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"The government schools have become God-free and gun-free. So, they are now, quite predictably, spiritual, moral, intellectual and physical free-fire zones. If you have children there, find a way, make any sacrifice necessary, to get them out of there before they are led to the slaughter. What could possibly be more important?"
-- Tom Hoefling "What do children need? Before anything else, they need love. They need truth. They need protection from the evil that is in this world. Can government bureaucrats give them any of those things? Not really. As George Washington rightfully said, 'government is FORCE.' It's not love. It's not caring. Only parents, the ones who were entrusted by God with the duty to raise up their children to be good, decent human beings and honest, patriotic citizens, can provide that, with the help of a responsible, caring community, in cooperation with good teachers. That's the primary reason I continue to advocate for T.L.C., which is True Local Control, of our schools. The financial, governmental reasons for these reforms are very real as well, but the primary motivator for me is the restoration of the love, the nurture, and the protection of our posterity."
-- Tom Hoefling, 2014 Republican candidate for Iowa governor CNS
Will America be a better and freer country three decades from now if the children who turn four in this decade spend most of their waking hours with members of a government teachers union rather than with their moms? President Barack Obama's vision of America, not surprisingly, starts with very young children spending their time in the custody of government employees. - See more at: http://cnsnews.com/commentary/terence-p-jeffrey/federalizing-4-year-olds#sthash.2HxnrfvK.dpuf Read this story at cnsnews.com ... thefederalistpapers.org
By Steve Straub This presentation explores the new government mandated Common Core standards being implemented in public schools, private schools and homeschool curriculum. Dr. Pesta and Mrs. Black offer an in-depth look at Common Core, its long-term impact, and why American’s should be concerned about these standards. Click here to read the story and watch the video ... Must read:
Common Core Debated in the Iowa House From Marcia Hora: PLEASE FORWARD THIS TO YOUR CONTACT LIST(S) The subcommittee meeting for HF2140 to STOP Common Core that never got off the ground on Wed. has been rescheduled for this coming Monday(Feb. 17), 11:00am in room 102 at the Capitol. Here's my take on what happened on Wednesday... Message to Iowa Legislators: I'm just not that stupid. I attended 2 subcommittee meetings Wednesday at the Iowa Capitol in support of bills to STOP Common Core education. The scheduled allotted time for these meetings is one(1) hour. At the first subcommittee meeting, the “procedure” (remember that word for later) normally would have begun with the Chair introducing the 3 Representatives of the subcommittee (2 Republicans and 1 Democrat), then introducing the witnesses there to testify. Then testimony begins, followed by a vote of the subcommittee on the particular bill. That “procedure” never got off the ground. It was hijacked from the git-go. As the Chair, Republican Rep. Sandy Salmon, introduced the other members of the subcommittee, Republican Rep. Josh Byrnes boldly announced his vote before any testimony was given. I'm a NO vote he said. He then announced that he had to leave the meeting now to attend an event in Northern Iowa. In his explanation for his No vote, he said he was a former teacher, had talked to many teachers about this issue who support Common Core; he'd also talked to a number of businessmen who support Common Core. It was at that moment, it occurred to me that his allegiance just might be to the teacher unions (NEA/ISEA/ATF and the Chamber of Commerce, both of whom had lobbyists at these subcommittee meetings to oppose these bills) So, perhaps, the fix was in. Regardless, we were not going to move this bill forward. Byrnes...oh, my apology...”Representative” Byrnes (apparently one of the other representatives took offense while visiting with one of the expert witnesses later in the morning because he referred to him as Byrnes, not “Representative” Byrnes. How disrespectful...<sigh>) But I digress. Republican Rep. Byrnes then continued to explain his vote, taking up valuable testimony time from the STOP Common Core experts who had traveled from Georgia, Illinois, and Nebraska. Upon Republican Rep. Byrnes' exit, Democrat Rep. Cindy Winckler then continued with her own long winded diatribe of why she is in support of the Common Core. During this long explanation for Winckler's NO vote, a Republican representative who wants to repeal Common Core and who was attending the meeting as an observer, I feel recognized the shenanigans taking place in the room. Several times, he called out “Who is 'in charge' / "Who's the chair of this meeting”, reminding and encouraging support of the Chair, who constantly was trying to allow the experts witness to testify. By now, valuable