The Oklahoma Supreme Court upheld the State Legislature’s jurisdiction to repeal Common Core standards for math and English Tuesday, dismissing arguments that the June bill repealing them was unconstitutional.
Republican Gov. Mary Fallin signed a bill repealing the standards in June, which had passed the state legislature with veto-proof majorities. “Federal overreach has tainted Common Core,” she said at the time. “The words ‘Common Core’ in Oklahoma are now so divisive that they have become a distraction that interferes with our mission of providing the best education possible for our children.” (RELATED: Fallin Gives In, Kills Common Core In Oklahoma)
Within less than a month, a group of teachers and Common Core activists sued the government over the repeal, concerned that it would give lawmakers too much control over the state’s education standards. (RELATED: Oklahoma Group Sues To Force Common Core On Legislators, Voters)
The court voted 8-1 against the plaintiffs Tuesday, less than a month before Oklahoma students return to school.
“How do you make a sudden change from your standards that you have woven into the curriculum, that you’ve paced into the curriculum, — how do you make a sudden change just immediately?” Tulsa public school superintendent Keith Ballard said Tuesday morning. “It’s really impossible. So, what we’ve done is we’re sticking to higher standards.”