As Cassidy et al. (2016) outline in their article, the Common Core State Standards (CCSS; National Governors Association [NGA] Center for Best Practices & Council of Chief State School Officers [CCSSO], 2010) have taken center stage in education, pushing other important topics and issues aside as teachers scramble to transform their teaching and expectations to align with the standards. Laurie Elish-Piper has chosen as her response to focus closely on the CCSS themselves in order to identify and discuss the very real and frightening ramifications of focusing exclusively on standards.