Baltimore County Teachers Air Grievance With The 'Common Core' Curriculum
PIKESVILLE, Md. (WJZ) -- Baltimore County teachers say new curriculum requirements are putting a strain on them and their students.
Pat Warren reports teachers find implementing the standards called "Common Core" more complicated than expected.
Common Core, a standardized education system, essentially turns K-12 education into one big, national college prep program.
The website describes Common Core as: "ensuring all students, no matter where they live, are well prepared with the skills and knowledge necessary to collaborate and compete with their peers in the United States and abroad."
In a teacher town hall meeting video posted Thursday night, teachers told Superintendent Dallas Dance that putting those standards into practice is a Herculean task.
"I'm not sure it's possible for you to understand what we are going through without actually going through it with us," said Vicki Charikofsky, Millbrook Elementary. "My question is what can you do now, this year, to give us a break?"
The Teachers Association of Baltimore County has filed a grievance, saying the school system has not given them enough time to meet expectations, forcing them to run a race they can't win.
"And it's running on that wheel, that hamster running along the wheel. And the wheel keeps going, and it's getting faster and faster. And eventually, the teachers are just going to fall off because they're so exhausted," said Lisa Norrnington, TABCO.
Superintendent Dance assured teachers that their input would be considered.
"What I do have, are individuals who are taking notes so we can actually develop trends on what the concerns are," he said.
Maryland is one of 45 states requiring school districts to implement the new standards.
Maryland's school board adopted the standards back in 2010 with a unanimous vote.
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