Metric Conversion Act [Passed]

[Verily]

Metric Conversion Act

1. The government of Atlasia shall convert to a dual usage of metric and imperial units in all relevant affairs, effective three months after passage.
2. The use of imperial units shall thereafter be phased out of use by the government of Atlasia as seen fit by its constituent parts but on a plan ending no later than January 1, 2015.
3. The government of Atlasia shall invest in the establishment of a metric system education program to inform citizens and residents of Atlasia on the workings of the metric system.

(Sponsor: Verily)

[Verily]

I feel that since a majority of people on this forum do not use the metric system, then we should not change the current form.

We are changing so as to be able to more easily participate in international commerce. That, combined with the slow conversion coupled with substantial public education programs means that the people should be fluent in metric by the time complete conversion occurs.

[Verily]

What's so bad about keeping our slugs and poundals?

Plenty.  Back in the 1980's I took as part of my college minor a junior level college physics course in mechanics taught by an old fossil of a professor who used a 1970 textbook so he could still teach us the joys of slugs, pounds, and poundals..

I've never heard of a poundal, but we definitely used slugs in high school physics. As a bit of a joke, of course; I just have a distinct memory of them from problem sets.

[Verily]

Well, this is how the rest of the world does it. Why not us?


I would like to add a clause though,

4. Starting in the 2008-2009 Atlasian public school year, all Atlasian public elementary schools shall teach both imperial and metric measurements, starting in Kindergarten. The end of Imperial unit education shall coincide with the phasing-out of said units.

I think that's already included by implication in Clause 1, though I don't object to adding it for clarity. Although I'd rather remove the "starting the Kindergarten" clause and simply have it stand as a whole. Of course, I don't recall anyone ever mentioning "feet" or "degrees Fahrenheit" in Kindergarten, nor do I think dual teaching is the right way to go: it would just confuse little kids who don't understand things like decimals.

[Verily]

I strongly oppose any attempt to mandate that schools not teach imperial measurements.

It should be mandated only to teach the metric system, not mandated to not teach imperial.

Speaking as (1) someone who has graduated with a degree in chemical engineering and (2) as someone who edits and writes mathematic textbooks for a living, it is important that the imperial system to continue to be taught so students can participate in modern industry, where, like it or not, employees and engineers will still need to know what a "BTU" is, or understand what a "foot-pound" of torque is when such a measurement comes up on a gauge manufactured before 2008.

Especially when pertaining to elementary school students, such concerns are not particularly major. I would like the reverse of the current system, with imperial units only introduced in high school while metric units are used throughout schooling.

[Verily]

I strongly oppose any attempt to mandate that schools not teach imperial measurements.

It should be mandated only to teach the metric system, not mandated to not teach imperial.

Speaking as (1) someone who has graduated with a degree in chemical engineering and (2) as someone who edits and writes mathematic textbooks for a living, it is important that the imperial system to continue to be taught so students can participate in modern industry, where, like it or not, employees and engineers will still need to know what a "BTU" is, or understand what a "foot-pound" of torque is when such a measurement comes up on a gauge manufactured before 2008.

Especially when pertaining to elementary school students, such concerns are not particularly major. I would like the reverse of the current system, with imperial units only introduced in high school while metric units are used throughout schooling.

So far as I am aware (having edited math textbooks for both elementary school students as well as high school students) both metric and standard units are taught in elementary school.

I guess they weren't as recently as when I was in elementary school. Of course, I was in a pretty poor school district.

You must be logged in to read this quote.

Which I'm fine with.

[Verily]

I guess they weren't as recently as when I was in elementary school. Of course, I was in a pretty poor school district.

The No Child Left Behind act is responsible for very significant changes between how we learned things and how children are being taught today.

Makes sense. Speaking of which, has it been repealed in Atlasia? (I would suspect so, but perhaps not.)

[Verily]

We'll move to a final vote in twenty-four hours.

[Verily]

I realize that I missed Sensei's amendment. So we'll vote on that first.

We are now voting on the following amendment. Please vote Aye, Nay or Abstain.


4. Starting in the 2008-2009 Atlasian public school year, all Atlasian public elementary schools shall teach both imperial and metric measurements. The end of Imperial unit education shall coincide with the phasing-out of said units.


Nay. Not that I oppose it necessarily, but it appears to be more or less contained within the text of the rest of the bill (Section 1, specifically).

[Verily]

Tally on Sensei's Amendment
Aye: 2 (Sensei; Speed of Sound)
Nay: 3 (Verily; Ebowed; Jake)
Yet to Vote: 5 (Afleitch; Bacon King; Friz; Moderate; Sam Spade)

[Verily]

Revised Tally on Sensei's Amendment
Aye: 2 (Sensei; Speed of Sound)
Nay: 4 (Verily; Ebowed; Jake; Moderate)
Abstain: 1 (Afleitch)
Yet to Vote: 3 (Bacon King; Friz; Sam Spade)

[Verily]

Result on Sensei's Amendment
Aye: 2 (Sensei; Speed of Sound)
Nay: 5 (Verily; Ebowed; Jake; Moderate; Sam Spade)
Abstain [Voted]: 2 (Afleitch; Bacon King)
Abstain [Didn't vote]: 1 (Friz)

With five opposed and two abstentions, this amendment fails.

[Verily]

With debate having ceased, I now move for a final vote on this legislation.


We are now voting on the final passage of the following legislation. Please vote Aye, Nay or Abstain.


Metric Conversion Act

1. The government of Atlasia shall convert to a dual usage of metric and imperial units in all relevant affairs, effective three months after passage.
2. The use of imperial units shall thereafter be phased out of use by the government of Atlasia as seen fit by its constituent parts but on a plan ending no later than January 1, 2015.
3. The government of Atlasia shall invest in the establishment of a metric system education program to inform citizens and residents of Atlasia on the workings of the metric system.


Aye

[Verily]

Tally on Final Passage
Aye: 3 (Verily; Ebowed; Sensei)
Nay: 1 (Sam Spade)
Abstain: 1 (Afleitch)
Yet to vote: 5 (Bacon King; Friz; Jake; Moderate; Speed of Sound)

[Verily]

Revised Tally on Final Passage
Aye: 4 (Verily; Ebowed; Sensei; Speed of Sound)
Nay: 1 (Sam Spade)
Abstain: 1 (Afleitch)
Yet to vote: 4 (Bacon King; Friz; Jake; Moderate)

[Verily]

With five in favor and one abstention, this bill has enough votes to pass. Senators have twenty-four hours to change their votes.

[Verily]

Result on Final Passage
Aye: 5 (Verily; Ebowed; Sensei; Speed of Sound; Friz)
Nay: 2 (Sam Spade; Jake)
Abstain [Voted]: 2 (Afleitch; Moderate)
Abstain [Didn't vote]: 1 (Bacon King)

With five in favor and two abstaining, this legislation has passed and is presented to the President for his signature.

[Verily]

in celebration, I will drink a kiloliter of beer.

That's quite a death wish you've got there.