The rest of this edition of the Ed. Papers will be documentary; I'll give you the key texts from the bills, and a bit of correspondence between your Foundation and the players

First our letter to the Committee Chairman in Nebraska

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To: Chairman Ron Raikes, Education Committee
From: Dr. Richard Ferrier, President, Declaration Foundation
Date: Feb 12th, 2002

Dear Chairman Raikes,

It gives me great pleasure to extend my heartfelt endorsement for the amended language to LB 982.

I am sending you this letter on February 12, 2002, the Birthday of President Lincoln. It was Lincoln who said, "I never had a feeling politically that did not spring from the sentiments embodied in the Declaration of Independence."

The very sensible and moderate amendments before your committee would ensure that the young citizens of Nebraska see and reflect upon the golden words of the Declaration, and of other founding documents, as part of their public education. Nothing could be more reasonable, or more timely, in these days when American Principle is under attack by the forces of barbarism and ignorance, both here and abroad.

Please let us know if we can be of service in making your accomplishments on this matter better known nationally.

Ambassador Alan Keyes, our Chairman, and I, as president of the Declaration Foundation, extend our greetings to you and to Sen. Erdman, and we would like to express our appreciation, as Americans, for the noble aims of this legislation.

We wish you in Nebraska, and Americans everywhere,

Liberty and Union, forever!

Best to you,

Richard Ferrier
President, Declaration Foundation

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Next, the key sections of the Amendments proposed:

LB982 LB 982
LEGISLATURE OF NEBRASKA
NINETY-SEVENTH LEGISLATURE
SECOND SESSION

LEGISLATIVE BILL 982

Introduced by Erdman, 47; Burling, 33; Byars, 30; Cunningham, 18; Jensen, 20; Jones, 43; Price, 26; Quandahl, 31; Redfield, 12; Smith, 48; Stuhr, 24; Tyson, 19; Vrtiska,1
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5 Be it enacted by the people of the State of Nebraska,

[here comes the amended language ...rdf]

12 All students shall be encouraged and have the opportunity

13 to read and study America's founding documents that are pertinent

14 to understanding the principles, character, and world view of

15 America's founders, including, but not limited to, documents that

16 contributed to the foundation or maintenance of America's

17 representative republic form of government, the Bill of Rights, and

18 the free-market economic system. Consistent with the requirements

19 of this section, specific attention shall be given to the

20 Declaration of Independence, the United States Constitution, the

21 Bill of Rights, the Federalist Papers, the Pledge of Allegiance,

22 Patrick Henry's "Liberty or Death" speech, Abraham Lincoln's

23 Gettysburg address, the writings, speeches, documents, and

24 proclamations of America's founding fathers and the presidents of

25 the United States, the acts and published records of the United

26 States Congress, and published decisions and records of the United

27 States Supreme Court.

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Next comes samples from the Kansas Bill:

HOUSE BILL NO. ___________

By Representative Cook

An ACT concerning schools and school districts; relating to courses of instruction and patriotic exercises; amending K.S.A. 71-1103 and K.S.A. 2001 Supp. 72-5308 and repealing the existing sections.

WHEREAS, The Legislature finds and declares that the atrocity committed by terrorists on September 11, 2001 has revealed that our strongest weapon against terrorism is the survival of a basic understanding of our Declaration of Independence and our Constitution; and

WHEREAS, in writing the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson set forth in 55 words a statement of the fundamental human principles of government upon which the new nation was to be founded; and

WHEREAS, Historically, our Declaration of Independence has been invoked when natural rights have come into question. Two examples are the abolition of slavery and the women’s right to vote; and

WHEREAS, The documents of the Civil Rights movement are rife with references to the equal rights ideal of the Declaration of Independence culminating in the Civil Rights Act of 1964; and

WHEREAS, The United States code cites only four fundamental laws on which all federal laws must still be based. Those four are the Articles of Confederation, the Constitution, the Northwest Ordinance, and the Declaration of Independence; and

WHEREAS, The Oxford Companion to the Supreme Court of the United States explains that “the Declaration of Independence is the preamble of the Constitution,” and American Jurisprudence states that “It has been said that it is always safe to read the letter of the Constitution in the spirit of the Declaration of Independence, and the courts sometime refer to the Declaration in determining constitutional questions; and

WHEREAS, In the 21st Century, most nations view America’s ideals as the hope of humankind. However, some divisions within nations view America with envy for its wealth and as a threat to their own barbaric cause. Theirs is the weapon of inhumanity, also called terrorism. Our founding documents contain the principles that allow us to understand that justice isn’t just for some but for all. The documents contain values that teach us about recognizing our common humanity and that each person deserves to be treated with respect and human dignity, no matter how small, how weak, how old, or how disabled; and

WHEREAS, the Kansas Constitution emphasizes these same ideas in the Kansas Bill of Rights which states in the first amendment, "All men are possessed of equal and inalienable natural rights, among which are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness."

WHEREAS, Memorizing and reciting the leading principles of the Declaration of Independence will better prepare our students to become effective citizens and enable them to explain the justice of our cause against terrorism. It is important that our children believe that our most basic freedoms and rights are not granted to us from the government but that they are intrinsically ours.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Kansas:

Section 1. K.S.A. 72-1103 is hereby amended to read as follows: 72-1103. (a) All accredited schools, public, private or parochial, shall provide and give a complete course of instruction to all pupils, in civil government, and United States history, and in patriotism and the duties of a citizen, suitable to the elementary grades; in addition – thereto, all.

(b) All accredited high schools, public, private or parochial, shall give a course of instruction concerning the government and institutions of the United States, and particularly of the constitution of the United States; and no, and the Declaration of Independence in their original, 18th century context.

(c) No student who has not taken and satisfactorily passed such course shall be certified as having completed the course requirements necessary for graduation from high school.

(d) Included in such age-appropriate curriculum shall be the meaning and importance of the Declaration of Independence in its 18th century context, including the relationship of its ideas to the America revolution, the formulation of the American Constitution and amendments, women’s suffrage, the civil rights movement and other developments in American history both political and economic.

(e) Every accredited school shall determine the appropriate means of implementing this section.

Sec. 2. K.S.A. 2001 Supp. 72-5308 is hereby amended to read as follows: 72-5308. (a) The state board of education shall prepare for the use of the public schools a program providing for patriotic exercises the board deems to be expedient, under such instructions as may best meet the varied requirements of the different grades in such schools. The program of patriotic observation of every school district shall include:

(1) A daily recitation of the pledge of allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and a daily recitation of the following excerpt from the Declaration of Independence: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.”;

(2) Instructions relating to flag etiquette, use and display; and

(3) Provisions relating to the observance in public schools of Lincoln’s birthday, Washington’s birthday, Memorial day, and Flag day and such other legal holidays designated by law.

[edit]

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And finally, a note from Rep Mary Pilcher Cook, the author of the draft legislation, to this Foundation.

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Dear Richard,

I have attached a copy of the bill I have introduced to the Kansas Legislature. It is HB 2833 and has been referred to our Federal and State Affairs Committee of which I am a member. You can also see the bill by going to www.kslegislature.org and on the right side of the page type in the bill number 2833. It was just introduced yesterday, so it may take a day or two to be able to access.

As you can see, I have several co-sponsors. There is also an individual who is now trying to find public school teachers who are willing to testify on behalf of the bill.

[edit]

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