuming your masters have your best interests at heart and then attacking their opposition. I remember when "liberals" used to take pride in questioning authority. Now they define "critical thinking" as obedience. But I guess if it's "peer reviewed" it's okay.
__
The catalyst that sent me down this rabbit hole was this article, 'Oklahoma lawmaker seeks to do away with AP history courses, says they emphasize ‘what is bad about America’"
http://kfor.com/2015/02/17/oklahoma-lawmaker-seeks-to-do-away-with-ap-history-courses-says-they-emphasize-what-is-bad-about-america/
The herd animals where I saw this dutifully responded with their love of public education and AP courses, and the required insults.
Given my own experience of the ignorance of many who I came to find out took AP courses I was inclined to believe those lawmakers that it was more left wing propaganda than education. I had no idea how bad it is. The following are the posts I found with a few minutes research to educate the deliberately ignorant and angry. It covers arguments from both sides.
___
As to the liberals who respond, "it worked for me and makes me feel good so who gives a damn about your experiences or the national scores versus other countries or remedial classes often needed for college", thank you for sharing how the system has benefited you personally.
Since the media is offering no substance except his charge and poll saying it's good for college, he's probably right.
Now I'll share my anecdote - I have too often met people who proudly proclaim they took AP courses who then expose a stunning ignorance of history. Apparently since they were being prepared for the agenda mills of four year schools no one needed to care. I would also offer that AP courses could encourage schools to slow track any students the government employees deem unworthy as early as 6th-9th grades because the main focus becomes the AP tracked students. I'll freely admit I have no data on that. For every parent who gleefully proclaims their kids got camp and free money for the agenda mills I would wonder what the performance of that school system is in general.
Look up national rankings for yourself. They aren't good. At what point do smart people start erring on the side of suspicion of the people running this machine?
__
__
Here's a short critique published in the (hardly right wing) Atlantic. It links to others.
http://www.theatlantic.com/.../ap-classes-are-a-scam/263456/
Here's an op-ed in NPR rebutting it. The catch phrase playbook should be telling. "Critical thinking", a term synonymous for years with "agree with the left", opening with a series of insults of the author of the article, and we help minorities you racist I'm surprised he didn't work in "peer reviewed". He came close, though.
http://www.npr.org/.../166414595/op-ed-ap-classes-are-a-scam
Here's an interesting piece from the right wing National Review.
http://www.nationalreview.com/.../how-college-board...
Here's the LA Times attacking that, which tell sme all I need to know as to whose side to be on. Especially this money quote...
"The assumption that everything about the U.S. is or should be viewed positively and uncritically by Americans themselves or by people outside its borders can lead only to a lobotomized view of America and the world. That may comfort the right wing, but it produces ignorance, not understanding."
Deceitful strawman leading to condemnation of right wing. He forgot to add "peer reviewed" to complete my douchebag bingo card for that article.
http://www.latimes.com/.../la-fi-mh-us-history-20140827...
Here's an American Thinker piece tying AP and Common Core.
http://www.americanthinker.com/.../has_the_college_board...
...and finally...
__
(This really sums it up:)
__
This is from the College Board itself.... the bio of David Coleman,
President and Chief Executive Officer
"In 2007, David left McGraw-Hill and cofounded Student Achievement Partners, a nonprofit that assembles educators and researchers to design actions based on evidence to improve student outcomes. Student Achievement Partners played a leading role in developing the Common Core State Standards in math and literacy. David left Student Achievement Partners in the fall of 2012 to become president of the College Board."
https://www.collegeboard.org/about/leadership/david-coleman
Are you a fan of Common Core? I'm not.
Your mileage may vary. But that's all I need to know.
Returning to the OP: "Lawmakers argue that AP courses are similar to Common Core and that they violate legislation since Common Core was repealed last year."
It would seem these idiots have a point. Same people, same agenda.
Actual critical thinking means not always assuming your masters have your best interests at heart and then attacking their opposition. I remember when "liberals" used to take pride in questioning authority. Now they define "critical thinking" as obedience. But I guess if it's "peer reviewed" it's okay.
__