EdAction
Maple River Education Coalition PAC
105 Peavey Rd, St 116 
Chaska, MN  55318 
952-361-4931
http://www.EdAction.org
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September 26, 2003

HR 1078 Stalls in Congress!

Constitution Day, September 17th, came and went and H.R. 1078, the "History and Civics Education Act of 2003," which was to be part of a Constitution Day signing ceremony, instead has Members of Congress removing themselves as sponsors.

Thank you for your incredible work in calling, writing  and visiting with your Members. HR 1078 undermines the very principles of freedom that it claims to promote. It is an embarrassment to our history, our nation, our schools and our constitution.

The battle isn't over, however. The White House still strongly supports HR 1078. They are working on "wording changes." Calls and emails to the White House are very important. Urge your own Members of Congress to contact the White House on behalf of their constituents. Tell them to oppose the bill. Minnesota has two Members still on as
sponsors: Congressman Gutknecht and Congressman Peterson. Please ask them to remove their names. And thank Congressman Kline for removing himself as a sponsor.

HR 1078 sets up 12 Federal Academies to teach the best and the brightest in American schools all about history and civics. It sets up 12 Federal Academies to train teachers how to teach history and civics. And it sets up a national network of Best Practices for teaching history and civics.

Good civics should first teach the "separation of powers." This founding principle separates the powers of government in order to preserve freedom. It "reserves" to the states all those functions not specifically "delegated" to the federal government. The federal government has no constitutional authority to set up Federal Academies or Best Practices.

How can a federal law to teach American government violate the constitution it is supposed to teach? This is an amazing disconnect and a very bad civics lesson for our citizens!

HR 1078 never mentions national sovereignty, unalienable rights or self-evident truth. What kind of American government curriculum misses the most basic principles stated in our Declaration of Independence?

Neither can Federal Academies avoid teaching the National Standards on Civics and Government that Congress itself created. The basic principles of freedom are all undermined in these National Standards, promoting instead "world citizenship." (See "Beware the New Civics" )

Action Steps:

1. Call your Congressmen with your concerns.
   Members of Congress by state:
   http://clerk.house.gov/members/index.php
   
   Minnesota Members of Congress:
   http://edaction.org/Legislators/USCongress.htm
   
2. Contact President Bush, Vice President Cheney, and Secretary of Education Rod Paige.
   The White House Phone Numbers
   COMMENTS:  202-456-1111
   SWITCHBOARD: 202-456-1414
   FAX: 202-456-2461
   
   The White House E-Mail Addresses
   President George W. Bush: president@whitehouse.gov
   Vice President Richard Cheney: vice.president@whitehouse.gov
   Secretary of Education Rod Paige: (202) 401-3000  Rod.Paige@ed.gov
   
3. You may fax or e-mail the following letter to the White House or construct your own.
   
   Dear President Bush,
   
   Your support of HR 1078 is very troubling to me. I urge you to end your efforts to get it passed.
   
   While H.R.1078 is being promoted as a solution to young people's disturbing lack of knowledge of America's history and founding, it actually undermines our National Sovereignty, our Constitution and our Bill of Rights.
   
   I would appreciate your considering the following points:
   
   1) H.R. 1078 is anti-American. Its "key ideas" exclude the most essential
       principles that set America apart as a beacon to the world. These are clearly
       stated in the Declaration of Independence, and they include national
       sovereignty, natural law, self-evident truth and unalienable rights.
   
   2) The National Standards on Civics and Government, written by the Center for
       Civic Education (CCE), will ultimately drive the curriculum proposed in HR
       1078. The CCE authored "We the People" civics textbook. This textbook has
       stirred intense controversy over the way it undermines fundamental American
       principles and promotes global citizenship.
   
   3) The Federal Government has no legal role in education or in setting curriculum.
        We ask you to honor the U.S. Constitution by acknowledging the proper limits
        of federal power.
   
   4)  Because H.R.1078 excludes the most fundamental principles of our nation, its
        passage would be an insult to the men and women in the American military
        and their families who are sacrificing their very lives for our freedom today.
   
   Authorization of this bill would be a serious detriment to our country and to our heritage.
   
   I would appreciate your withdrawing your support for HR 1078.
   
   Sincerely,
   Your name