EDUCATION
one’ s personal United States flag.
West Virginia Farm Bureau believes that the United States flag is a symbol of freedom and liberty unequaled in the world and that the wanton destruction of our flag demeans the values which we as free people hold so dear. We recommend that any American flag sold which is 2 ft. x 3 ft. or larger come with instructions for proper use – display and disposal.
We support a constitutional amendment making flag desecration a felony.
43. BALANCED FEDERAL BUDGET
West Virginia Farm Bureau insists on a balanced federal budget, accomplished by reducing federal government expenditures and not increasing taxes. Any balanced budget proposal should require full compliance in not more than five years.
44. COMMON CORE
EDUCATION
Whereas, the Common Core State Standards( CCSS) are a set of academic standards promoted and supported by two private membership organizations, the National Governor’ s Association( NGA) and the Council of Chief State School Officers( CCSSO), as a method for conforming American students to uniform(“ one size fits all”) achievement goals to make them more competitive in a global marketplace;
And, the NGA and the CCSSO have received tens of millions of dollars from private third parties to advocate for and develop CCSS strategy, subsequently creating the CCSS through a process that was not subject to the Freedom of Information Act or other“ sunshine” laws, and never piloted the CCSS;
And, even though federal law prohibits the federalizing of curriculum, the Obama administration accepted the CCSS plan and used 2009 Stimulus Bill money to require the states that were most committed to the President’ s CCSS agenda but failed to give states, their legislatures and their citizens time to evaluate CCSS before having to commit to it;
And, the NGA and CCSSO, in concert with the same corporations developing the CCSS assessments, created new textbooks, digital media and other teaching materials aligned to the standards which must be purchased and adopted by local school districts in order that students may effectively compete on CCSS assessments;
And, the CCSS program includes federally-funded testing and the collection and sharing of massive amounts of personal student and teacher data;
And, the CCSS effectively removes educational choice and competition since all schools and districts must use Common Core assessments, based on the Common Core standards, to allow all students to advance in the school system and advance to higher education pursuits;
Therefore, West Virginia Farm Bureau recognizes the CCSS as an inappropriate overreach to standardize and control the education of our children so they will conform to a pre-conceived“ normal”;
And, West Virginia Farm Bureau rejects the collection of personal student data for any noneducation purpose without the prior written consent of an adult student or a child student’ s parent or legal guardian, and rejects the sharing of such personal data without the prior written consent of an adult student or a child student’ s parent or legal guardian, with any person or entity other than schools or education agencies within the state;
And finally, West Virginia Farm Bureau specifically states the need to repeal the numerous federal regulations which interfere with state and local control of public schools;
Therefore, West Virginia Farm Bureau rejects the CCSS plan, which creates and fits the country with a nationwide straightjacket on academic freedom and achievement.
45. WV FFA PROGRAMS & CEDAR LAKES CONFERENCE CENTER
West Virginia Farm Bureau believes Cedar Lakes is a major asset for WV as a center for FFA and
West Virginia Farm Bureau News 15