GotZoom
Senior Member
PHOENIX Rebuffing concerns of government indoctrination, a legislative panel voted Tuesday to require a U.S. flag in every classroom in public, charter, community college and state university classroom to "instill patriotism." And the banners must be manufactured in this country. The bill expands on current law, which says only that each public school must have one flag, presumably on a pole outside. This legislation says each classroom also will have at least one flag, at least two feet high by three feet wide. And the measure extends the requirement to state-financed universities and community colleges that currently have no such mandate. "We live in a time, I think, we need to recognize our heritage," said Rep. Russell Pearce, R-Mesa, the bill's sponsor. "We need to recognize how lucky we are in this nation." Nothing in the measure approved by the House Committee on Universities, Community Colleges and Technology mandates students actually pledge allegiance to the flag. That leaves intact existing law, which says only public schools those teaching kindergarten through 12th grade must set aside a specific time each day for students who want to recite the pledge. But Pearce said the absence of a flag at all is unacceptable. "These are public-funded schools for our public-funded children," he said. "It's appropriate that we instill patriotism at our public institutions." Pearce said the measure follows the refusal of University of Arizona President Peter Likins to honor a request by a student to put a flag in every classroom. Likins said that's true, but not because of lack of patriotism. He said university classrooms, unlike those in public schools, are left unattended and unlocked for many hours each day. That's why professors don't leave books or computers in classrooms, the way they are left in public schools. "Whatever we leave in a classroom may not be there in the morning," he said. Likins said that if the Legislature mandates the flags, he will have no choice but to comply. Rep. David Bradley, D-Tucson, said he appreciates patriotism, citing his own eight years of service in the Navy. "I just don't think you can legislate patriotism," he said. "It has to come from inside their hearts and minds. For us to say, 'You will do this,' has the stench of another era." He explained later he was thinking specifically of Nazi Germany's "programmed loyalty" policies. But House Majority Leader Steve Tully, R-Phoenix, said that is a false premise. He recalled how when he went to school every student said the Pledge of Allegiance every day "and no one became a Nazi or a fascist or a communist." But Rep. Ted Downing, D-Tucson, said patriotism is not like religion, where someone saying eight "Hail Marys" may be more penitent that someone who says only one. "We could fill the United States with flags. That wouldn't make us any more patriotic than if we had only one flag," he said. Pearce disagreed. "Right after 9/11, everybody had a flag flying," he said. "I think it does instill patriotism." Pearce said public schools can afford the cost of flags for each of their classrooms. As for universities and community colleges, he said he plans to add money to their budgets to comply with the measure, which now goes to the full House.
http://www.azstarnet.com/altsn/snredesign/relatedarticles/115962
http://www.azstarnet.com/altsn/snredesign/relatedarticles/115962
