General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsSouth Carolina Law Would Make Kids Study Second Amendment for 3 Weeks Every Year
South Carolina Law Would Make Kids Study Second Amendment for 3 Weeks Every Yearby Hannah Levintova at Mother Jones
http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2015/01/south-carolina-second-amendment-education-nra
"SNIP...................
In August of last year, a 16-year-old high-schooler in Summerville, South Carolina, turned in a creative writing assignment about shooting his neighbor's pet dinosaur. The school's "zero tolerance" policy for guns prompted a search of the student's belongings that turned up no weapons. Nonetheless, he was arrested and suspended for what he said was a joke, if one in questionable taste.
South Carolina state Rep. Alan Clemmons hopes to use that incident to force public schools to dedicate three weeks each year to teaching a gun-focused curriculum developed or recommended by the National Rifle Association. Traditionally, zero tolerance policies have applied to students bringing weapons to school or simulating their use with toys or hand gesturesnot to academic discussion of guns. Still, in the bill Clemmons filed in the state legislature last month he states that these NRA-approved lessons are needed to combat an "intolerance for any discussion of guns or depiction of guns in writing or in assignments in public schools, which is an affront to First Amendment rights and harshly inhibits creative expression and academic freedom."
"If anything comes up in a school setting that has to do with firearms, then it's a suspendable offense and criminal charges could ensue," Clemmons told WMBF News. "The second amendment should be freely debated in schools and instead the second amendment is being squelched in our schools."
If passed, the Second Amendment Education Act would require that three consecutive weeks of each year in elementary, middle, and high school be spent studying the second amendment. As Ian Millhiser at Think Progress points out, that's an enormous chunk of the school year, especially given that some South Carolina schools devote just two weeks to slavery and a week and a half to World War II.
..................SNIP"
Hoyt
(54,770 posts)the Constitution.
gopiscrap
(23,762 posts)how about spending 9 months EVERY year studying the entire US Consitituton
moondust
(20,002 posts)One of my pet theories is that the main reason the Second Amendment was passed in the first place was to guarantee that nobody could take away the tools slave owners needed to hold onto their property. Without guns there'd be no way to keep large numbers of slaves from running away or overpowering their owners. I thought Django Unchained had a fairly believable depiction of the role of guns in the whole mess with armed guards on horseback, etc.
In that light I guess it isn't too surprising that an old slave state with deep roots in gun culture might consider it appropriate to make the Second Amendment a part of their school curriculum.
hunter
(38,322 posts)lame54
(35,305 posts)And a poorly written one at that
Orsino
(37,428 posts)Vinca
(50,300 posts)They want their electorate stupid and well armed.
Takket
(21,600 posts)I don't think my statement requires an explanation. anyone with a brain can see this for what it is.
muriel_volestrangler
(101,345 posts)And the music lessons: