Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal sues Department of Education over Common Core

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Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal (R) filed a lawsuit in US District Court Wednesday against the Department of Education, alleging that the Common Core implementation process violated states’ rights and the 10th Amendment.

In the complaint, Jindal argues that the federal “Race to the Top” program, which required states to “enter binding agreements to adopt and fully implement a single set of federally defined content standards and to utilize assessment products created by a federally sponsored ‘consortia,’ ” essentially forced them to adopt the Common Core.

“Through regulatory and rule making authority, [the Department of Education has] constructed a scheme that effectively forces states down a path towards a national curriculum,” the complaint reads.

Jindal argues that the Common Core is an attempt to shift control of education away from parents and school boards and to put it in the hands of Washington, D.C.

“The proponents of Common Core will tell you that it’s simply about one test and about standards, but that’s a ruse,” he said in a statement. “Make no mistake — Common Core tests will drive curriculum. Common Core supporters should own up to this fact and finally admit they want to control curriculum. These are big government elitists that believe they know better than parents and local school boards.”

A staunch opponent of Common Core, Jindal has previously tried to remove the standards from Louisiana, but has found his efforts stymied by the state legislature and board of education, who support the national standards. And a Louisiana judge recently prevented Jindal from repealing the standards through executive action because such a change would cause “irreparable harm” to students, POLITICO noted.

The suit is Jindal’s latest maneuver, and can be read here.