[Winona Online Democracy] I received the following and was wondering if anyone in Winona was following or aware of this bill. Paul Double [EMAIL PROTECTED] >> Maple River Education Coalition (MREdCo) >> http://MREdCo.com >> 153 Chestnut, Suite 200-B >> Mankato, MN 56001 >> 507-344-1961 >> 1. Hearing Broadcast at noon Wednesday >> 2. UPDATE ON "HEARING BOTH SIDES" >> ------------------------------------------------------------- >> Hearing Broadcast at noon Wednesday March 7, 2001 >> >> The House Education Committee hearing today of the Freedom From >> Censorship in Minnesota Public Schools Act HF1028) >> ((http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/perl/billnum.pl) will be >> rebroadcast at noon on Channel 17 in the metro area. Greater >> Minnesota has those broadcasts available on other channels, as >> well. David Barton came into Minnesota to give testimony on this >> bill. We are told that his presentation was compelling. >> >> Our listmembers are frustrated by such short notice, but this is >> the first notice we have had. >> >> "1.17 (b) All students shall be encouraged, and have the >> 1.18 opportunity, to read and study America's founding documents >> that >> 1.19 are pertinent to understanding the principles, character, and >> 1.20 world view of America's founders; including documents that >> 1.21 contributed to the foundation or maintenance of America's >> 1.22 representative republican form of government, the Bill of >> 1.23 Rights, and our free-market economic system. Districts shall >> 1.24 permit a principal or teacher to use, read, or post in a public >> 1.25 school building, classroom, or at any public school event any >> 2.1 excerpts or portions of the documents, writings, speeches, or >> 2.2 records relating to the history, heritage, or foundation of the >> 2.3 United States or the state of Minnesota, including, but not >> 2.4 limited to: >> 2.5 (1) the Mayflower compact; >> 2.6 (2) the Declaration of Independence; >> 2.7 (3) the Constitution of the United States; >> 2.8 (4) the national motto; >> 2.9 (5) the Federalist Papers; >> 2.10 (6) the Pledge of Allegiance; >> 2.11 (7) the national anthem; >> 2.12 (8) the preamble to the Constitution of the State of >> 2.13 Minnesota; >> 2.14 (9) Washington's farewell address to the nation; >> 2.15 (10) Patrick Henry's "Liberty or Death" speech; >> 2.16 (11) Lincoln's Gettysburg address; >> 2.17 (12) the writings, speeches, documents, or proclamations of >> 2.18 America's founding fathers, or the presidents of the United >> 2.19 States; >> 2.20 (13) the acts and published records of Congress; and >> 2.21 (14) the United States Supreme Court decisions and records. >> 2.22 (c) Districts may not permit the censorship of American or >> 2.23 Minnesota state history or heritage based on religious >> 2.24 references in a writing, document, or record under paragraph >> 2.25 (b). The use, reading, or posting of the types of documents, >> 2.26 writings, or records permitted under paragraphs (b) and (d) must >> 2.27 be for educational purposes only and must not be to promote or >> 2.28 establish any religion or religious belief. >> 2.29 (d) Districts may not permit the censorship of students who >> 2.30 voluntarily choose to read, write, share, report, or otherwise >> 2.31 study a topic which is religious in nature provided other >> 2.32 students are provided with the same opportunity to freely choose >> 2.33 a topic." >> ------------------------------------------------------------------------ >> UPDATE ON "HEARING BOTH SIDES" >> >> Monday, March 5th, Senator Bachmann presented her "Freedom of Speech" >> amendment to the floor of the Senate: >> >> "The Chair of a committee, subcommittee or division must allow both >> proponents and opponents to testify on any issue on which the body >> will vote. The Chair may impose reasonable limits on testimony which >> must be divided equally between proponents and opponents." >> >> The amendment to the Rules had been submitted to a Rules Subcommittee >> on Thursday, February 22nd and defeated. Majority Leader Roger Moe >> and Assistant Majority Leader John Hottinger led the opposition last >> week by making the claim that the amendment is unnecessary, since both >> sides are always heard when bills are being considered. >> >> For the first six weeks of the 2001 Minnesota Legislative session, >> lawmakers held "Informational Hearings" on proposals that, taken >> together, constitute a fundamental restructuring of public and private >> life -- including education, parenting, privacy, taxation and our >> ability to choose how we earn a living. The Profile of Learning >> system, which took effect in Minnesota two and a half years ago, is >> now being expanded into the radical "cradle to grave" governance >> system that we have warned the public about since our organization >> was founded. >> >> These Senators are conveniently ignoring these weeks of "Informational >> Hearings" that have been conducted in this session. Almost without >> exception, no other side is heard. The bills come later. Since there >> were no bills, no other side was heard. >> >> On Monday, the full Senate voted on the amendment. Senator Hottinger >> led the opposition again, and in a straight party line vote, the >> Senate voted NO! The "Freedom of Speech" amendment failed, 25 - 36. >> >> The whole radical system requires, of course, that only one side be >> heard. If legislators heard both sides, most would never support the >> new federal agenda. ---------------- This message was posted to the Winona Online Democracy Project. 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