Common Core or Christian Core?

The Common Core State Standards are an initiative to adopt a uniform set of kindergarten through 12th-grade mathematics and English educational standards throughout the United States. Many Christian schools are also voluntarily adopting Common Core standards. This article examines whether such a practice is truly in the best interest of students and parents by considering the compatibility of Common Core with a classical Christian philosophy of education. This article begins with an analysis of Common Core standards to identify the foundational philosophy of education inherent in Common Core. This philosophy of education is then contrasted with the classical Christian philosophy of education to discern whether Common Core is compatible with the Christian core that should be at the heart of every Christian school.