Special from The United Conservatives Fund
The Mississippi Legislature may have adjourned the 2015 session and left Jackson, but the fight against centralized control of education with Common Core is raging on.
The United Conservatives Fund leadership and member organizations have been working hard over the past few days to defeat legislation that seeks to give elected officials political cover for refusing to kill Common Core.
While the legislation, SB 2161, passed both houses, it has yet to be signed by Governor Phil Bryant. We’re working hard to shine a light on this terrible legislation that grows government and does nothing to end the untested, unproven federal mandates of Common Core. We hope the governor will veto the bill.
In case you missed it . . .
On March 31, the Clarion Ledger reported that SB 2161 passed and was headed to Governor’s desk. Lt. Governor Tate Reeves told reporter Emily Le Coz the legislation “would end Common Core.”
Senator Chris McDaniel had this to say: “The bill means nothing. It’s smoke and mirrors.”
On April 1, UCF Director of Policy and Communications Keith Plunkett penned a commentary writing “This bill doesn’t kill Common Core. It renames it and creates yet another group of political appointments to help cover for politicians who go-along and get-along with whatever bureaucrats tell them is good policy.”
Conservative writer Ryan Walters also wrote a commentary about the legislation saying, “Lt. Gov. Reeves is trying to fool us once again on an important issue. But make no mistake, Common Core is not going in the garbage heap in Mississippi; it’s going in the classroom.”
Later that afternoon, Governor Bryant told reporter Geoff Pender that he “might not sign the bill” but stopped short of threatening a veto.
On April 2, Senator Melanie Sojourner sent a letter formally requesting Governor Bryant veto SB 2161, saying passage into law would “make future repeal (of Common Core) practically impossible.”
She also cited the problems Common Core would cause for homeschoolers and school choice policy in the state.
Social media has caught fire today with Common Core opponents using the hashtag #VetoSB2161, and calling the Governor’s Office and registering their desire to see SB 2161 vetoed.
Stay tuned . . .
Mississippi PEP 
I feel the common core is to hard for the children so I am against it!!