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Bill: Manson Education Reforms 2838
Details
Submitted by[?]: Liberal Democratic Party
Status[?]: passed
Votes: This is an ordinary bill. It requires more yes votes than no votes. This bill will not pass any sooner than the deadline.
Voting deadline: May 2839
Description[?]:
| We propose a comprehensive change in the education system in Rutania. We should have publically funded schools, that give the best possible education to our children and young adults. We should also fund vocational colleges as well as universities, recognising that not everyone follows an academic route. We should operate a national grading system so someone from Delvar can compare results with someone from Bozarland. The current system is too chaotic with regions having their own testing. Our children should never be made to sing the national anthem and certainly not every day. This bill proposes fundamental changes to our education system. So, of course, we welcome debate and views from our fellow senators on the issue. Tony Manson Education & Culture Liberal Democratic Party |
Proposals
Article 1
Proposal[?] to change Higher education institutions.
Old value:: The government leaves the development and funding of all higher education institutions up to local governments.
Current: The government maintains a system of universities, vocational schools, and colleges nationwide.
Proposed: The government maintains a system of universities, vocational schools, and colleges nationwide.
Article 2
Proposal[?] to change The regulation of higher education.
Old value:: The government allows public and private higher education institutions to coexist with self-regulation for those that are private.
Current: The government allows private higher education but regulates it to meet nationally set standards.
Proposed: The government allows private higher education but regulates it to meet nationally set standards.
Article 3
Proposal[?] to change Higher education tuition policy.
Old value:: The government subsidizes tuition only for students from families classified as low-income or poor.
Current: The government subsidizes tuition only for students from families classified as low-income or poor.
Proposed: The government fully subsidizes tuition.
Article 4
Proposal[?] to change The education system.
Old value:: Education is a matter of local governments.
Current: There is a free public education system alongside private schools.
Proposed: There is a free public education system alongside private schools.
Article 5
Proposal[?] to change Singing the national anthem in schools.
Old value:: Children are not made to sing the national anthem, but are required to show respect when it is played at the commencement of school each day.
Current: Children are never made to sing the national anthem.
Proposed: Children are never made to sing the national anthem.
Article 6
Proposal[?] to change Sexual education in schools.
Old value:: This decision is up to the schools themselves without government regulation.
Current: Schools have an obligation to give sexual education at some point in puberty, but individual students have an opt-out option.
Proposed: Schools have an obligation to give sexual education at some point in puberty, but individual students have an opt-out option.
Article 7
Proposal[?] to change The teacher's right to discipline children.
Old value:: Discipline levels are set by schools.
Current: Teachers are forbidden from striking children and may only use non-contact discipline (detention, expulsion etc).
Proposed: Teachers are forbidden from striking children and may only use non-contact discipline (detention, expulsion etc).
Debate
These messages have been posted to debate on this bill:
| Date | 17:49:38, October 25, 2009 CET | From | Coalition for Terran Conciousness | To | Debating the Manson Education Reforms 2838 |
| Message | We support this as greater Unity in education will bring Unity in all things. Terra-Dantma |
| Date | 18:02:03, October 25, 2009 CET | From | United Democrats | To | Debating the Manson Education Reforms 2838 |
| Message | We support this fully and unreservedly. |
| Date | 18:08:34, October 25, 2009 CET | From | United Democrats | To | Debating the Manson Education Reforms 2838 |
| Message | Can we afford this massive shift in policy? |
| Date | 18:33:41, October 25, 2009 CET | From | Rutanian Elitist Party | To | Debating the Manson Education Reforms 2838 |
| Message | Besides the fact that we cannot afford such a dramatic change in the current policy, we do not support any kind of arbitrary centralization from the part of the government. Give power to the people to the lowest level, not by deciding in their names but by giving the practical means to decide for themselves on these issues. And in issues regulated by the schools themselves the same pattern applies. Parents and students should chose the school according to the different methods it employs. John Patrick Bozarburg, Senator REP |
| Date | 21:04:40, October 25, 2009 CET | From | Liberal Democratic Party | To | Debating the Manson Education Reforms 2838 |
| Message | I don't understand your post. The choice for the parents is still there - it is the most significant change from the Education Act we proposed before - they can choose public or private, we have also removed any restrictions on religous or charter schools. |
| Date | 22:03:33, October 25, 2009 CET | From | Rutanian Restoration Party | To | Debating the Manson Education Reforms 2838 |
| Message | We cannot support this effort to centralize education. We feel, as we formerly did, that local governments can better handle such issues. The fact that my party supported the NHS leaves me greatly perturbed. These issues should not be controlled by bureaucrats in Port Nelson, but rather by officials closer to home where representation is greater. -Roel Vandermark, Senator and OP party leader |
| Date | 22:10:15, October 25, 2009 CET | From | Rutanian Heritage Party | To | Debating the Manson Education Reforms 2838 |
