“Silence or perceived indifference on this issue would only implicate you in the education and political nightmare that (Common Core) is already becoming,” said the letter.

Another section read: “We would not wish for you to be caught on the wrong side of this or in any backlash.”

Now that the tea party knows where Walker stands, Horn said they are “cautiously optimistic that Gov. Walker will enact a meaningful repeal.

“But we are concerned about the time horizon being out past the beginning of school and the election and also about exactly what he means to do to actually repeal the standards and associated testing and data collection,” Horn told the Capital Times. “We are encouraged, though, that he has now given a clear, unambiguous statement that he is against Common Core.”

Adopted to little fanfare or controversy by State Superintendent Tony Evers in 2010, the national Common Core State Standards — not to be confused with an academic curriculum — already have begun to be implemented by school districts across the state.

The standards cover math and English and promote literacy in history and social studies, science and technical subjects for students from kindergarten through high school.