The Tennessee Firearms Association, Inc. has called for Tennessee legislators to stop or at a minimum delay implementation of the Common Core standards in Tennessee due to concerns about the teaching materials and testing concerning the Constitution, specifically as regards the Second Amendment.
"We are already seeing textbooks and teaching assignments that are a part of Common Core intentionally or recklessly misrepresenting the Second Amendment in schools across the country," said John Harris, executive director of the TFA, "and we want to insure that the liberal anti-gun agenda is not allowed to invade Tennessee schools."
Mr. Harris cited examples of Common Core textbooks and teaching assignments that have misrepresented the Second Amendment right to bear arms as limited to a "member of a militia of citizen soldiers."
"That is not what the Second Amendment says, nor is it what our founders intended," Mr.Harris pointed out in releasing a letter to legislators calling for them to support stopping or at a minimum delaying implementation of Common Core in Tennessee schools. Other Common Core lessons have instructed sixth graders to eliminate provisions of the Bill of Rights and have taught that police have the right to confiscate guns in violation of the Constitution.
Officials said, "It is now beyond dispute that Common Core supporters are advancing propaganda as historical fact and doing so in instances where the United States and Tennessee Supreme Courts have made clear that the facts and law are simply not what Common Core claims. For example, one AP History book written in furtherance of Common Core makes false representations concerning the second amendment that are directly in conflict with both U.S. and Tennessee Supreme Court decisions. Those misrepresentations falsely claim that the 2nd Amendment is a collective right, if at all, and not a pre-existing individual right that those constitutions recognize and protect. It omits the constitutionally enumerated right to 'keep' arms and it disregards the state constitutional provision guaranteeing the right of citizens to 'wear' arms (See Article I, Section 26, Tennessee Constitution)."
"The Second and Third Amendments — grant citizens the right to bear arms as members of a militia of citizen-soldiers and prevent the government from housing troops in private homes in peacetime."
"We are certain to see more examples of attacks on fundamental constitutional principles as the liberal agenda that is at the core of Common Core is revealed in more assignments and testing materials," Mr. Harris said. "If it makes sense for Republicans to oppose the immediate implementation of ObamaCare in Washington with promises of repealing it, it makes sense for conservatives in Tennessee to stop or delay implementation of ObamaCore in our schools until we are sure it is right for us."