time had been lost. So here we all were. The votes had been cast before even a word of testimony and information shared. So much for that word “procedure”. (Hold onto that word. It'll be used again in the seconding subcommittee meeting). Once the proceeding continued, the witnesses gave excellent testimony to what's wrong with Common Core and the assessment consortium Smarter Balanced; there was also a brief time allowed for Q & A. But valuable time was wasted on a strategy by one Republican and on Democrat to squash the concerns we all have with the Common Core. Obviously, they don't want this information reaching any other legislators or the public in general. They did everything they could to squash it. Meeting adjourned. Message to Legislators: I'm just not that stupid. Next up. It's now 9 AM, and our group of concerned citizens and the expert witnesses had been invited for an informal discussion to share our concerns with other legislators behind the Senate Chamber in room 206. Brad Zaun (I don't think he'll mind my informal use of his first name) introduced a Stop Common Core bill last Thursday. Just as we were gathering in the room with a few legislators, word was received that Republican leadership had called for an unscheduled caucus meeting of all legislators. They are required to leave and attend these caucus meetings. Everyone leaves. Coincidence? I don't know. You be the judge. Message to Iowa Legislators: I'm just not that stupid. Next up. The second subcommittee meeting at Noon to push forward another stop Common Core bill. It got a late start, when Rep. Sandy Salmon announced that there would be a delay. The Democrat leadership had now called a caucus, so the Democrat members of this subcommittee would be a few minutes late, possible 10-20 minutes. Somewhere around 12:20-ish, Rep. Salmon decided to move forward with the meeting, even though the Dems hadn't arrived. One of the witnesses, Jane Robbins, was just a couple of sentences into her testimony, when Republican Rep. Greg Forristall (a member of this subcommittee) interrupted her testimony. He stated that he felt it inappropriate or improper to continue the testimony and meeting without the Democrat rep. He said it was against proper “procedures”. A discussion ensued from the floor between committee members, other legislator observers in the room, witnesses, and general public observers. Rep. Forristall was insistent that there had been problems in the past when they broke from “procedure”. One of the witnesses asked if it was “a rule” or “a procedure” that was in question. Rep. Forristall said it was procedure, but then continued to insist the testimony not be continue til Dems arrived. Since it didn't appear they were coming, here's what happened. The hearing would/could/might be “re-scheduled”, but the witnesses could give their information “off the record” anyway. At 12:35, the 3 witnesses each had 5 minutes to give their now condensed testimony. DOE (Dept. of Ed.) official was given 5 minutes to respond. That's it. An hour of testimony was now “off the record” and in less than 20 minutes. Wasted time, resources, and efforts by our paid representatives, witnesses who had traveled from Georgia, Illinois, and Nebraska, witnesses and observers who had traveled from across the state of Iowa at expense to stay overnite to enable them to attend the 7:30 meeting, and others who had traveled from as far away as NW Iowa in a morning snowstorm for the noon meeting. What happened next was icing to the cake. The proceedings were wrapping up, but continuing when both side doors of the meeting room flew open. Representatives for the next meeting, without knocking or regards to what was happening in this room, stormed the room, some with pointer fingers in the air signaling us to “wrap it up” and get out. They barged into the room (which is tight quarters with people and chairs) and basically pushed us all aside to take their place in the room. How rude can you get. And yes, they included Republicans... Message to Iowa Legislators: I'm just not that stupid. Message to Iowa Citizens: The inmates are in charge of the asylum. In closing, Poking a bear is stupid. Poking a Mama Grizzly Bear is stuck on stupid. Marcia Hora IaGRC – STOP Common Core **Additionally, you may want to take a look at Shane Vander Hart's report on all this which includes video at this link: http://caffeinatedthoughts.com/2014/02/common-core-debated-in-the-iowa-house/ Now what do I have to do to convince you to come and stand in support of this bill? This will be our only chance this session. WE NEED YOU THERE!!! Because we filled the room on Wed. and had witnesses to the antics of our legislators, the Chair, Rep. Sandy Salmon has been able to get a second chance for HF2140. So I can't thank the following people enough for being witness to the Wed. subcommittee meeting: Boyd & Norma Halverson (Laurens), Don & Alice Child (Clear Lake), Karen Campbell (Mason City), Jeanne & Susan Jennings (Johnston), Mary Coll (DSM) Heather Stancil & Ernie Rudolph (Earlham), Jeff Moorman & Kelly