HB 24-17: Sticking it to the Man Act (Vetoed)

[Fmr. Representative Encke]

So if a student, say, acquires debt from destroying a $200 microscope, then it should be the school's responsibility to pay for it? Alright, if you say so.

Withdrawing the amendment; I don't see us reaching an agreement here, so let's just proceed to a final vote.

I mean if a middle school student breaks a microscope on accident and doesn't have the means to pay a fine, is it reasonable to come back five years later and prevent them from graduating?

What sort of student is unable to make a few hundred dollars in five years?

A student who's family can barely afford food and housing and isn't able to hold a job.

Come on, really? A few hundred dollars in FIVE YEARS? I'm not sure if you work or not, ninja, but that's peanuts even at minimum wage (which is at least $11 in Atlasia and adjusted to cost of living at the regional level). Someone could literally save 0.2% of their paycheck (assuming bimonthly paychecks) and make the money back in less than that time.

Add that to the fact that Atlasia is far more generous than RL (consider the AtlasCare subsidy, the expanded child tax credit, the cost-of-living-adjusted minimum wage, etc. etc.) and I find it ridiculous that there's all this hand-wringing about making someone pay for something that they are responsible for damaging.

This is about placing debts on children, whose parents may or may not pay them, and who might not be financially stable. This is all based on the presumption that 1. They can find the money 2. their parents actually pay the money if they don't have it themselves and 3. this will incur a major debt on the government which I don't see as being the case, as not graduating the student will result in thousands of tax dollars lost in the future.

Alright, here's the thing.

I'm not voting Aye on a bill that imposes graduation restrictions on students with debts.

I'm voting Nay on a bill that prevents schools from even having the option to institute such a rule.

There are situations where these sorts of rules aren't necessary, and there are situations where leniency might be warranted (as you note, if someone is unable to pay, has extenuating circumstances that prevent them from working, has uncooperative parents, in the case of unfortunate accidents, etc.). There are also situations where schools lose a lot of money each year paying for damaged property, and where such a rule might be warranted. Preventing even the possibility of imposing such a punishment prevents schools from exercising authority over their own students.

[thumb21]

Aye

I'm still unconvinced that this sort of very strong enforcement of fines is really a good punishment for students breaking things when there are other options, the only exception to this is as you said, someone in their last week feeling invincible but I don't think its worth allowing just to satisfy a small minority of cases. Things being broken or getting lost is a fairly normal result of having hundreds or thousands of children and teenagers stuck in a building bored stiff. Sure, put them in detension and send their parents the bill, but if a child goes to school and does their exams, they should get the grade they've earned and society will be rewarded for it.

[Senator Spiral]

Aye

[cinyc]

If I'm still a member of this body, Nay. I never remember when the switchover happens.

[thumb21]

If I'm still a member of this body, Nay. I never remember when the switchover happens.

This congress ends next friday

[cinyc]

If I'm still a member of this body, Nay. I never remember when the switchover happens.

This congress ends next friday

Thanks.

Still nay.

[Elcaspar]

Aye.

[RC]

Nay

[thumb21]

Vote tied

3-3-0-3

Peanut time

[Peanut]

AYE. Vote passes 4-3-0-3.

[thumb21]

Sticking it to the Man Act

SENATE BILL

Be it enacted by the House of Representatives and the Senate of the Republic of Atlasia in Congress assembled,

SECTION I
No school which receives federal funding from the government of Atlasia may suspend, expel, or otherwise punish a student for any of the following reasons:

1) wearing their hair in a certain style or having dyed or colored hair
2) expressing opinions or beliefs during time allocated for students to speak or ask questions which do not demean or harass other students, or wearing articles of clothing displaying a social or political message.
3) praying or otherwise practicing their religion at school, as long as the prayers are done without significantly disturbing the class or if they are done during a time of recess
4) being absent from class,if the student is at least sixteen years of age
5) peacefully walking out of class, if the student is at least sixteen years of age
6) actions that occurred outside of school provided they were legal and non-threatening

SECTION II

1) No school in the Republic of Atlasia may prevent a student from graduating or passing a class due to debts incurred, including but not limited to lunch debt and unreturned library books, provided they satisfy all other requirements.
2) No school which receives federal funding from the government of Atlasia may prevent a student from graduating or passing a class due to absences incurred, provided they receive a passing grade and satisfy all other requirements.

People's Regional Senate
Passed 5-0 in the Atlasian Senate Assembled,

House of Representatives
Passed the House of Representatives 4-3-0-3

[windjammer]

I thank the president for having vetoed this monstruosity.

[thumb21]

The President has vetoed this bill. Representatives have 72 hours to request a veto override after which debate should begin on the redrafted version.

[Fmr. Representative Encke]

ayy Pericles

[Dr. MB]

Very disappointed in the President and in every representative who voted against this!

[windjammer]

Very disappointed in the President and in every representative who voted against this!

The role of school is to prepare children when they will become grown adult and will be applying for jobs. It is important they understand that everything isn't legal and that they have to respect some standards. This bill would make the schools raise the children poorly, as they would start thinking they are free to do anything they want, while this isn't the case.