CUF issues Clarion call on Common Core

The Common Core curriculum controversy strikes the CUF Milwaukee newsletter for November 2013.

Please join us, and bring a friend, to hear Dr. Duke Pesta discuss,

"Common Core: Dangers and Threats to Catholic Identity"
WHERE: St. John the Evangelist Church Hall
NEW LOCATION!!! Clarion Hotel Conference Center (Blrm BC)
(5311 S. Howell Ave.—across from airport entrance)
WHEN: Sunday, November 17
TIME: 2:00 p.m. – Program

According to the covering email,

"The Newsletter is late in getting to you this month because we had to scramble to obtain a change of venue. On Friday, November 9, we learned that, upon the recommendation of Dr. Kathleen Cepelka, Superintendent of Catholic Schools, to the Director of Administrative Services at St. John the Evangelist Parish (Denise Kasulka) we have been denied the use of the church hall for our meeting Sunday, November 17.

"Ms. Kasulka informed the Pastor, who was out of town at a retreat, of Dr. Cepelka’s decision. According to Ms. Kasulka, the pastor agreed that we could not use the church hall. In a phone conversation with Dr. Cepelka, she informed Dr. Szews that the Archbishop’s office supports her position, which she stated in an email to Dr. Szews, saying 'I discouraged having him speak at St. John’s..." Dr. Cepelka’s reason for opposing our meeting on church property is that Dr. Duke Pesta holds an opinion of Common Core State Standards that is contrary to that of the Archdiocese. Consequently, we have made arrangements to hold our meeting at the Clarion Hotel Conference Center, 5311 S. Howell Ave. at the usual time."

Here's the Milwaukee Catholic Herald's October 31, 2013 report Archdiocese adopting Common Core learning standards. That issue also included a Catholic News Service report on Common Core. It's not available at the Herald's website, but is at the National Catholic Reporter: Common Core: Catholic school community gives standards mixed grades.

Duke Pesta is on the English Department faculty at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh English Department. His Ph.D. is in Shakespeare and Renaissance Literature. "Dr. Duke Pesta Testifies Against Common Core in Wisconsin" in this video. He was interviewed by Vicki McKenna on her radio program.