Florida School Districts Refuse To Distribute Donated Constitution Booklets To Students

[AuH20]

so enlightened these teachers and bureaucrats are....................................

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/fla-school-districts-refuse-to-distribute-constitution-booklets-donated-by-912-project/

[AuH20]

“When you add all of those things together, it’s not just a simple Constitution,” said Mike Mullen, assistant superintendent for Citrus schools. “You‘ve got to be real careful when you’re passing out information to the kids.”



I love this comment:

The booklet does not include a condom, nor instructions on gay sex – therefore it was not considered “child appropriate” by the public education system.

[fisharmor]

Let's keep our eyes on the point of the matter.
The 912 project didn't decide to spend its time and resources duplicating the efforts of the Florida public schools.
They chose to give away free constitutions because public school does not cover the US constitution at any point over 12 years of education.

I think the rebuttal to the schools taking this action isn't to call them out as hippie commie pinkos.
The correct rebuttal is "Will you please explain why the children don't ever get to cover this material in the first place?"

[AuH20]

Let's keep our eyes on the point of the matter.
The 912 project didn't decide to spend its time and resources duplicating the efforts of the Florida public schools.
They chose to give away free constitutions because public school does not cover the US constitution at any point over 12 years of education.

I think the rebuttal to the schools taking this action isn't to call them out as hippie commie pinkos.
The correct rebuttal is "Will you please explain why the children don't ever get to cover this material in the first place?"

And it gets better. They're non-compliant (I love using progressive verbage), according to the almighty law:

“Pursuant to legislation passed by Congress, educational
institutions receiving Federal funding are required to hold an
educational program pertaining to the United States Constitution on
September 17 of each year. This notice implements this provision as it
applies to educational institutions receiving Federal funding from the
Department.”

http://www2.ed.gov/legislation/FedRegister/other/2005-2/052405b.html

[fisharmor]

Huh - that wasn't the case when I was in school... but the content of the program doesn't seem to be specified. They could work it into a pep rally, and have a 30-second segment where they say "Here's an outdated god-damned piece of paper that is useful for wiping your ass, and not much else" and be compliant...

[sratiug]

“When you add all of those things together, it’s not just a simple Constitution,” said Mike Mullen, assistant superintendent for Citrus schools. “You‘ve got to be real careful when you’re passing out information to the kids.”
You've got to be REALLY careful?

[angelatc]

These books aren't just historical text. They're branded. I wouldn't like it if my kids came home from school with advertising from the unions, either.

[oyarde]

These books aren't just historical text. They're branded. I wouldn't like it if my kids came home from school with advertising from the unions, either. Unions ? , yes , that would be horrible !!

[oyarde]

If they are not going to pass them out , have them send them to me , I will make sure they find a home , I will pay the postage .

[Pericles]

What? Kids reading the Constitution? Next thing you know, those kids might expect it to be enforced.

[oyarde]

What? Kids reading the Constitution? Next thing you know, those kids might expect it to be enforced. I hope so !

[affa]

I absolutely agree with the School Board, and really, all of you should too.

Why? The booklet contained commentary / forewards. Why is this a problem? Because it opens the door to anyone 'giving away' constitutions to schools that have different commentary in them.

Imagine your kid coming home with a 'constitution' that had commentary you disagreed with? (For example, made up of the top of my head - "This amendment is commonly considered outdated by most political experts, and is based on an antiquated time when the world was safer.")

The school board is absolutely in the right here. It's a shame so many people are jumping on them simply because it's a constitution without considering the ramifications.

[Philhelm]

Imagine your kid coming home with a 'constitution' that had commentary you disagreed with? (For example, made up of the top of my head - "This amendment is commonly considered outdated by most political experts, and is based on an antiquated time when the world was safer.")

Wouldn't that be like the standard, issued text books? I'm not even joking, since in some of my law classes there is a ton of statist crap when discussing legal matters.

[Zippyjuan]

I absolutely agree with the School Board, and really, all of you should too.

Why? The booklet contained commentary / forewards. Why is this a problem? Because it opens the door to anyone 'giving away' constitutions to schools that have different commentary in them.

Imagine your kid coming home with a 'constitution' that had commentary you disagreed with? (For example, made up of the top of my head - "This amendment is commonly considered outdated by most political experts, and is based on an antiquated time when the world was safer.")

The school board is absolutely in the right here. It's a shame so many people are jumping on them simply because it's a constitution without considering the ramifications.

I (and probably nobody else here) has seen what the actual pamphlet says. If it is simply a copy of the Constitution, I don't think there would be any problem. What else does it really contain?

Apparently, they were produced by Glenn Beck's group- which is also the source of the piece in the original article (Blaze is his website).

Going to a Tampa Bay article for more info:

Hernando received 2,500 booklets for seven schools; Citrus got 1,315 for five schools. The booklets were not all identical and some came with additional material. All have a stamp or sticker of the "Nature Coast Pasco-Hernando-Citrus 912 Groups," and some included the group's website address, said Mike Mullen, assistant superintendent for Citrus schools.

Some booklets donated to Hernando were published by the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, whose website describes its mission as serving communities through "fellowship, compassion, and dedication to God, family and country."

These booklets contained other primary texts such as the Declaration of Independence, Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address and Patrick Henry's Call to Arms. A foreword to the booklet reads: "Unless Americans remember and preserve our rich heritage of liberty, a new Dark Age of tyranny could lock the majority of mankind into the harsh chains of totalitarian slavery."

Some booklets donated to Hernando were accompanied by a one-page sheet from the Cato Institute, a conservative think tank, with the heading "Constitutional Authority." The sheet asserts that the Constitution has been misinterpreted, leading to "a government that's effectively unlimited … and increasingly unaffordable."

Booklets donated to the Citrus district refers the reader to books published by the National Center for Constitutional Studies, a conservative, religious-themed organization formed by Mormon political writer Cleon Skousen, who argued that the founding of the United States was a divine miracle. One of Skousen's books referenced in the booklet, The 5,000 Year Leap, is often cited by political commentator and 912 Project founder Glenn Beck, who wrote a foreword for a later edition.

"When you add all of those things together, it's not just a simple Constitution," Mullen said. "You've got to be real careful when you're passing out information to the kids."

"I don't know that there can be too many copies of the Constitution in circulation, but when it comes to teaching about the Constitution, I think we should trust our teachers and the history books, not the tea party or the 912 Project or any other ideological group," Kendall said.

Citrus school officials plan to return the booklets because the School Board attorney concluded the additional content in them conflicted with the district policy forbidding the distribution of political materials, Mullen said.

http://www.tampabay.com/news/education/k12/hernando-citrus-school-districts-snub-glenn-beck-groups-constitution/1194182