Arizona State Senator opposes Common Core, in part, because ALGEBRA!

According to the Arizona Daily Star, the Arizona Senate Education Committee passed a bill that would prohibit the state from implementing the Common Core standards. Quoth the Daily Star (emphasis mine):

[Gubernatorial candidate and state Senator Al] Melvin said he understands “some of the reading material is borderline pornographic.” And he said the program uses “fuzzy math,” substituting letters for numbers in some examples.

Later on in the same article, Senator Melvin is quoted as expressing concern about the rigor of American academic standards, arguing that “We have cheated several generations of Americans out of a decent education.” I might argue that the person who has been cheated out of a decent education is Senator Melvin, who is apparently unfamiliar with fifth-grade mathematics.

Of course, it’s entirely possible Senator Melvin is fully aware that this “fuzzy math” line is completely ignorant poppycock and is only saying it in a cynical attempt to appeal to ignorant people in his gubernatorial campaign. (This possibility, to be frank, would be even more distressing.)

Intel’s second largest U.S. site is in Arizona. I wonder how Intel executives feel about their company’s investment in a state where members of the state senate education committee oppose the teaching of algebra.

(To be absolutely clear, I’m not saying that all Common Core skeptics and opponents are as ridiculous as Senator Melvin.)

HT: Matthew Arbo