Taken from a Facebook post by Stan Wayne:

I want to get some warriors thinking with me about a tactic. We have done the refusals so another tactic is appropriate.

Not only that but part of common core ideology involves keeping parents away from outrageous Math methods, anti American history (today my 10 year informed me on Columbus Day weekend that teacher says Columbus was a bad man) and gender bending and provocative literature.

I spend a lot of time helping 3 kids with math. None of them have a text book. Only the teacher has that. Kids have problem books and parents are supposed to be mollified with a stupid irrelevant parent guide book. I told the principal I don’t want your “resources” I want your “damn text book” after a long ridiculous condescending lecture. He said he would get back to me.

You go on the Pearson website to buy and the book is $540 !! I started to buy it because I was angry but was told – must have school credit card.

I called teacher, principal because I am sick of helping kids with math with no text book to reference cuz there is no student book. I said I want the Teacher book, I am a teacher and a parent , they say they are thinking – I said I cannot get for $500 from Pearson cuz I have to have School credit card – I called Albany Dept of Ed Curriculum Dept – they sympathized – guy was half drunk on their Koolaid but admitted he can’t help his own elementary kids even though he was a teacher – they said make paper trail – request from principal then chairman of board – then do an “article 30” complaint – I wrote it down the exact law at work – I think our next tactic is for each parent warriors to demand ALL texts- make a paper trail from teacher – principal – district superintendent – chairman of board of Education. We have to jam this ridiculous system up that thinks parents are idiots.

Eduhonesty: Let’s start with the idea of $540 books. Who believes this does not discriminate fiercely against financially-disadvantaged districts? At those prices, only the wealthy will regularly see new books.

A second sad observation: Lots of teachers can’t do Common Core math. They have to learn this new technique, despite the fact that so far as I can tell there is still zero evidence that the Common Core system is superior to its predecessors. Few parents can do Common Core math. I haven’t met one yet who is comfortable with this latest mathematical fad. Maybe the district did not buy the books because they did not want parents to realize what a mess we are making of elementary mathematics.

I will let readers in on a secret. I am happy not to be teaching math this year. The story problems and techniques keep getting more convoluted. The kids keep looking more confused. Even when they figure out what to do, they often can’t believe they somehow managed to solve a problem.

I can go one better than Stan on the question of Columbus: I have a colleague who purchased a Social Studies book as a supplement for her class and discovered that Columbus had been written out of the book.

I’d suggest Stan find a book at the library or a used book store, except I imagine that won’t work for his purposes. That older book would probably just add numbers and carry over to the next place value, for example. I’d bet his kids are not allowed to use such simple techniques. No, they have to draw lots of little boxes and do a version of making change in order to finish a simple addition problem. Stan really does need that book.

If he ever gets it, I’ll be glad to blog his screams when he finally looks at the content.