H-652..........................................................by
EDUCATION
SCHOOLS - Amends existing law to require that instruction in citizenship
shall be given in all elementary and secondary schools.
03/14 3rd rdg - PASSED - 68-0-2
Absent and excused -- Crow, Mortensen
Floor Sponsor - Meyer
Title apvd - to Senate
04/03 3rd rdg - PASSED - 35-0-0
Floor Sponsor - Davis
Title apvd - to House
04/04 To enrol - rpt enrol - Sp signed
04/05 Pres signed - to Governor
04/14 Governor signed
Session Law Chapter 341
Effective: 07/01/00
Bill Text
H-652
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LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF IDAHO
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Fifty-fifth Legislature
Second Regular Session - 2000
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
HOUSE BILL NO. 652
BY EDUCATION COMMITTEE
1
AN ACT
2 RELATING TO COURSES OF INSTRUCTION;
AMENDING SECTION 33-1602, IDAHO CODE, TO
3 REQUIRE THAT INSTRUCTION
IN CITIZENSHIP SHALL BE GIVEN IN ALL ELEMENTARY
4 AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS AND
TO MAKE TECHNICAL CORRECTIONS.
5 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the
State of Idaho:
6 SECTION 1.
That Section 33-1602, Idaho Code, be, and the same is hereby
7 amended to read as follows:
8 33-1602.UNITED STATES
CONSTITUTION--NATIONAL FLAG AND COLORS
9 NATIONAL ANTHEM -- "AMERICA." -- CITIZENSHIP.
a.(1) Instruction in the Con-
10 stitution of the United States shall
be given in all elementary and secondary
11 schools. The state board of education shall
adopt such materials as may be
12 deemed necessary for said
purpose, and shall also determine the grades in
13 which such instruction shall be given;.
14 b.(2) Instruction
in the proper use, display and history of and respect
15 for the American flag and the national colors
shall be given in all elementary
16 and secondary schools. Such instruction
shall include the pledge of allegiance
17 to the flag, the words and music of the
national anthem, and of "America."
18
(3) Instruction in citizenship shall be given in all elementary
and sec-
19 ondary schools.
Citizenship instruction shall include lessons on the role of a
20 citizen in a constitutional
republic, how laws are made, how officials are
21 elected, and the
importance of voting and of participating in government. Such
22 instruction
shall also include the importance of respecting and obeying stat-
23 utes which are
validly and lawfully enacted by the Idaho legislature and the
24 congress of the
United States.(laws like sodomy, harrassement,
drugs)
Contact:
Name: Rep. Wayne Meyer
Phone: 208/332-1000
It's great being an ignorant hayseed. You don't have to think for yourself, you can have the state make your decisions for you and, best of all, you don't have to take responsibility for your actions.
Thank goodness there are a group of fine, educated, well-dressed people in Columbus who can handle the awesome responsibility of raising my 9-year-old son - because God knows, I'm not fit to make decisions affecting his future. That, in a nutshell, is what the Ohio Department of Education wants us to believe when it comes to its proposed educational standards, which now lie in the grasp of the state Legislature.
Let me preface what I'm about to say with the following: I think specific academic standards are a good thing. For example, by the time a kid is in high school, he or she should know how to spell, read, write and have a grasp on at least the basics of democracy. We need some kind of way to measure how we're doing when it comes to our kids' educational needs. With that said, I think the way the State Department of Education is going about it, in a word, stinks.
First, a group not associated with the
department has been circulating a rather disturbing text in recent weeks.
The DOE at first denied the document even existed, then backed off and
said it was a "work in progress" and then "nothing has been cast in stone."
The distressing document contains ideas - apparently by the State
Board of Education - for educational standards in the health and hygiene
portion of school. Here, according to the paperwork we obtained,
is a brief rundown of some of the more troubling "competencies" the state
could possibly jam down our throats.
Pre-kindergarten:
*The learner will be able to find answers
to his/her questions about birth and death from
parents and other responsible adults.
*The learner will demonstrate primary
healthy stress management and relaxation skills.
Sixth grade:
*The learner will explore causes of
mental illness and depression, and propose or suggest
effective interventions.
Eleventh grade:
*The learner will practice and use
effective self-examination procedures including the
American Cancer Society's steps for breast and/or testicular
cancer.
*The learner will demonstrate and advocate
for ways to correct dysfunctional, worrisome
thoughts so as to manage anger, fear and other stressful
adult emotions.
First, and foremost, who died and left the State Department
of Education in charge of
ensuring my son knows how to examine his testicles? Next,
don't you think it's the parents' responsibility to explain birth and death
to their kids? And not the responsibility of a stranger. I do.
I won't even go into the "dysfunction thoughts" portion. It just
really scares the hell out of me when anyone in authority even gets close
to broaching the line of telling us (or our children) how to think and
feel. Think about it.
