Citizens for a Constitutional Republic believe that parents have the responsibility of educating their children.
and that Education should be free of all federal government envolvment. Parents have the right to provide for the education of their children
in the manner they deem best, including home, private or religious. We oppose all legislation from any level of government that would
interfere with or restrict that liberty. All federal legislation related to education should be repealed.
The United States Department of Education
should be abolished; No federal laws subsidizing or regulating the education of children should be enacted.
The Bill of Rights:Amendment
X reads: The powers not delegated to the United States by the
Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.That means parents have the
fundamental right and responsibility to nurture, educate, and discipline their children.
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"When school children start paying union dues, that's when I'll start representing the interests of school children."
-- Albert Shanker, Longtime Teacher's Union President
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As all of you well know, there are many reasons people support getting children out of state schools. For some, it's a practical concern, for others a freedom issue and for yet others a religious conviction.
For most, though, it's not an issue at all. It's not something they've ever given a thought to – or worse, it's something they actively refuse to think about. So, it's refreshing to see someone explore the concept – in print – with unbending honesty.
That's just what Gary Ledbetter has done in his powerful editorial
in a special edition of the Southern Baptist Texan. This magazine was distributed free of cost to everyone who attended the 2007 Southern Baptist Convention in San Antonio this month.
By Gary Ledbetter
We've reported in the past on the resolutions to remove children from public schools submitted to the convention each year and how they are repeatedly stopped in committee. This year was no different, as Mr. Ledbetter predicts in his article, but the article more than makes up for the disappointment.
The idea of fully independent education is hard for folks to swallow. What seems so obvious to us seems outlandish to others. Sometimes planting a seed is a more effective communication tool than outright debate.
Mr. Ledbetter's article has planted many seeds (and he's not even an out-and-out supporter of independence). I'm asking myself this week where I might plant a seed. I'm thinking I'll send a note and a couple of links to a few individuals.
Mr. Ledbetter's article will be part of my package to two people. And all of them will receive links to the Alliance site. Here are the ones I plan to use (because they invite people to think):
Is there a problem with public schools?
What if families could choose any school they wanted?
Would you consider planting some seeds this summer? Just a short note and a few links to some friends or acquaintances might reap some exciting results.
By Penny Starr
By Bob Unruh
By Llewellyn H. Rockwell, Jr.
By Frosty Wooldridge
By Joel Turtel
By Joel Turtel
By Beverly Eakman
By Greg Evensen
By Dr. Matthew Ladner
By Dr. Matthew Ladner
By Dr. Matthew Ladner
By Dr. Matthew Ladner
By Dr. Matthew Ladner
By Starlee Rhoades
By R.C. Murray
By R.C. Murray
By R.C. Murray
By R.C. Murray
By WorldNetDaily
By Nicholas A. Jackson
By Dr. Matthew Ladner
By Lynn M. Stuter
By Patrick M. Wood
By Rep. Scott Garrett
By Ellis Washington
By Ellis Washington
By Ellis Washington
By Bob Unruh
By Holly Swanson
By Monisha Bansal
By Nathan Burchfiel
By Jeff Jacoby
By Michelle Malkin
From the HSLDA E-lert
Service...
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May
23, 2007
New Hampshire--More Calls Needed to Defend
Parents from
Increased Governmental Intrusion
Dear HSLDA members and friends,
Last week, the New Hampshire House voted to pass Senate Bill 18 by a
slim margin of 183 to 170. The bill then went to the House Finance
Committee for review. It will likely return to the full House for
another vote next Wednesday, May 30.
Homeschool leaders in New
Hampshire have analyzed last week's vote and
identified 21 representatives
who either did not vote or who might be
persuaded to change their vote. If
13 of these representatives can be
persuaded to show up next week and vote
"no," then Senate Bill 18 can
still be defeated.
Despite amended
language, Senate Bill 18 will remove authority from
parents and assign it to
school bureaucrats. Furthermore, the bill
gives the Department of Education
the power to create additional home
education regulations.
Please
take a moment to contact the representatives listed below and
ask them to
either change their vote or to show up next Wednesday to
vote against Senate
Bill 18. If you live in the district of one of
these legislators, please
make it a priority to contact him or her. If
not, please follow the
suggested rule of contact (below) and attempt
to communicate with as many
representatives as possible.
If your last name begins with the
letter A-I, please contact members
1-7; if J-T, contact members 7-14; if
U-Z, contact members 15-21.
The following representatives were not
present for last week's vote:
1. Rep. Lyle E. Bulis
603-444-5024
2. Rep. Dudley D. Dumaine
603-622-2293
603-622-0041
buppadan@comcast.net3. Rep. Robert W. Forsing
603-895-9451
forsing@comcast.net4. Rep. Carolyn M. Gargasz
603-465-7463
603-465-7463
cgargasz@cs.com5. Rep. Peter R. Goyette
603-598-4744
603-889-0684
603-880-0995
6. Rep. Bruce F. Hunter
603-622-7123
603-622-7123
603-622-7123
zippobfh27@verizon.net 7. Rep. Edward P.
