Posted on 11/03/2001 9:08:40 AM PST by Bob Schulz
On November 12, 2001, a group of citizens will launch "Operation Enduring Patriotism", to require the teaching in the nation’s schools of the history, meaning, effect and significance of every provision of the Declaration of Independence, the federal constitution and the state constitutions.
Operation Enduring Patriotism is a citizens' initiative for actions by the states.
At the heart of this initiative is a proposed model statute to be adopted by each state. A copy of the of the proposed state statute, "An Act for Enduring Patriotism," is available on the Foundation's web site at http://www.givemeliberty.org. The purpose of Operation Enduring Patriotism is to have the statute passed into law in each of the fifty states.
Patriotism needs to be more than "flag deep" if the great American experiment in self-government is to endure.
Founder George Mason said, "No free government, or the blessings of liberty can be preserved to any people, but by frequent recurrence to fundamental principles."
On November 12, 2001, citizens from various states will meet at the National Press Club to launch the Operation. Dignitaries and veterans will be part of the agenda. All citizens are invited to attend. Those interested in doing so should send an e-mail to Bob@givemeliberty.org.
C-Span has been invited to broadcast the November 12th event. In addition, a FREE live web cast will be available, from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. EST on the home page of the We The People Foundation for Constitutional Education, www.givemeliberty.org. (Webcast will use Windows Media)
If anyone knows of a school age boy or girl that would like to be on the agenda to give a three to five minute talk on why it is important to teach children the history and meaning of every provision of the founding documents, they should send an e-mail to Bob@givemeliberty.org.
Concerned citizens from each state are being asked to volunteer to deliver a copy of the model statute to a member(s) of their state legislature and to request him or her to introduce the bill in their state legislature. Anyone interested in delivering a copy of the draft "Act for Enduring Patriotism" to one of their state legislators should send Bob Schulz an e-mail. Include your city and state. mailto:Bob@givemeliberty.org
During the event at the National Press Club on November 12th, a map of the country will be on display. As the volunteers notify the conference sponsors that they have accomplished their mission, their states will turn from white to blue.
People everywhere are encouraged to gather together in the halls of their state capitols, or local county courthouses or in homes to watch the C-Span broadcast or the free web cast and to discuss and decide what they can do to further Operation Enduring Patriotism in their state. Teachers, students and school administrators are encouraged to view this significant event. Volunteers are also urged to alert their local media.
We strongly believe this is an initiative that all organizations concerned with inalienable rights and liberties should support and co-sponsor. We encourage members of such organizations to bring this important initiative to their attention.
Gee, I thought I was the only one in that situation.
Setting aside my enduring hatred for government schools, the rest of this model legislation looks pretty good. It would be even better if you post a model curriculum.
And for my fellow Missourians, you can order a copy of the MO Constitution w/ U.S. Constitution from Secretary of State Matt Blunt's office:
Printed copies of the Missouri Constitution may be requested from the Secretary of State's office. At this time, there is no charge for the copies.
Write or phone:
Secretary of State, Matt Blunt
P.O. Box 778
Jefferson City, MO 65102
ATTN: Publications Division
573-751-4218
I saw your previous post. And?
I read your post before I responded the first time. Have you been to the Alliance for the Separation of School and State website? I like a quote from their FAQ:
"What's wrong with the common school concept?
We don't have a common pizza, a common magazine or a common church. They make no common sense. The way out of the "School Wars" is to drop the 1840s' notion of a "common school." Government has no business forcing kids from different backgrounds into a one-size-fits-all tablet of values. The Common School wasn't so bad for 100 years; they imparted the Protestant majority's values to mostly Protestant kids. Some groups escaped (e.g., Christian Reformed, Seventh Day Adventist, and Catholics); others were small and took their lumps (e.g., Jews, atheists, and Jehovah's Witnesses). The flaw of the common school only became clear to traditionalists when the tables were turned on them. Over the last 50 years, the modernists have won control and now they use schools to impart their idea of "The Good." But the traditionalists are not a tiny minority that can be abused with impunity. They're escalating the school wars to try to "take back their schools." Parent support for teachers is plummeting. Compromise is not possible: Some want prayer in school, some want condoms.Printing prayers on condoms satisfies nobody. Communities are split. Some even have to use police to maintain order at school board meetings. The way to get parents to support schools is for schools to support parents, especially their tablet of virtues and values. Cultural and religious pluralism in parents means we need the same pluralism in schools. Kids are now being injured in the psychological equivalent of a vicious custody battle."
So you're worried about liberals and government education. Are you a liberal? I like the idea of teaching the founding documents in government schools, just so that it's clear that there should be no such thing as government schools, particularly federally funded government schools. But you want the same schools whose counselors refer pregnant teens to abortionists to teach your kid values? Leave me out.
But the government has no business at all in instilling values. Period. You can't say, "It's the parents' responsibility to teach their kids values," but then say, "except when the majority of voters says that a government teacher should teach them values."
So, I'm all for government schools teaching the Constitution and other founding documents, assuming they're honest about it, which is perhaps unreasonable to assume. I'd like to see what the government schools teach about the 2nd Amendment now, for instance. But they have no business in teaching values or requiring religious pledges.
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