Legislature(2015 - 2016)SENATE FINANCE 532
03/25/2015 02:00 PM Senate FINANCE
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| SCR1 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| + | SCR 1 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | SB 57 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED |
SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 1
Relating to a legislative task force on civics
education.
2:05:14 PM
TIM LAMKIN, STAFF, SENATOR GARY STEVENS, explained the
resolution had grown out of the quiet epidemic amongst
students in the nation, prompted by No Child Left Behind,
of academic testing overriding civics education. He said
that liberal arts had been left behind in public education,
which had been recognized by other states, resulting in
policies to change curriculum in order to highlight civics.
He noted that in 2000, the legislature passed House Bill
192, which required school districts to regularly recite
the Pledge of Allegiance. He shared that in order to gain
citizenship incoming citizens had to pass a civics rest by
60 percent. He opined that 92 percent of immigrants were
passing the test by 60 percent, compared to 3 to 4 percent
of graduating high school seniors in Arizona and Oklahoma
in 2012. He concluded that America's youth was
disassociated from the republic.
2:08:43 PM
SENATOR GARY STEVENS, SPONSOR, echoed Mr. Lamkin's
comments. He believed that the task force would lead to
enforceable solutions. He felt that Alaska could learn from
other states. He stated that the City of Boston had brought
industry and educators together to figure out how to teach
civics in each classroom and incorporate civics throughout
the curriculum.
2:10:56 PM
Senator Dunleavy thought that the issue was worth
exploring. He opined that the percentage of eligible voters
in the country was in decline. He said that 22 countries in
the world mandated voting. He thought that the fact that
American citizens had the right to choose not to vote was
problematic. He hoped a task force could make a difference
in the present state of civics education in the country.
2:12:33 PM
Co-Chair MacKinnon wondered who would participate in the
task force. Senator Stevens deferred to Mr. Lamkin.
Mr. Lamkin spoke to Page 2, line 22 of the bill:
FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force consists of 12 members
as follows:
(1) three members of the house of representatives
appointed by the speaker of the house of
representatives, including one member of the minority
organizational caucus;
(2) three members of the senate appointed by the
president of the senate, including one member of the
minority organizational caucus;
(3) the commissioner of education and early
development or the commissioner's designee;
(4) five members of the public appointed jointly by
the speaker of the house of representatives and the
president of the senate as follows:
(A) one member of the National Education
Association who is a teacher with significant
teaching experience in civics or social studies
education;
(B) one member representing the Association of
Alaska School Boards;
(C) one member who is a student enrolled in good
standing in a public high school who will be a
senior in the school on the date of the first
meeting of the task force; the student must
demonstrate an interest in civics education and
leadership;
(D) one member who is a judge or otherwise
represents the judicial branch of state
government;
(E) one member representing the
University of Alaska;
2:14:22 PM
MICHAEL POLIAKOFF, VICE-PRESIDENT OF POLICY AMERICAN
COUNCIL OF TRUSTEES AND ALUMNI, VIRGINIA (via
teleconference), discussed the presentation, "Students,
Citizens and Our Nation's Future" (copy on file).
Mr. Poliakoff looked at Slide 2, "James Madison 1822":
Learned Institutions ought to be favorite objects with
every free people. They throw that light over the
public mind which is the best security against crafty
& dangerous encroachments on the public liberty. …
What spectacle can be more edifying or more
seasonable, than that of Liberty & Learning, each
leaning on the other for their mutual & surest
support?
Mr. Poliakoff stated that civic education had to be based
on civil knowledge and understanding of America's
institutions of government. He noted that SCR 1 properly
began with a call to assess the state of civic education in
Alaska. He suggested that no student should leave high
school without a strong foundation in United States
History; including how the institutions of government
developed. He asserted that no student should leave college
without a mature collegiate grasp of American History, and
the successes and failures of its free institutions. He
relayed that the country's founders were aware that the
lifespan of liberty was unlikely to be long without well
informed, participating, citizens.
2:16:17 PM
Mr. Poliakoff highlighted Slide 3, "National Perspectives
on Historical Illiteracy":
Survey of 556 college seniors at the "Top 25" National
Universities and the "Top 25" National Liberal Arts
Colleges.
•Beavis and Butthead 99 percent identified
correctly
•Snoop Doggy Dog 98 percent identified correctly
•George Washington as general at Yorktown 34
percent identified correctly
•James Madison as Father of the Constitution 23
percent identified correctly
•Abraham Lincoln as author of the words:
"Government of the people, by the people, for the
people" 22 percent identified correctly
Mr. Poliakoff opined that nationwide, free institutions
were threatened by a plague of ignorance and under
education in civic matters. He shared that the American
Council surveyed college students and college graduates
regularly to assess the state of historical and civic
knowledge, with terrifying results.
2:16:25 PM
Mr. Poliakoff discussed Slide 4, "It Gets Worse":
Results of a 2012 survey of recent college graduates
(G f K Custom Research North America)
How Long Are Terms for Members of Congress?
38.4 percent identified correctly
Who is Lady Gaga?
96.2 percent identified correctly
Mr. Poliakoff asserted that voters that could not name the
term lengths of the representatives they elected were
unlikely to be making well informed decisions. He relayed
that a 2006 Pew Research Report revealed that 26 percent of
18 to 29 year-olds polled could name Condoleezza Rice as
the Secretary of State; only 15 percent knew that Vladimir
Putin was president of Russia.
2:17:16 PM
Mr. Poliakoff looked at Slide 5, "Cause and Effect":
ACTA'S Study of the Core Curriculum:
What Will They Learn?
