Olympia, WA - HB2373 (printed below) has ten Republican sponsors. It has been given a hearing by the Democrat controlled House Education Committee. The hearing will be at 6 PM, Tuesday, February 5 in House Education, Hrm A.

HB2373 (the Constitution Bill) needs Democrat sponsors.  Please ask those who wish to have the schools teach the relationship between the Declaration of Independence, the US Constitution, and the Washington State Constitution.

Complete text of HOUSE BILL 2373 (Constitution Bill)

State of Washington       57th Legislature       2002 Regular Session

By Representatives Delvin, Nixon, Mulliken, Anderson, Holmquist, Ahern,
Casada, Morell, Sump and Campbell

Read first time 01/16/2002.  Referred to Committee on Education
       AN ACT Relating to requiring the teaching of the Constitutions of
the United States and Washington state; amending RCW 28A.230.170;adding new
sections to chapter 28A.230 RCW; and creating new sections.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

{LEGISLATIVE INTENT{+ NEW SECTION. +}  Sec. 1.  Most state constitutions
have similar preambles that acknowledge the Supreme Ruler of the universe,
Almighty God, or providence for the gift of liberty.  Government is then
given the constitutional responsibility to protect and maintain individual
rights.  This is the fundamental reason given in the Declaration of
Independence for creating the United States of America.  Yet our schools
neglect to teach this principle.

     The people want to give children, and their children's children, the
blessings of liberty.  Schools must teach the constitution for this to
happen.  This is not a separation of church and state issue.  The issue is
teaching the substance and meanings of the liberties provided by the United
States and Washington state Constitutions.

POLICIES AND PURPOSES

{+ NEW SECTION. +}  Sec. 2.  A new section is added to chapter 28A.230 RCW
to read as follows: RCW 28A.230.170 states:  "The study of the Constitution
of the United States and the Constitution of the state of Washington shall
be a condition prerequisite to graduation from public and private high
schools of this state."  However, the courts have ruled "any study
constitutes study."  Therefore, the superintendent of public instruction
has left it up to the teacher.  Teachers have not provided any noticeable
instruction on the Washington state Constitution.
       This measure requires public and private school libraries to stock
printed copies of the Declaration of Independence, the United States
Constitution, the Washington state Constitution, the federalists papers,
and the anti-federalist papers.  Each classroom shall display the preamble
and the first twelve sections of Article I of the Washington state
Constitution in school classrooms.

RELATING THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE TO THE CONSTITUTIONS OF THE UNITED STATES AND THE STATE OF WASHINGTON

Sec. 3.  RCW 28A.230.170 and 1985 c 341 s 1 are each amended to read as
follows:
    The study of the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution
of the state of Washington shall be a condition prerequisite to graduation
from the public and private high schools of this state.  The state board of
education acting upon the advice of the superintendent of public
instruction shall provide by rule (({- or regulation -})) for the
implementation of this section {+ into the K-12 social studies
curriculum.  Local school boards are responsible for providing books that
explain the meaning and substance of the Constitutions of the United States
and the state of Washington.  Local school boards are responsible for
displaying copies of the Declaration of Independence, the Bill of Rights,
the United States Constitution, and the Washington state Constitution +}.

{+ NEW SECTION. +}  Sec. 4.  A new section is added to chapter 28A.230 RCW
to read as follows:
    The word "study" in RCW 28A.230.170 includes:
       (1) Illustrating, by teacher instruction, how the Declaration of
Independence provided the outline for both the United States Constitution
and the Washington state Constitution;
       (2) Relating each section of the Washington state Constitution to
statements made in the Declaration of Independence and the United States
Constitution;
       (3) Teaching the heritage and meaning of this statement from the
Declaration of Independence:  "We hold these truths to be self-evident,
that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with
certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the
pursuit of happiness.  That to secure these rights, governments are
instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the
governed."  Suggested sources are:  The Magna Carta (1215), the 1628
Petition of Right to King Charles I, the writings of Sir Edward Coke
(1552-1634), John Locke (1632-1704), The Spirit of Laws (1748) by Charles
De Montesquieu, and Sir William Blackstone (1723-1780);
       (4) Teacher instruction on The Northwest Ordinance, which sets the
requirements for states to join the union shall be required.  Article 3
states:  "Religion, morality, and knowledge, being necessary to good
government and the happiness of mankind, schools and the means of education
shall forever be encouraged...";
     (5) Teaching the heritage and meaning of the religious freedom
statement of Article I, section 10 of the Washington state
Constitution.  Suggested student readings include:  Thomas Jefferson's
"Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom (1786), and James Madison's
"Memorial and Remonstrance."  The purpose of this instruction is to
illustrate the struggle for obtaining "absolute freedom of conscience in
all matters of religious sentiment, ..." as stated in Article I, section 10
of the Washington state Constitution;
     (6) Requiring that students be encouraged to memorize the preamble of
the United States Constitution along with the preamble and Article I,
section 1 of the Washington state Constitution;
     (7) Students shall read and be taught George Washington's First
Inaugural Address and his Farewell Address;
     (8) Testing, including state standardized testing, on the meanings of
the constitutions and on the meaning of such words as:  Endowed,
unalienable, created equal, tranquility, posterity, ordain, blessings, and
licentiousness;
     (9) Displaying the preamble and the first twelve sections of the
Washington state Constitution in each classroom with a note stating: "For
the complete text of the Washington state Constitution go to the school
library"; and
     (10) Illustrating, with teacher instruction, the relationship between
the "Pledge of Allegiance to the United States" and the Washington state
Constitution (the preamble, Article I, section 1, and Article I, section
10).  This instruction shall be taught at the time the "Pledge of
Allegiance" is taught.

{+ NEW SECTION. +}  Sec. 5.  Part headings used in this act are not any
part of the law.
                                   --- END ---

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