The Chicago Teachers Union last week passed a resolution saying that it opposes the Common Core State Standards.
Unions have a complicated relationship with the standards. Both the American Federation of Teachers—CTU’s parent—and the National Education Association say they support the standards but think implementation has been poor.
The resolution from the Chicago union, which represents teachers in the nation’s third-largest district, adds a new wrinkle to the conversation. It does not distinguish between standards and implementation.
Among other points, the resolution contends that the standards contain “numerous developmentally inappropriate expectations,” “reflect the interests and priorities of corporate education reformers,” and “emphasize pedagogical techniques, such as close reading, out of proportion to the actual value of these methods.”