Crow (Ankeny), Michele Crystal (Adel), Leslie Beck (Waukee) who admins for Stop Common Core Iowa FB page; Tamara Scott & Denise Bubeck from CWA, and others from CWA, (who did I forget?) Now, can we get you to come back again, and bring some friends? And what about the rest of you? Send this to your contacts. Talk to each other. For Pete's sake, form a carpool and get yourself down here on Monday. I'm expecting standing room only, with overflow outside the room. What do ya say?? Is this possible? Or are we just all talk??? LET ME KNOW IF YOU ARE COMING, PLEASE! If your not hopping mad after you read my take on what happened on Wednesday by Reps from our own party, then I'll just save my breath, throw in the towel, and stay at home. --Marcia Iowans for Local Control
State Representative Tedd Gassman (R-Scarville) introduced a bill, HF 2141, that directs the Iowa Department of Education to pull out of the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium. It has been cosponsored by State Representatives Sandy Salmon (R-Denver), Dwayne Alons (R-Hull), Larry Sheets (R-Moulton), Greg Heartsill (R-Columbia), Dave Maxwell (R-Gibson), Tom Shaw (R-Laurens), John Landon (R-Ankeny), Ralph Watts (R-Adel), Jason Schultz (R-Schleswig) and Walt Rogers (R-Cedar Falls). This bill has been assigned to a subcommittee... Read this story at iowansforlocalcontrol.com ... Common Core School Assignment Requires Parents to Self-Identify as Conservative or Liberal12/4/2013 "A constitution founded on these principles introduces knowledge among the people, and inspires them with a conscious dignity becoming freemen; a general emulation takes place, which causes good humor, sociability, good manners, and good morals to be general. That elevation of sentiment inspired by such a government, makes the common people brave and enterprising. That ambition which is inspired by it makes them sober, industrious, and frugal."
-- John Adams, Thoughts on Government, 1776 "Our liberty depends on our education, our laws, and habits...It is founded on morals and religion, whose authority reigns in the heart, and on the influence all these produce on public opinion before that opinion governs rulers."
-- Fisher Ames The Wall Street Journal
James Freeman Former presidential candidate Rick Santorum warned that Mitt Romney might not present a "clear contrast" to [Alleged] President Obama in the general election. Judging by Monday's action on the campaign trail, Mr. Santorum had a point. On a day when the White House urged Congress to increase student-loan subsidies, Mr. Romney had an opportunity to draw a sharp distinction between the expanding Obama entitlement state and a plan to revive the private economy. But instead of laying out plans to create jobs and reduce government spending, the former Massachusetts governor arrived at the same policy conclusion as Barack Obama. "Given the bleak job prospects that young Americans coming out of college face today," said Mr. Romney, "I encourage Congress to temporarily extend the current low rate on subsidized undergraduate Stafford loans. I also hope the president and Congress can pass the extension responsibly that offsets its cost in a way that doesn't harm the job prospects of young Americans." House members who have been opposing the extension know it is anything but responsible. The Obama-Romney subsidy will keep rates as low as 3.4% for many student borrowers, not that far above the 3.1% rate that the Treasury pays to borrow for the long term. If interest rates spike, taxpayers could be losing on every single new loan, never mind the cost of defaults. And as for offsets, the White House and Senate Democrats favor a new tax on small businesses. If Mr. Romney can't provide a contrast to that idea, Republicans will know they're in for a very long campaign. Read more at online.wsj.com ... "Of all the dispositions and habits, which lead to political prosperity, Religion and Morality are indispensable supports. In vain would that man claim the tribute of Patriotism, who should labor to subvert these great pillars of human happiness, these firmest props of the duties of Men and Citizens. The mere Politician, equally with the pious man, ought to respect and to cherish them. A volume could not trace all their connexions with private and public felicity. Let it simply be asked, Where is the security for property, for reputation, for life, if the sense of religious obligation desert the oaths, which are the instruments of investigation in Courts of Justice? And let us with caution indulge the supposition, that morality can be maintained without religion. Whatever may be conceded to the influence of refined education on minds of peculiar structure, reason and experience both forbid us to expect, that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle."
"A nation of well-informed men who have been taught to know and prize the rights which God has given them cannot be enslaved. It is in the region of ignorance that tyranny begins."
-- Benjamin Franklin |
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