Moran
603-472-5912
603-889-1763
603-883-9797
epmoran@comcast.net 8. Rep. Ronald J.
Nowe
603-679-9885
603-679-9886
ronald.nowe@leg.state.nh.us 9. Rep. Sandra J.
Reeves
603-623-1252
603-623-1252
603-627-8079
sandrajreeves@aol.com 10. Rep. Norman L.
Major
603-382-5429
603-382-8117
nlbem@verizon.net
11. Rep. Eric G. Stohl
603-237-4206
603-237-4206
eric.stohl@leg.state.nh.us The following
representatives are Republicans who voted against their
party's
majority:
12. Rep. Julie M. Brown
603-332-1084
13. Rep. James
E. Devine
603-887-3569
603-887-4923
14. Rep. Elizabeth S.
Hager
603-224-2060
603-224-2595
elizabeth.hager@leg.state.nh.us 15. Rep.
Mark A. Pearson
603-890-3673
603-234-3830
mark.pearson@leg.state.nh.us 16. Rep. Andy
Peterson
603-924-7817
603-924-3321
603-924-8563
17. Rep.
James P. Pilliod
603-524-3047
603-528-1935
jimp3047@metrocast.net 18.
Rep. William J. Remick
603-788-2444
wremick@ne.rr.com
19. Rep. Nancy F. Stiles
603-926-6467
nancy.stiles@leg.state.nh.us 20. Rep. Carl G.
Robertson
603-778-7111
CGRobertson@comcast.net 21. Rep. George D.
Winchell
603-362-4249
gdwinchell@yahoo.com Thank you!
Michael P. Donnelly, Esq.
HSLDA Staff Attorney
An American Flag in Every Classroom
Bill would require classroom flags
PAUL DAVENPORT
The Associated Press
Published: 06.06.2006
PHOENIX — Arizona legislators like the concept
of displaying the American flag to promote patriotism, particularly for school
children, but they have their limits.
Endorsing a House-passed bill to require that an
American flag be displayed in all public school classrooms, the Arizona Senate
agreed Tuesday to extend the requirement to legislative hearing rooms but not
the offices of legislators or other public officials.
The Senate gave preliminary approval to a
House-passed bill that would require that community colleges, state
universities and public K-12 schools display American-made U.S. flags at least
2 by 3 feet in all classroom.
The bill’s sponsor, Republican Rep. Russell
Pearce of Mesa, contends putting flags in classrooms would help raise the
level of patriotism.
The bill (HB2583), which now awaits a formal
Senate vote, was amended by the Senate to expand the requirement to include
private schools that receive contributions from tax credit-contribution
contributions for scholarships. “All students should have the flag in their
classroom,” said the amendment’s sponsor, Democratic Sen. Ken Cheuvront of
Phoenix.
The bill states that the Legislature intends that
donations and fundraising be used to acquire flags, but the Senate deleted a
requirement that school districts, charter schools, universities and colleges
report by July 2007 how many classrooms do not have flags.
The Senate also amended the bill to require flags
be displayed in all House and Senate hearing rooms.
However, the Republican-led Senate rejected a
Democratic amendment to also require that flags be displayed in the offices of
all public officials, including legislators.
“We’re the legislators and we get to tell
everybody else what to do,” the amendment’s sponsor, Democratic Sen. Bill
Brotherton of Phoenix, said sarcastically.
Senate President Ken Bennett, R-Prescott, argued
against that amendment, saying it was enough that the Legislature has a flag
in its chamber and would put them in hearing rooms, the places where it
conducts official business. “We don’t vote anywhere else,” Bennett said.
What's required? House Bill 2583
requires a 2 feet by 3 feet American flag in Arizona kindergarten through
college classrooms and in state legislative hearing rooms. The flag must be
made in the U.S. and in place by Independence Day 2007.
What didn't fly? The flags won't
be required in state legislators' offices. Senate Republicans vetoed that
Democratic idea. Senate President Ken Bennett, R-Prescott, said the work of
lawmakers is done in hearing rooms and not in offices, much like the work of
teachers is done in classrooms.
The bill also contains no exemptions for classroom flags that are too small or
made in a foreign country. "Nobody's going in with a ruler," Pearce
said.
What's next? The bill was
overwhelmingly approved in the House in March. Since the Senate made some
changes to the bill, it will go back to the House, where the lawmakers could
agree with the changes or make their own changes. From there, it will go to
the governor's desk.
Which schools must display flags? All
public kindergarten through college-level schools and any private and
parochial schools that receive money through Arizona's education tax credits.
Sen. Tim Bee, R-Tucson, criticized extending the mandate to private schools,
which he said are supposed to be free of government regulation. He recommended
that the House remove this provision before it goes to the governor.
Who buys? The schools must pay
for flags unless they are donated. The Senate removed a portion of the bill
that called on the state to consider paying for flags in classrooms that
didn't receive donations.
Don't schools already have flags? Yes,
most elementary and high school classrooms already have flags in classrooms,
according to school officials around the Valley. Colleges and universities are
far less likely to have flags in classrooms.
