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UPDATE: The 1999- 2000 session of the
Ohio Congress has concluded. HB711 was passed by both the
House and the Senate, although by very close margins.
There was no public support for it that we are aware of.
Governor Taft has signed it into law. The information
below is presented as background/historical information
concerning this bill. Please do not contact your Ohio congress
members about this bill because it is already signed into
law. This link was left on our web site for historical
purposes only.
The
author of this E-mail, Melanie Elsey, was
interviewed on May 18 by Chad Bresson on his
radio program FrontPage!. This was a very
good interview that presented a lot of useful
background information on this bill, and on
problems with the State Board of Education in
general. Click
here to listen to her 10-minute
interview. We wish to thank CDR Radio Network,
and Chad Bresson in particular for
giving us permission to publish this interview on
our web site. During the interview, it is
mentioned that no public testimony will be
allowed on HB711. That was true when the
interview was conducted. However, the next day,
the committee leadership caved into public
pressure and decided to allow public testimony
after all.
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Democrats
opposed to HB711 |
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Update #1 on House Bill
711 (it's a carbon copy of HB602) |
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History of the defeated
House Bill 602 |
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Lawsuit filed against
Ohio Governor and Ohio Board of Education |
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House Bill 679 Mandates
evidence "not supportive" of evolution
be taught! |
We received the following e-mail on May 22, 2000:
To all:
PLEASE consider the plea in this forwarded email to
take a stand. We NEED to show the grassroots opposition
to HB711.
We NEED to prove the importance of restoring the State
Board of Education to a completely elected board
accountable to CITIZENS, not the executive branch of
state government!
We need MANY, MANY people [HUNDREDS] to attend the press
rally on the Statehouse steps and overflow the hearing
room after the rally [see attached email]. For home
educators this issue is as IMPORTANT as the battle on HR6
several years ago. Only this time our focus is on OHIO.
If everyone coming can bring 2 people with them our crowd
size will triple !! Please activate PHONE CHAINS for
political alerts and prayer. TIME IS SHORT ! THIS IS
URGENT !
Thank you for making a difference in Ohio!!
Respectfully,
Melanie Elsey
PS WE ALSO NEED CONTINUED PHONE CALLS.
If you did not receive the list of legislators to call,
please let me know. Also, it is very important to contact
YOUR OWN legislators and ask that they vote NO on HB711
if it comes to the full membership this week!! If you
aren't sure who represents you contact your county board
of elections. Thanks!!
To all:
Join us in Columbus!
In order to protect our children and grandchildren and
keep our voice heard in the education arena, we MUST
regain a fully elected state board of education. The
content of HB 711 is designed to do just one thing:
Dilute local control and shift power to the political
elite. The tactics being used to force this through show
a breathtaking disregard for the voice of the people of
Ohio. Will you help us draw "a line in the
sand" on this issue?
Politicians understand and respect broad based grass
roots support.
Many of us will travel to Columbus this Tuesday May 23rd
to attend a 1:30 pm public hearing. Some of us will give
testimony against this bill. But it is NOT necessary for
you to testify in order to have an impact. We are
printing large blue and white sticker badges that read
"NO on HB 711" for everyone who can come.
If there is any way you can adjust your schedule, PLEASE
join us outside the State House at 1:00 pm for a rally
that will be covered by the media. Then, as many as are
able can come inside to fill the hearing room and show
the legislators that we are SERIOUS ABOUT STOPPING THEIR
BRAZEN POWER GRAB. You will NOT be required to speak or
do anything other than BE THERE to show support.
We are trying a unique Internet communications technique
to find out how many think they can come. If you are
reasonably certain you can be at the State House on
Tuesday at 1:00 pm BEFORE the hearing, do the following:
Create a NEW email (not a reply to this one). Address it
to
rally@tigf.org
In the subject type RALLY followed by the number of
people you can bring. If you can have 3 plus yourself,
type RALLY 4 in the subject.
Do not type any message for me in the body. If you want
me to read a message, send it to jay@tigf.org.
IT IS POSSIBLE TO WIN THIS FIGHT IF ENOUGH OF US JOIN IN.
Here are some ideas for signs to carry if you choose to
do so:
*** NO! on HB 711
*** Just say NO to sneaky politics!
*** Give us our board of education back!
*** Which part of BY the PEOPLE, FOR
the PEOPLE do you not understand?
*** Put PARENTS and CITIZENS back in control of
education!
*** MISSING: Honesty in state government
PLEASE FORWARD THIS EMAIL TO OTHERS AND CALL YOUR FRIENDS
AND FAMILY. Also, there will be an update message
recorded on our system
for up to the minute info.
Dial 1-877-884-8443
When it answers, press 3
Then, press 444 to hear the message.
If you simply cannot get away to join us, you can still
help by keeping the phone calls FLOODING the State House
on Monday AND Tuesday!
I believe there is a growing grassroots movement across
Ohio and the nation to bring our government back to the
role of servant, not dictator.
Almost 200 years ago, Thomas Jefferson looked ahead and
saw this kind of issue. He said:
"I know of no safe depository for the ultimate
powers of society but the people themselves; and if we
think them not enlightened enough to exercise their
control with a wholesome discretion, the remedy is not to
take it from them, but to inform their discretion."
Thomas Jefferson (c 1820)
See you in Columbus.
Respectfully,
- Jay Groenke
jay@tigf.org
Truth In Government Foundation
Toll Free 1-877-884-TIGF(8443)
| Two dozen
people testified AGAINST HB602 when it was up for
consideration in the Education Committee. Four
testified for it. The four who testified for it
were three State School Board members, including
its president, and one person from the governor's
office. Nobody from the public testified in
support of HB602. Now the governor and House
Republican leadership are going to make all those
who opposed HB602 jump through the same hoops
again to oppose exactly the same bill in the form
of HB711. This is an outrage! |
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