WASHINGTON -- Ohio Gov. John Kasich (R) on Sunday criticized Republicans who have attacked Common Core education standards and said that their opposition has more to do with politics than substance.
Kasich dismissed criticisms of the standards from those like Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal (R), who argue that the guidelines will lead the federal government to have more control of the education system in the United States.
"The Common Core was written by state education superintendents and local principals. In my state of Ohio, we want higher standards for our children, and those standards are set and the curriculum is set by local school boards," Kasich said on "Fox News Sunday." "Barack Obama doesn't set it, the state of Ohio doesn't set it. It is local school boards driving better education, higher standards, created by local school boards.
"I've asked the Republican governors who have complained about this to tell me where I'm wrong, and guess what, silence."
So far, 46 states and the District of Columbia have adopted Common Core, though three have withdrawn. Common Core attempts to set uniform goals and standards for different school systems across the country. Critics like Jindal -- who initially backed the standards -- say that the federal government has coerced states into adopting the guidelines.
"What started out as an innovative idea to create a set of base-line standards that could be ‘voluntarily’ used by the states has turned into a scheme by the federal government to nationalize curriculum," Jindal said in August.
Speaking in Iowa this weekend, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee (R) said that Common Core had morphed into a "frankenstandard."
"Folks, what Common Core may have originally been was a governor-controlled states initiative to keep the fickle federal fingers of fate off of education," Huckabee said. "It has morphed into a frankenstandard that nobody, including me, can support."
Kasich, considered a potential candidate for the GOP presidential nomination in 2016, said that he thought opposition to Common Core had to be political. In addition to Jindal and Huckabee, Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul and former Texas Gov. Rick Perry are among the potential 2016 GOP candidates who have criticized Common Core.
"Part of the problem is today politicians are running to try and to get votes ... We run out here trying to solve problems. And we have a problem with our education standards and our children's ability to compete in the world," Kasich said. "We're not gonna turn this over to Washington, or even to Columbus, our state capital. It's local schools with local school boards and high standards.
"I don't know how anybody can disagree with that unless you're running for something."
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