By Brandon Moseley
Alabama Political Reporter
Republicans hold crushing supermajorities in both Houses of the Alabama Legislature and every statewide elected office in Alabama. The Republican grass roots overwhelmingly opposes the controversial common core educational standards that are rewriting education as we know it in this country and the Alabama Republican Party Executive Committee has three times voted to demand that the legislature repeal the unpopular standards. Despite this the legislature has been reluctant to repeal the unpopular common core standards.
Tea Party and conservative groups hope that the Common Core aligned Alabama College and Career Ready Standards will be repealed during this (or the likely, next) special session. To that end a collection of conservative groups have sent an open letter to Governor Robert Bentley (R) asking that he will call a special session of the legislature to repeal the corporate backed Common Core standards.
The letter reads: “We the Parents of Alabama respectfully demand that you, the Governor of Alabama, call a Special Session of the Legislature, and request that SB101 and HB242 be revisited. You have repeatedly expressed to the Grassroots and Concerned Parents working to repeal the Common Core Standards, that you were also opposed to them.”
The writers claim that, “Support of Common Core will be a dark mark on your legacy, and will also severely damage anyone with future political aspirations. You are calling for tax increases to balance the general budget, but you refuse to address the fact that Common Core will bankrupt the State of Alabama. No amount of federal dollars will stay this process.”
The conservatives conclude, “The “Repeal Common Core Battle Cry” will not stop. It is rampant throughout our Country. The Children of Alabama will not be easily surrendered to the untested mandates of the politick. We are giving you an opportunity to stand with us, the parents of Alabama, and prove you are still a man of your word. We await your answer. Make no mistake, we are not going away.”
The letter is signed by Rainy Day Patriots leaders: Ann Eubank, Zan Green, and Dawn Ray as well as Bash Agricola, Dee Shirley, Dexter Bland, Steven D. Guede, Steve Henry, Lou Campomenosi, Kelly Berry, Don and Kay Day, Dee L. Voelkel, Lee James Sr., George Barry, Richard Schultz, John Mahan, Lei Peavy, Mike Parsons, Dr. Miles F. Jones, Mary Lynn, Charles P. Bailey, Cathy Odom, Steve and Irene Stone, Janet Oglesby, Priscilla J. Owens, Roberta Burckardt, Beverly Burks Kimberly Knight, Alex Balkum, James Giddens, George B. Williams, Walter F. Gray, Linda King, Butch Daniel, Dianna Crews, Ron Hei, and Steve Johnson and represents Tea Party and conservative groups from across the State of Alabama.
To this point both Speaker of the House Mike Hubbard (R-Auburn) and Senate President Pro Tem Del Marsh (R-Anniston) have resisted calls to bring Common Core repeal bills to the floor of either chamber.
