How Jay Nixon and Chris Nicastro brought Common Core to Missouri

Their names are not mentioned even one time in educator Mercedes Schneider's blog post, but it still explains exactly how Gov. Jay Nixon and Education Commissioner Chris Nicastro led Missouri into Common Core Standards.

The post also details thoroughly how everyone but select a few, a select few that did not include classroom teachers, developed the standards that are supposed to guide a nation.

How few governors does it take to “lead” a democracy right out of its own democratic processes?

Possibly only five– the number of governors on the board of Achieve in 2008– or seven– the number of governors on the Achieve board in 2009.

The CCSS MOU actually tells the two signators– the governor and state superintendent– that by signing, they are “agreeing to be state led.” Thus, “state led” means, “You will follow the lead of the ‘leading governors and business leaders.’”

And why are these governors and state superintendents signing this CCSS agreement?

For RTTT money– and not nearly enough to implement CCSS.

Achieve is the organization that the billionaire interests, especially Bill Gates, has used to push Common Core Standards. And though Jay Nixon was not on the organization's board of directors in 2008, it certainly is now.