Candidate for Governor Scott Smith Applauds Common Core

Former Mesa Mayor Scott Smith stated the following in a recent AZ Central article titled Gubernatorial Candidates Weigh in on Common Core. Both Smith and Fred Duval (Democrat candidate for Governor) support Common Core:

Scott Smith, Republican: "Education is the key to Arizona’s future economic prosperity. All of our children deserve an excellent education that prepares them for a career. I have consistently supported higher standards for our children. This is their future. It’s why companies like Apple will invest in Arizona.

"As a Conservative, I believe strongly that education is best governed at the local level, far from Washington. Achievement standards should be determined by the states. The curriculum used to meet these standards must be set by the state and local districts, and should be flexible to allow our teachers to adjust their teaching to recognize the unique needs of schools and students. I believe the Arizona College and Career Ready Standards accomplish these objectives, and I support their implementation. We owe every child in Arizona the opportunity to start their careers or higher education ready to succeed."

There is no way that former Mesa Mayor Scott Smith can be ignorant of the controversy surrounding Common Core aka Arizona College & Career Ready Standards. He’s betting that the multi-billion dollar advertising campaign that is promoting these destructive standards will win the day. It’s just a political gamble on his part. In the meantime, millions of America’s children, including those in Arizona, are being treated like laboratory mice in a massive field test called "Common Core." Scott Smith is ruthlessly callous toward Arizona’s children.