Is Public Education Too Soft on American Students?

"Common Core" is the new public school standards initiative requiring analytical skills with tough math problems and in-depth essays. It was devised by a committee appointed by the National Governors Association, and since 2010 it's been adopted by 45 states and the District of Columbia. Full implementation is planned for next year, but in many places it's already under way, with full implementation planned for next year. But an angry backlash has been developing from both Tea Partiers and progressives. Abysmally low scores on rigorous new tests have shocked teachers, parents and their children from New York to Kentucky. Some states want to abandon ship. What's the role of the Obama Administration? What about Bill Gates and other wealthy advocates of education reform?