The bill, S.B. 1108, has been met with a large amount of both support, and criticism. Supporters say the bill will protect American from those who are attempting to use our children to undermine American values and replace democracy with socialism. Critics claim the right wing is creating "Thought Police" and blocking free speech. Both sides make claims about the bill that are not true, and apparently, most from both sides have not read the bill, but rather basing opinions on local press coverage, which is biased to be sure!
But, the fact is, the bill is flawed and will be interpreted in ways the bill was never intended to do. In my opinion, the bill will never hold up in court either. Here are a few of the examples from the bill:
- PUBLIC TAX DOLLARS SHOULD NOT BE USED TO PROMOTE POLITICAL, RELIGIOUS, IDEOLOGICAL OR CULTURAL BELIEFS OR VALUES AS TRUTH WHEN SUCH VALUES ARE IN CONFLICT WITH THE VALUES OF AMERICAN CITIZENSHIP AND THE TEACHINGS OF WESTERN CIVILIZATION.
15-108. Denigration, disparagement or encouragement of dissent from values of American democracy and western civilization; prohibition; enforcement; prohibition of race-based organizations; definition
The intention of this should be quite clear, but it will be construed by the groups who will eventually bring the case to court, assuming it actually passes into law, as a means to brainwash our children to accept democracy as the only acceptable form of government, eliminating free thought by students and freedom of speech by teachers.
The intent though, is to keep teachers from indoctrinating students to the values of socialism and/or communism, a practice that has been going on for decades now, mostly in our colleges. While the critics do not want the kids to be "Brainwashed" by democratic values, they want the opposite to happen. There is a proper middle ground.
The middle ground lies in properly teaching our children and actually trusting them to think and reason for themselves based on factual history and government being taught to them. This means we teach our children about our form of government, based on the founding documents as well as factual history. We also teach them about other forms of government, based on facts rather than opinion based on the political beliefs of the teacher, the school system, and/or the unions. We then encourage the students to compare, contrast and debate the differences. Moderators to the debate should limit their correction to facts as opposed to their own beliefs in order to allow free thought and debate to take it's natural course.
If we teach our children properly, and if we give them the trust and encouragement they require, they will be able to accomplish this great task of learning to think and reason for themselves. This, and a good moral background led by the example of good parents, would be the greatest gift we could give our children besides life!
Below is the full context of the bill:
Forty-eighth Legislature APPROP
Second Regular Session S.B. 1108
PROPOSED
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AMENDMENTS TO S.B. 1108
(Reference to Senate engrossed bill)
Strike everything after the enacting clause and insert:
"Section 1. Title 15, chapter 1, article 1, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding sections 15-107 and 15-108, to read:
START_STATUTE15-107. Declaration of policy
The legislature finds and declares that:
1. A primary purpose of public education is to inculcate values of American citizenship.
2. Public tax dollars used in public schools should not be used to denigrate American values and the teachings of western civilization.
3. Public tax dollars should not be used to promote political, religious, ideological or cultural beliefs or values as truth when such values are in conflict with the values of American citizenship and the teachings of western CIVILIZATION.
START_STATUTE15-108. Denigration, disparagement or encouragement of dissent from values of American democracy and western civilization; prohibition; enforcement; prohibition of race-based organizations; definition
A. A public school in this state shall not include within the program of instruction any courses, classes or school sponsored activities that promote, assert as truth or feature as an exclusive focus any political, religious, ideological or cultural beliefs or values that denigrate, disparage or overtly ENCOURAGE dissent from the values of American democracy and western civilization, including democracy, capitalism, pluralism and religious toleration.
B. This section does not prohibit the inclusion of diverse political, religious, ideological or CULTURAL beliefs or values if the course, CLASS or school sponsored activity as a whole does not denigrate, disparage or overtly ENCOURAGE dissent from the values of American democracy and western civilization.
C. On request of the superintendent of public instruction or the superintendent's designee, a public school shall promptly provide copies of curricula, course materials and course syllabi to the superintendent of public INSTRUCTION. the superintendent of public instruction, after providing appropriate notice and conducting an appropriate hearing, may withhold a proportionate share of state monies from any public school that violates subsection A. The superintendent of public instruction may take reasonable and APPROPRIATE regulatory actions to enforce this subsection. Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to enlarge the authority of the superintendent of public instruction to regulate the CONTENT of curriculum in public schools.
D. A public school in this state, a university under the JURISDICTION of the Arizona board of regents and a community college under the JURISDICTION of a community college DISTRICT in this state shall not allow organizations to operate on the CAMPUS of the school, UNIVERSITY or community college if the organization is based in whole or in part on race-based criteria.
E. For the purposes of this section, "public school" means any of the following:
1. A school district.
2. A school in a school district.
3. A charter school.
4. An accommodation school.
5. The Arizona state schools for the deaf and the blind." END_STATUTE
Amend title to conform
RUSSELL K. PEARCE
1108rp2.doc
04/14/2008
1:28 PM
C: tdb