82 percent of four-year colleges and universities do
not require foundational study of American history or
government
He noted that the proposed legislation looked toward best
practices in other states. He said that Texas, Georgia and
Nevada had legislation for public universities that
required all students to take coarse work within their core
curriculum requirements in United States History and
Government. He shared that Arizona and North Dakota had
recently passed laws mandating that students pass
examinations showing civic literacy. He said that Alaska
did very well to consider the practices of states that
required coarse work based on knowledge and understanding
of the primary documents of American and state government.
He asserted that the initiatives in other states had not
been expensive. He felt that community service projects
were part of an important ethic, characteristic of the
U.S., and were a key part of religious and civic
associations. He contended that schools and colleges were
the unique and essential place for teaching and learning
about America's history and government. He hoped that the
initiative would lead to new requirements in the state at
the K-12 and collegiate levels.
2:19:28 PM
Senator Dunleavy understood that there were many ways in
which historical documents could be interpreted. He
wondered which interpretation would be taught in schools
and colleges.
Mr. Poliakoff replied that it would be the best practice to
bring case studies and real life examples of how the system
of government in the U.S. worked. He said that teachers
should be honest to teach of times when the system has
failed. He felt that core knowledge of documents was the
basis for all discussion and that there was no substitute
for the civic empowerment that came from knowing the laws
and institutions of government in the nation, and how they
came to be.
2:22:16 PM
SAMUEL STONE, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, CIVICS EDUCATION
INITIATIVE, ARIZONA (via teleconference), testified in
support of the resolution. He shared that there were many
studies that reflected the importance of the legislation.
He asserted that the United States Civics and Immigration
Service (USCIS) exam was very basic. He felt that American
students were lacking in civics education. He thought that
stronger civics education in schools could create future
civic leaders. He hoped that the task force could explore
options as to how schools could improve civics programs and
engage students. He noted that the founding fathers had
debated whether the United States Constitution should be a
living or static document, which had led to the great
growth of our society.
Co-Chair MacKinnon OPENED public testimony.
2:26:58 PM
STUART THOMPSON, SELF, MAT-SU (via teleconference), read
from a prepared testimony (copy on file):
I salute the chairman and members of the Senate
Education Committee. I am Stuart Thompson-an Alaska
citizen living in Senator Huggins district-acting on
behalf of myself and posterity in support of Senator
Stevens SCR 1. I have carefully prepared 3 minute
testimony that succinctly supplements what I've
already communicated. Start of my testimony.
My previous testimony on record covered clear
justification for launching a legislative task force
on civics education, and suggested amendments that
would strengthen results from that task force. Some of
these amendments apparently have already found favor
with Senator Stevens. I am happy to contribute.
There are two matters I shall cover today. One is why
I apparently come across as a mad-dog before you. The
other is arming you against intimidation from Alaska's
apparent fiscal troubles in the pursuit of your duties
under Article 7 of the Alaska Constitution.
First why do I seem to come across as a mad-dog? There
are two well-evidenced principles about all government
that clarify matters. To save time, consider the
simplest one
Currently, citizens are expected to just voice their
concerns and mere opinions about bills-easily
accomplished in three minutes. So who am I to try to
take time to testify on relevant facts, law, history,
and bill improvements as if I was one of those so-
called experts-who are allowed an hour or more for
"presentations"? I testify the way I do because
history teaches that multiple minds-organized even
incrementally-do a better job of piecing together
solutions than even a couple geniuses given the same
task.. If it wasn't for this, democracies and
republics like ours wouldn't ever have reason to come
into existence! We'd all be living under Plato's
philosopher kings, as advised by councils of
investigators.
Second, if you think favorably of Senator Steven's
SCR1, but are discouraged because of Alaska's fiscal
troubles, take heart. I have five stand-alone
solutions for financing SCR1's task force and even its
eventual recommendations-all arising from our
political heritage. None depend on "stealing from
Peter to pay Paul". Naturally, I don't have sufficient
time to elaborate here and now, and finance is not
under this committee's jurisdiction. But since past
Legislatures have been weak in their fiduciary duties-
thereby creating Alaska's current fiscal troubles-you
senators should jointly urge Finance to show some
humility and consider some outside-of-the box
thinking.
So all I ask of this committee-beyond passing this
bill out-is for its members to contrive making the
Finance Committee give me 9 minutes to present my
ideas for financing SCR1 and its inevitable task force
recommendations. Senator Dunleavy, you might remind
fellow Finance Committee members that the time-honored
maxim for handling fiscal problems is creating
additional .income streams while concurrently cutting
expenditures. And ask how they can deny my 9 minutes
on that basis. Consequently if they baulk or get
egotistical, Senator Huggins can legitimately execute
a maneuver as Rules Committee Chairman. He can
threaten to bring this bill and my fiscal testimony to
a Committee of the Whole-due to Finance Committee
negligence.
As usual, I am faxing this testimony to the Committee,
and as a courtesy I'll fax the prepared testimony I
want to give to the Finance Committee as well. It
doesn't matter which of my solutions to financing SCR1
gets utilized - they all achieve the same result. But
what is criminal-I repeat criminal-is rejecting any
and all solutions to a problem that I have drastically
proven is inherently solvable. Good luck on your
deliberations.
2:34:24 PM
Co-Chair MacKinnon CLOSED public testimony.
2:34:43 PM
Senator Stevens noted that there was more to a civics
education than the foundational documents of the country;
the documents were crucial, but there were additional
classes in history, democracy, government, parliamentary
procedure, democratic processes and current events that
were important. He quoted Benjamin Franklin in response to
the question whether America was a republic or a monarchy:
"A republic, if you can keep it."
SCR 1 was HEARD and HELD in committee for further
consideration.
Co-Chair MacKinnon discussed housekeeping.
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