New law puts U.S. flag, federal documents on display in every classroom
Meghan E. Moravcik
The Arizona Republic
Jun. 24, 2007 10:16 PM
School officials across the state are hoisting flags and tacking up copies of the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights to meet requirements of a new law going into effect on Sunday.
Every public classroom in every school, from Grade 7 up to the college and university level, must display an American-made American flag along with the documents.
The law originally said that all flags must be 2 feet by 3 feet, but legislators have since adjusted the law to allow any flag that is visible, easily recognized, and not made of paper, so that schools don't yet have to replace those.
Some Valley community groups are stepping up to help districts meet the deadline.
More than 500 Peoria Unified classrooms were outfitted with flags and copies of the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights, thanks to a $12,000 donation from Hickman Family Farms. And the Scottsdale Area Association of Realtors donated 300 flags to the Scottsdale Unified School District.
But some districts had to shell out for the new materials. Mesa Public Schools spent about $5,300 on getting documents and flags to classrooms that did not yet have them. The Tempe Union High School District spent nearly $1,800 for 262 flags.
Parent Sharon Shindel said she thinks the new law "is going overboard."
"All students should be exposed to and learn about the flag, the Constitution, (and) the Bill of Rights as part of their studies. But just because it's hanging on the wall doesn't mean the students are really going to learn much about these subjects," said Shindel, a Phoenix resident. "I'd like to see the Legislature ensuring we have the resources and curriculum to teach these subjects."
Colleges and universities also are affected because many of their classrooms are not equipped with the flags and documents.
Arizona community colleges needed to convert 2,500 classrooms, and the three state universities were looking to convert more than 1,400 classrooms.
Reporters Anne Ryman and Georgann Yara contributed to this article.
Reach the reporter at (602) 444-6943.
The role of the US government in public education has changed dramatically over the past 100 years. Most of the major changes
have occurred in the second half of this century. In the 19th century, the closest the federal government got to public education was the Land
Grant College program. In the last 40 years, the federal government has essentially taken charge of the entire system. It is involved in
education at every level through loans, grants, court directives, regulations, and curriculum manipulation. In 1900 it was of no concern
to the federal government how local schools were run at any level.
By Lawrence Sand
Dear Colleague:
“Leave me alone you right wing, hate mongering, non-progressive war monger.” These words greeted us as a response to an email we sent out a few weeks ago. While we realize there will be people who disagree with us, must it come to this? As teachers, we are purveyors of knowledge and democracy to the next generation. When people respond in such a hateful and intolerant way, we wonder what kind of close-minded people have invaded our noble profession.
While the above is an extreme example, clearly there are too many teachers who would rather call us names and make vague accusations. For example, we are accused of disseminating “dishonest propaganda.” Surely, we believe that everything on our website (www.ctenhome.org) is accurate, and would be happy to quickly remove any inaccuracies. However, when we questioned our accuser, he wouldn’t respond. I think most of you would agree that this kind of deportment quashes a healthy dialogue that is crucial to a truly democratic society.
Now for the good news -- while we heard from some very angry people, there were far more teachers who welcomed us, signed up for email updates and made substantive comments on the issues. These people clearly understand that we are not in the business of pushing a political agenda, but rather are here to provide information that teachers might not otherwise get. We encourage you to read Teacher Choice by Alveda King, niece of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. You can find this informative article and others on our website www.ctenhome.org We look forward to your feedback. Thank you.
Sincerely,
The Board of Directors
California Teachers Empowerment Network
Website:
Phone: 1-888-290-8471
E-Mail: CTENINFO@ctenhome.org
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ACTION ALERTS ! ! !
SAMPLE E-MAIL To Your Legislator's
Date
Citizens for a Constitutional Republic
PO Box 1049
Dingmans Ferry, PA 18328
Dear Senator or Representative:,
I am a member of Citizens for a Constitutional Republic and your constituent. I am vitally interested in the state of our schools and the education of our children. As a leader in our community, you play a critical role in the direction our schools will take over the next few years.
I ask that you consider supporting ideas to expand charter schools, enhance school choice options and create policies that allow parents to make the best decisions for their children.
Recent concerns about low student achievement and deteriorating schools at the local, state and national levels have strengthened the cry for re-evaluation and reform. I would like to know your positions on various education issues that have been, or likely will soon be, at the focal point of discussions on improving our schools.
I look forward to following your votes on these issues in the future. Thank you for your time and interest in our schools and in the education of our children.
Sincerely,
Your Name
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By Allen Quist
By Allen Quist
By Julie Quist
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By Julie Quist
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The goal is to have all education under the government so that all children can be indoctrinated into accepting global government. Accepting a tax credit to help with private K-12 education will be a doorway into bringing the private school under the government's jurisdiction. In order to remain free, parents will have to pay privately for their children's education if they want to be able to determine the content and goal of their child's education. Education is no longer for the purpose of teaching our children the truth so that they can be free and independent as the Founders envisioned. I noted in one of your articles that you recommend reduction in taxes for those whose children do not go to public schools. There is an all out war against our liberties our freedom our independence. We can't look to the government for a benefit for education even though the money they use is ours. The hard way leads to liberty.
Peggy Borchert