Part Two - The meeting
In order to make the appearance that the State Board of Education
is not simply a
microcosm of the former Communist party, it is in the process of
setting up "public meetings on the proposed Standards for Ohio Schools."
Yeah, right. A document obtained last week by the Tribune clearly shows
that getting "public" input and comment is the last thing the state board
wants. In a memo from Gene Harris, the state DOE's chief program officer,
the way the state will get "public" input for its proposed standards was
"developed with significant support from the staff of the Education Commission
of the States." I know this is kind of getting tedious, but please
stay with me. The stated purpose of the meetings is "to provide an
orderly process for Ohioans to again
give thoughtful input on the proposed Standards for Schools." Horse
feathers. If one looks at the "overview" of the meetings, it is woefully
obvious that what they're
doing is at least shortsighted and at worse sinister. Harris
suggests that up to 11 different meetings be held throughout the state
on Aug. 12 from 6:30-9:30 p.m
No problem yet.
The overview states that three of the state's Board of Education
members be in attendance at each of the meetings. Still OK.
Now comes the fishy-smelling part.
Under the section of "participants," it says "invited public." They
apparently want your input, but only if you have the right things to say.
But I'll get to that later. Under the section labeled "meeting moderators/facilitators,"
the document says the meetings will be facilitated by people who are "reasonably
neutral on education and political issues." That's like being a little
pregnant. God only knows how much these "reasonably neutral"
folks will cost us taxpayers. Now, here are the problems.
First, by only having three of the state board's members in attendance,
they don't have to call it a public meeting, thus circumventing the Ohio
Revised Code statutes on open meetings.
I made a call to Mary Peters, who is one of the folks who works with/for Harris. Peters told me the reason for having the "invited public" show up for the meeting is they felt it would be too laborious to sit and listen to a couple of hundred people speak. Comedian Martin Mull used to quip that the problem with working in a place that's open to the public is that the public tends to show up. And that's what I think the State Department of Education is afraid of. They're afraid that 900 of us ignorant hayseeds will show up and hand them their heads on a platter. So, with them setting the ground rules, the deck is stacked, my friend. God help my son. the state sure won't, and it looks like I'm not goring to be allowed to either.
[R. Michael Johnson is editor of the Coshocton Tribune and write
Off the Record as a
weekly Opinion Page feature. It appears on Sundays].
_______________
One semester of Health is required to graduate....WHY? Idaho's State Department of Education has an office that is devoted to the Idaho Health Curriculum....WHY? We also have a state syllibus for Health. WHY? We just passed a Statewide Health Standard....WHY? Is it possible that once again the Education Bureaucracy is flying in the face of our Laws?
Idaho Statutes
TITLE 33
EDUCATION
CHAPTER 16
COURSES OF INSTRUCTION
33-1608. FAMILY LIFE AND SEX EDUCATION --
LEGISLATIVE POLICY. The
legislature of the state of Idaho believes that the
primary responsibility
for family life and sex education, including
moral responsibility, rests
upon the home and the church and the schools
can only complement and
supplement those standards which are established in the family. The
decision as to whether or not any program in
family life and sex education
is to be introduced in the schools
is a matter for determination at the
local district level by the local school board
of duly selected
representatives of the people of the community.
If such program is adopted,
the legislature believes that:
a. Major emphasis in such
a program should be to assist the home in
giving them the knowledge and appreciation of the
important place the
family home holds in the social system of our
culture, its place in the
family and the responsibility which will be there
much later when they
establish their own families.
b. The program should supplement
the work in the home and the church in
giving youth the scientific, physiological information for understanding
sex and its relation to the miracle of life, including knowledge of
the
power of the sex drive and the necessity of controlling
that drive by
self-discipline.
c. The program should focus upon
helping youth acquire a background of
ideals and standards and attitudes which will
be of value to him now and
later when he chooses a mate and establishes
his own family.
Idaho Statutes
TITLE 33
EDUCATION
CHAPTER 16
COURSES OF INSTRUCTION
33-1609. "SEX EDUCATION" DEFINED. Sex education for the
purpose of this
act is defined as the study of the anatomy and
the physiology of human
reproduction.
Idaho Statutes
TITLE 33
EDUCATION
CHAPTER 16
COURSES OF INSTRUCTION
33-1610. INVOLVEMENT OF PARENTS AND COMMUNITY GROUPS. School
districts
shall involve parents and school district community
groups in the planning,
development, evaluation and revision of any instruction
in sex education
offered as a part of this new program.
TITLE 33
EDUCATION
CHAPTER 16
COURSES OF INSTRUCTION
33-1611. EXCUSING CHILDREN FROM INSTRUCTION IN SEX EDUCATION.
Any parent or legal guardian who wishes to have his
child excused from any planned
instruction in sex education may do so upon filing
a written request to the
school district board of trustees and the board of trustees shall make
available the appropriate forms for such request. Alternative
educational
endeavors shall be provided for those excused.