Midwest Legislative Proposal: Public School Choice Act

[Vepres]

*Edit: Changed wording somewhat, but the bill remains the same.

Here's the text:
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1. No public school district, public school, nor the Midwest region may prohibit student from attending a public school because of geographic location nor because of grades or academic achievement.

2. No public school district, public school, nor the Midwest region may force a student to attend a specific public school.

3. None of the aforementioned institutions may punish a student or punish their family for their choice of schools for any reason.

4. This law will go into effect for the 2009-2010 school year and shall apply to all public schools and their respective school districts.
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I believe that school choice among public schools will improve their quality and give students in poor areas the option to go to more successful public schools in the richer areas.

Comments, criticisms, and questions are welcome.

I sign: Vepres

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

In what capacity do you propose this? If be as a candidate for the senate you might want it to apply to the whole nation. If you proposes this as a concerned citizen of the midwest then its fine.

[Vepres]

In what capacity do you propose this? If be as a candidate for the senate you might want it to apply to the whole nation. If you proposes this as a concerned citizen of the midwest then its fine.

Citizen. Besides, I believe in states rights, therefore I would probably never introduce legislation such as this in the national senate. As I'm new here, I will be doing many things early on (you see, I lurked around this board for a couple weeks before I joined the Atlas forums, so there are many things I want to do).

[Associate Justice PiT]

     I would change all occurences of "shall" in the first three sections to "may", as a lawyer may try to argue something different from your intentions based on the use of the word "shall".

     That aside, though I'm not a Midwestern citizen, I would like to thank you for promoting school choice. I think I will check now to see if we have done anything in this area in the Southeast.

[Vepres]

     I would change all occurences of "shall" in the first three sections to "may", as a lawyer may try to argue something different from your intentions based on the use of the word "shall".

     That aside, though I'm not a Midwestern citizen, I would like to thank you for promoting school choice. I think I will check now to see if we have done anything in this area in the Southeast.

Thanks for the advice, I'm not well versed in legal speak. I changed it in the original post.

[Associate Justice PiT]

     I would change all occurences of "shall" in the first three sections to "may", as a lawyer may try to argue something different from your intentions based on the use of the word "shall".

     That aside, though I'm not a Midwestern citizen, I would like to thank you for promoting school choice. I think I will check now to see if we have done anything in this area in the Southeast.

Thanks for the advice, I'm not well versed in legal speak. I changed it in the original post.

     Okay. I actually checked the Southeastern statute & found that we have already instituted a voucher program.

[Vepres]

     I would change all occurences of "shall" in the first three sections to "may", as a lawyer may try to argue something different from your intentions based on the use of the word "shall".

     That aside, though I'm not a Midwestern citizen, I would like to thank you for promoting school choice. I think I will check now to see if we have done anything in this area in the Southeast.

Thanks for the advice, I'm not well versed in legal speak. I changed it in the original post.

     Okay. I actually checked the Southeastern statute & found that we have already instituted a voucher program.

Yeah, that's good. I personally didn't propose a voucher system like the one in your region for two reasons. One, the Midwest tends to be more liberal. Two, public schools are necessary for universal education (one area where I believe government intervention is needed). That said, I want the public school system to mimic the private sector as much as possible.

[Countess Anya of the North Parish]

that is a nice bill but is that really the first priority

[Vepres]

that is a nice bill but is that really the first priority

Well it's fine for the Midwest. When I was looking through the statutes of the Midwest, I noticed a lack of school reform. I figured I should try to push for this on the off chance I become a senator (in which case I would be more focused on national issues). I'm trying to do more than one thing at once.

Note: I explained why I will not introduce anything like this in the national senate earlier.

[Purple State]

that is a nice bill but is that really the first priority

When is education not a top priority? Does the Midwest have other urgent legislation that should come first?

[Vepres]

that is a nice bill but is that really the first priority

When is education not a top priority? Does the Midwest have other urgent legislation that should come first?

