Louis C.K. Freaks Out on Twitter About His Kid's Homework and Standardized Testing

Comedian Louis C.K. is really fed up with his daughter’s crazy math homework and took to Twitter this week to say so.

His main gripe isn’t with work her teachers assign, it’s with the emphasis schools now place on preparing for standardized testing. The Obama administration and many education leaders have championed the Common Core standards as a way to streamline state education standards. But critics say they have turned schools into test prep factories where third graders practice answering absurd questions written by education companies like Pearson and not their own teachers.

My kids used to love math. Now it makes them cry. Thanks standardized testing and common core!— Louis C.K. (@louisck) April 28, 2014

If you think he’s over-reacting, look at some of the homework questions he shared with his 3.4 million followers.

This is one of my favorites. Also for third graders. Who is writig these? And why? pic.twitter.com/xUBVIxE6WU— Louis C.K. (@louisck) April 28, 2014

Look at 4 of part a. And the point isn’t that it’s too hard. Just read #4. Please. pic.twitter.com/5bnUlaXG5b— Louis C.K. (@louisck) April 28, 2014

While some of his followers chimed in that they could answer the questions, the problems were designed for eight-year-olds.

my favorite responses have been adults proudly announcing that they were able to solve these problems from a 3rd grade test.— Louis C.K. (@louisck) May 1, 2014

Louis C.K. made sure in a series of following tweets to clarify that he loves his daughters’ teachers and that they are not the source of the problem.

these questions btw were not written by her teacher. they were on a standardized test. written by pearson or whoever the hell— Louis C.K. (@louisck) April 29, 2014

While the comedian acknowledged he is no education expert, the tweets clearly struck a nerve with parents and teachers who chimed in their displeasure at the testing and Common Core standards.

Okay I’m done. This is just one dumb, fat parent’s POV. I’m pissed because I love NYC public schools. mice, lice and all.— Louis C.K. (@louisck) April 29, 2014

Kids teachers parents are vocally suffering. Doesnt that matter? listen to them. Adapt and slow down CCSS. Cool it with the testing— Louis C.K. (@louisck) May 1, 2014

Louis C.K. tweeted that he trusts teachers over education companies and people like Bill Gates, who has been vocally supportive of the Common Core standards the comedian was railing against. Realizing that he had misspelled the software tycoon’s name, he tweeted one last message on the subject. And it wasn’t a spelling correction.

didn’t mean to write Bill hates. I meant to write “doody faced rich guy”. Oh just kidding. Alright I’m done. Go ahead and rip my head off.— Louis C.K. (@louisck) May 1, 2014

Emily DeRuy is a Washington, D.C.-based associate editor, covering education, reproductive rights, and inequality. A San Francisco native, she enjoys Giants baseball and misses Philz terribly.