| Message | We oppose this legislation and each of its articles. As a very similar piece of legislation was proposed not long ago, we feel no need to describe our positions at length, but we echo comments made by the REP. Government closer to home is always more representative and more effective government, especially in the case of schools, in which local families and communities can have a greater influence over the curriculum and how their children are taught. The LDP has also proposed what is essentially a government monopoly on the school curriculum nation-wide, meaning that a certain viewpoint or agenda will inevitably be imposed on schools unilaterally, whether the LDP deny this or not. The cost of funding universities, vocational schools and colleges nation-wide, as well as providing full subsidization to all tuition, will be so enormous that it is barely worth considering whether it is necessary or not, though the RHP believe it is not. Finally, the LDP propose that the federal government should usurp the autonomy and authority of parents and families in deciding when and how their children should be educated in the private and personal matters of sexual intercourse, as well as the autonomy of schools and teachers in the discipline of misbehaving children. Let local governments or schools decide for themselves and their communities what is an appropriate form of punishment - if parents do not want their children subjected to corporal punishment, they can raise their objections with the school themselves, or their local governments. There is no need for the federal government to be involved in this issue at all, let alone forcing a universal ban on corporal punishment in schools for no good reason. |
| Date | 13:42:08, October 26, 2009 CET | From | People's Party of Rutania | To | Debating the Manson Education Reforms 2838 |
| Message | We could support this bill if adequate evidence of financial documentation is produced. What is the full cost of subsidization? |
| Date | 15:44:57, October 26, 2009 CET | From | Liberal Democratic Party | To | Debating the Manson Education Reforms 2838 |
| Message | Introducing a national public school network will cost a fraction of the cost of introducing a national health service. The schools largely exist already, run by local governments. When the construction of hospitals has finished and health services funding is reduced to it's normal about of 180,000,000,000 RUT. This will leave a surplus of 40,000,000,000 RUT. This would be the initial sum of education investment. We would propose raising corporation tax and luxury goods tax to improve the system in the future, but this, of course, would be with senate approval. Please note we spend next to nothing on education at the moment. |
| Date | 20:44:14, October 26, 2009 CET | From | Rutanian Elitist Party | To | Debating the Manson Education Reforms 2838 |
| Message | To what extend wishes the LDP to increase taxes? If the public spending project of the LDP is instituted the Rutanians will have to pay all their incomes or profits to the state in the forms of taxes. From this money the state would offer some services. But these services are available now as well. The only difference is that the money of the Rutanians does not make the route "people-state-services" but only "people-services". So what is the whole point of state interference if the people could obtain education, health, transport etc. without it. It seems to us a completely retardant approach. Just because we know that the LDP will say they did not understand our point, I shall put it even more simply. Why the people need an intermediary agent to obtain services? Why do they have to pay to the state for some services which can be obtained directly by the citizens without the state? Why shouldn't we let the people to decide what they do with their money instead of collecting the money? I hope we managed to point out how paradoxical the whole issue is. |
| Date | 21:38:37, October 26, 2009 CET | From | United Democrats | To | Debating the Manson Education Reforms 2838 |
| Message | Obviously we cannot speak for the LDP, but I think the their argument is that a state-funded education system means that the government can regulate a high standard of education as opposed to the generally unregulated education of a local system or a private system. This system has the DPR's full support, as does every article in this proposal. |
| Date | 00:38:48, October 27, 2009 CET | From | Liberal Democratic Party | To | Debating the Manson Education Reforms 2838 |
| Message | Rutania still has very low levels of taxation: zero on essential goods and a very low level of taxation on luxury goods and corporation tax. The reason we have found it difficult to understand some of the REP's recent posts is that their sentences have not made sense. I hesitate to use the word 'retardant' like they use but I think their sentences could be clearer. |
| Date | 06:01:33, October 27, 2009 CET | From | Rutanian Elitist Party | To | Debating the Manson Education Reforms 2838 |
| Message | We understand the argument of the DPR, but we have an objection. Quality in a competitive educational system is guaranteed by the very existence of competition. The schools need to adopt high standards in order to be chosen by parents and populated with pupils. |
| Date | 07:54:00, October 27, 2009 CET | From | Rutanian Heritage Party | To | Debating the Manson Education Reforms 2838 |
| Message | We second the REP's comments regarding competition and efficiency in schools. Without competition, schools' standards will become stagnant, as they will be guaranteed funding and a full enrolment regardless of the quality of their teaching or facilities. In most economic matters, competition is the essence of progress, and education is no less an economic matter than any other service industry. |
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Voting
| Vote | Seats | ||||
| yes |
Total Seats: 259 | ||||
| no | Total Seats: 241 | ||||
| abstain |
Total Seats: 0 |
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| Random quote: "The great masses of the people... will more easily fall victims to a big lie than to a small one." - Adolf Hitler |