My thinking exactly when I proposed this. The only thing more important to me in the Midwest is the constitutional reform, but that has already occurred. Now we just wait and see if those amendments will pass (hopefully they will).

Still waiting on the comment of a Midwesterner for the bill.

[Fritz]

I have no objection, so:

Sign: Fritz

[Vepres]

Bump.

Would anybody else like to sign?

[minionofmidas]

Living in a country (irl) where such choice from 5th grade up is and always has been the norm, I see nothing to suggest it may be a good idea.
Sorry.

[Vepres]

Living in a country (irl) where such choice from 5th grade up is and always has been the norm, I see nothing to suggest it may be a good idea.
Sorry.

Well, one of the best public school districts in my state (irl) has such a system where you choose your school. Coincidence, probably not.

[Countess Anya of the North Parish]

Living in a country (irl) where such choice from 5th grade up is and always has been the norm, I see nothing to suggest it may be a good idea.
Sorry.

Well, one of the best public school districts in my state (irl) has such a system where you choose your school. Coincidence, probably not.

i does make it easier for the parents. But i do think  that a school will build a rep and that will be the one they will all want to go to. But it is nice. Cause then i could have choosen the high school i would have gone to.

[ilikeverin]

I agree with public school choice to some extent but I think this proposal is a bit extreme; it would seem to force schools in Fargo to let students from Omaha attend.

[Vepres]

I agree with public school choice to some extent but I think this proposal is a bit extreme; it would seem to force schools in Fargo to let students from Omaha attend.

But how would they attend? If a parent and/or child is willing to commute to a school that is far away from their home, they should be able to.

[ilikeverin]

I agree with public school choice to some extent but I think this proposal is a bit extreme; it would seem to force schools in Fargo to let students from Omaha attend.

But how would they attend? If a parent and/or child is willing to commute to a school that is far away from their home, they should be able to.

They couldn't attend.  And perhaps that's why they'd do that: to get their kids out of school earlier than they should.  Or something.

I don't know.  I just think there's a less haphazard way to do this.

[Vepres]

I agree with public school choice to some extent but I think this proposal is a bit extreme; it would seem to force schools in Fargo to let students from Omaha attend.

But how would they attend? If a parent and/or child is willing to commute to a school that is far away from their home, they should be able to.

They couldn't attend.  And perhaps that's why they'd do that: to get their kids out of school earlier than they should.  Or something.

I don't know.  I just think there's a less haphazard way to do this.

How about amending it to say they can only attend schools within their respective school district and those adjacent to it?

[ilikeverin]

I agree with public school choice to some extent but I think this proposal is a bit extreme; it would seem to force schools in Fargo to let students from Omaha attend.

But how would they attend? If a parent and/or child is willing to commute to a school that is far away from their home, they should be able to.

They couldn't attend.  And perhaps that's why they'd do that: to get their kids out of school earlier than they should.  Or something.

I don't know.  I just think there's a less haphazard way to do this.

How about amending it to say they can only attend schools within their respective school district and those adjacent to it?

Then people wouldn't be able to go from Minneapolis schools (1) to, say, Eden Prairie (272) or Wayzata (284) schools, which is where you wanna go

Maybe go by Core Based Statistical Area or within 20 miles of a school district, whichever is further?

[Vepres]

This bill shall be amended to the following.

Updated bill:
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1. No public school district, public school, nor the Midwest region may prohibit student from attending a public school within their core based statistical area, or 20 miles from any border of their school district should that be farther or the individual in question should not be in a core based statistical area, because of geographic location nor because of grades or academic achievement.

2. No public school district, public school, nor the Midwest region may force a student to attend a specific public school.

3. None of the aforementioned institutions may punish a student or punish their family for their choice of schools for any reason.

4. This law will go into effect for the 2009-2010 school year and shall apply to all public schools and their respective school districts.
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If nobody has any objections.

I sign: Vepres