Florida Governor Faces Common Core Dilemma

Florida governor Rick Scott

When we last visited Florida governor Rick Scott, the Sunshine State's fearless leader was ducking an education conference the gov himself had requested. In recent days, as a Miami Herald story noted, Scott has picked up the education mantle he so unceremoniously dropped. The governor is now considering making a statement about Florida's commitment to Common Core standards in K-12 education.

His position on the subject will be interesting. Scott's GOP base is very restive regarding anything involving the federal government, and downright nasty if Barack Obama has any association with a program. Common Core hits the bull's eye on both counts. Scott's larger issue is that his principal political benefactor is Jeb Bush, who happens to favor Common Core initiatives.

Scott's dilemma mirrors the Republican Party's schizophrenia on many social issues. I suspect the Florida governor will back Common Core standards and related assessment testing, simply because the state is already in immersed in the K-12 world's deep water: Common Core, charter schools, and the tech mafia that offers "solutions" to problems that conveniently suit its commercial needs. Also, in Florida, what Jeb Bush wants, Jeb Bush usually gets.