More wise words from a friend:

 

Please don't call them "National" Standards, otherwise you will awaken the black helicopter crowd (they are already stirring). They are "common" standards -- independently developed by the chiefs and the governors…not by any national or federal initiative.

 

I am sure you will understand the irony but necessity of all this window dressing.

 

And yes I agree this is the most important thing to have happened in "education reform" yet -- but we still need to get the states and their crazy legislatures to adopt these standards. Note well how Texas has already positioned itself…stay tuned this may be a fight worth fighting with all hands on deck.

 

If we are successful -- there will be an explosion of innovation in everything from teacher training to instruction to content design. A massive wave of new ideas will come forward from the "crowd", and finally, finally, the big ed companies will lose their grip on our kids, and eventually even the unions will become less of an obstacle.