Beck: Common Core part of 'culture war'
Glenn Beck takes aim at controversial state standards initiative
This is a RUSH transcript from "The O'Reilly Factor," May 13, 2014. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.
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In "Back of the Book" segment tonight, a new book called --
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
-- Conform, Exposing the Truth About Common Core and Public Education. Joining us now from Dallas, --
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-- the author of the book, the always perspicacious, Glenn Beck.
(LAUGHTER)
GLENN BECK, FOX NEWS CONTRIBUTOR: See, if I would have a Common Core education, I wouldn't know what perspicacious --
O'REILLY: It means somebody who's heavily perspiring.
BECK: No, it does not.
(LAUGHTER)
No, it does not.
O'REILLY: No, it means somebody who's wise in distant ways. Now, what's the headline of the book.
BECK: All right, so here's the deal. You always talk, Bill, about a culture war. And that's really what Common Core is all about.
It is about taking our kids and molding into good little citizens how ever the state wants those good little citizens. And the left should absolutely love this because it's not just the state that is doing this, it is business that is also.
So, we can have good little citizens and good little drone workers. I want my kids to have a full understanding of knowledge. I want them to have a full, long breath of knowledge and let them decide.
But that's not what's happening in our school. And if I may, this is coming from -- it's up on The Blaze today, a Common Core test for English possessive nouns. You have to correct these sentences -- A president's job is not easy. A nation's people do not always agree. The President's choices affect everyone.
Here's where it gets good -- The President makes sure the country's law are fair. Government officials' commands must always be abade by all. And -- An individual's wants are less important than the nation's well- being.
Now, is this really about -- is this about correcting grammar or is this about indoctrination.
O'REILLY: You know, I see what you're saying, that you believe there's a propaganda aspect injected into the Common Core. But let me ask you this, --
BECK: Yes.
O'REILLY: Jeb Bush, very good on education, did very, very well in Florida in raising educational standards, and Chris Christie, both Republicans, both governors.
BECK: Both progressive Republicans.
O'REILLY: Well, all right, you can define that for me but they both support the Common Core and they say, the reason they do that is because how it's laid out will make it better for the children because they'll be smarter to compete with the Korean kids, et cetera. And you say.
BECK: I say that's nonsense. And parents all across the country who are now trying to teach their kids math, trying to help with the homework, they know this is nonsense.
And quite honestly, Bill, if it was that easy, if it really was that, who wants to stop kids from competing in the future. Who wants them not to be able to stand on their own two feet.
That's ridiculous. You tell me then why people like -- what was his name -- William Baer in New Hampshire, was arrested and taken out of a school library with like 20 people in there.
Because he violated a two-minute rule when he said, "Hey, I don't want my kids reading these books. It's not good. Is there anything else. Can I just have it opt-out?"
They arrested him. This is about control and conform. Period.
O'REILLY: All right. But why would a Bush and a Christie buy into that if it were so apparent.
BECK: I mean, I don't know. You would have to ask them question. I mean --
O'REILLY: You don't have a theory on why? You just said they were progressive Republicans. What's the theory.
BECK: Because they are also in bed with big business. And big business --
O'REILLY: Well, what's the advantage to big business to have Common Core.
BECK: It's a huge business, Bill. If you go back -- and you can find this -- I think it's up on The Blaze, you have -- and it's quoted in the book, Bill Gates, where Bill Gates is giving a speech and he's talking about how great and, quote, "We're going to have customers lined up around the corner for this."
Other businesses are looking at it as they're going to be able to have uniquely qualified people just for their business. So, in other words, the theory is, if you're a truck driver, you don't need to know Huck Finn.
Why do you need to know Huck Finn. Why waste our time teaching somebody who's got the skill of a truck driver Huck Finn.
Well, now, wait a minute. I think that it's important that there is a basic education and that we don't box people in, Bill, into certain categories.
What we're doing is we're adopting. This is one of the final steps of adopting this new kind of capitalism that China has.
Well, we all look in China and say, "Oh, look at the kids. They're great." And they take them from the parents at x number of age and have them do gymnasts.
Nobody is talking about taking anybody from their parents. But how many parents think that they have control over children's food, over their children's education. How many parents think --
O'REILLY: But the parents, you know, they can do what I do. And I think you do it, too. They can teach them themselves. And I do a lot of that myself.
All right, well, look, the book is very provocative. It's all Beck's stuff. This is Conform.
How have you been, Beck, by the way. I want to know how you've been.
BECK: I don't trust you on this question.
(LAUGHTER)
I don't think you honestly --
O'REILLY: I'm liking the -- I'm liking the little goatee.
BECK: What are you driving at, Mr. O'Reilly.
O'REILLY: No, I've been talking to you for a while. I want to know how things are in Texas. And I like the goatee.
You look like the Dos Equis guy, the most interesting man in the world. And I'm sure you're close.
BECK: Sure, I am. And I have to agree with all of the guests on libertarian that you've had on tonight. Oh, I'm watching you, Bill O'Reilly.
O'REILLY: You better, Beck.
BECK: I'm watching you, you're wrong.
(LAUGHTER)
Freedom.
O'REILLY: Freedom. There he is. All right, Glenn Beck, everyone.
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