* " Somewhere big and real". Duh.

Apparently Frank Bruni sees no irony in  ending his defense of the Common Core in  today's NY Times with a quote from David Coleman one of the Common Core's founders, which makes Mr. Coleman sound like a dolt

"  . . .somewhere big and real..."

This reminds me of a speech I heard Secretary of Education Arne Duncan (whose primary qualification for the job seems to have been his basketball chumminess with the President) deliver excoriating the low achievement of present day American students and extolling the virtues of the Common Core as a panacea for curing that achievement deficiency.  Throughout the speech Mr. Duncan used the word "infer" when he clearly meant "imply."

This is a distinction I was able to learn in tenth grade. (LINK)

Link to Frank Bruni's Op-Ed piece

"David Coleman, one of the principal architects of the Common Core, told me that he’s all for self-esteem, but that rigorous standards 'redefine self-esteem as something achieved through hard work.'

'Students will not enjoy every step of it,' he added. But if it takes them somewhere big and real, they’ll discover a satisfaction that redeems the sweat."