Dr. Pat Cooper, Superintendent of Lafayette Parish Schools joined 'Mornings With Ken and Bernie' today to discuss the Common Core Curriculum.

We first asked Dr. Cooper if the Common Core Standard was being used in Lafayette Parish Dr. Cooper replied,

Common Core is the set of standards that was adopted by the State that we are mandated to use.  Having said that, it's not a bad set of standards.  Our job in Lafayette Parish Schools is to teach kids to read and write and do arithmetic and get ready for the next level which is life.

When asked if Common Core comes with a manual that says certain things will be taught all fourth graders will be taught this in certain weeks or is that left up to the teachers Dr. Cooper said,

The standards are nothing but standards.  They are a set of facts that everybody agrees to be educated you need to know.  These facts haven't changed over the last gazillion years although as we've learned things we've added facts.  It is totally up to the local school district, the local teachers to develop the curriculum that teaches those facts...People have misunderstood is they think Common Core says you have to teach this on this day on this way using this terminology....That is totally not correct.

Dr. Cooper said the intent of Common Core is to develop thinking skills.

There's no conspiracy behind it to make us all Communists or make us all one religious bent or make us all liberals.  It's just straight facts about English and language arts and math.

When asked why there were so many misconceptions about Common Core Dr. Cooper replied,

Somebody said it somewhere on Facebook and everybody believes it.

There's a lot more to the discussion with Dr. Cooper including comments about homework and religion.  You can hear more by listening to the interview:

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