Outstanding Friend of Education
Outstanding Public Educator
League Ambassador Awards
Outstanding Friend of the League
Officers of the League
Contributions to the HML Book
Activism for Public Education
Distribution of Religious Materials
Corporate Partners

Outstanding Friend of Public Education - Frosty Troy

Frosty Troy, publisher of the Oklahoma Observer, was presented the "Outstanding Friend of Public Education Award at the annual meeting of the League in San Francisco on Saturday, February 21, 2004.

Art Stellar, Frosty Troy, Larry Dlugosh

World Record: I'm getting another award. I've spoken to the folks at the Guinness Book of World Records, and they've told me it's legitimate ... I'm submitting No Child Left Behind as the biggest pile of bullshit in the history of the world.

Public Education: With all of its warts, it's never been more successful. Universal, free public education was Horace Mann's dream. That's what built this country, and that what separates us from the rest of the world.

Spike Jorgensen, Julie Underwood, Larry Dlugosh

Julie Underwood, Chief Counsel for the National School Boards Association was presented with the Horace Mann League Outstanding Educator award for her leadership in defending public education and seeking the involvement of the League in legal briefs presented to the United States Supreme Court.

Plaques are presented for those sponsoring ten or more new members during the past year.

Walt Warfield, IL; Colleen Wilcox, CA; John Monahan, AK; John Simpson, VA; Jerry Sellentin, NE; Art Stellar, WI; Jane Hammond, CA; Spike Jorgensen, AK; and Steve Rasmussen, WA. (Not pictured: Vern Moore. MO)

Colleen Wilcox, Terry Grier, Larry Dlugosh

The 2004 "Friend of the Horace Mann League award is presented to an individual who has, over the years, provided leadership in helping to make the League a stronger and more vibrant organization committed to the strengthening of public education. Terry Grier was president of the HML in 1996. Under his leadership he was instrumental in developing the awards program, now a major activity of the League. He has also distinguished himself as an effective school leader in the state of North Carolina.

Jerry Sellentin, NE; Walt Warfield, IL; Douglas Otto, TX; John Simpson, VA; Steve Rasmussen, WA;Art Stellar, WI; James Anderson, NM; Colleen Wilcox, CA; Susan Purser, MS; George Garcia, CO; Larry Dlugosh, NE; Fred Hartmeister, TX; Mark Edwards, VA; and Spike Jorgensen, AK. (Not pictured, Richard Christie, IA; Vern Moore, MO; Barry Lynn, DC)

Directors
Jim Anderson, Supt., Los Alamos Public Schools, NM
Richard Christie, Supt. Council Bluffs Community Schools, IA
George Garcia, Supt. Boulder Valley Public Schools, CO
Mark Edwards, Dean of College of Education, UNA, Florence, AL
Fred Hartmeister, Assoc. Dean of Grad. School, TTU, Lubbock, TX
Barry Lynn, Exec. Dir. AUSCS, Washington, DC
Vern Moore, Supt. University City Public Schools, MO
Douglas Otto, Supt. Plano Independent School District, TX
Susan Purser, Supt. Pontotoc City Schools, MS
Steve Rasmussen, Supt. Franklin-Pierce School District, Tacoma, WA
Jerry Sellentin, Exec. Dir. NSCA, Lincoln, NE
Colleen Wilcox, Supt. Santa Clara Co. Office of Ed., San Jose

Executive Director
Jack McKay, Professor Emeritus, University of Nebraska at Omaha
61D N. Chandler Court, Port Ludlow, WA 98365
(360) 437 1186 FAX same
Website: www.hmleague.org
Email: jmckay@mail.unomaha.edu

We are seeking "ideas that work to improve public education." There are two sections of the book that we need your contributions; (1) improving student achievement and (2) enhancing the image of public schools.

The following form can be used as a guide in making your contribution to the book - to be published in during the summer of 2004. Please return by June 1, 2004.

1. What is the title of the program or service?

2. Who is the target audience (e.g., students, teachers, parents, community, etc.)?

3. What were the conditions that created the need for this program or service?

4. What are the primary outcomes or objectives of this program or service?

5. How many people are serviced by this program or service each year?

6. Who are the people who provide the service?

7. What training or preparation did the providers receive, if any?

8. What is the annual budget to sustain the program or services?

9. Where did the funds come from to start and to sustain this program or service (e.g., foundation, corporation, school budget)?

10. How did you measure the success of this program?

11. Describe some of the essential elements that were critical to the success of the program?

12. Describe any unanticipated outcomes of this program or service?

Return this form to: Dr. Larry Dlugosh, Dept. of Ed. Ad. 141 TEAC, UNL, Lincoln, NE 68588 or FAX to (360) 437 1186 or email information to: jmckay@mail.unomaha.edu

I would happily donate my entire worth to education today if all of the children on the face of the earth had the opportunities for an education that I have had. And, I would immediately be richer and safer by far.

In Alaska alone over 70,000 students are not meeting standards in reading, writing and math. This is a modern nation's tragedy and travesty.

Educators, parents and citizens must become more proactive in support. Activism for establishment or defense of basic rights and freedoms can and should be more than lobbying, entering talk shows, letters to the editor, writing to ones legislator and saying please. It can be electing legislators and presidents, participating in demonstrations and marches, using the courts, interrupting freedom rights violating practices, sending high impact - low cost messages, if necessary civil disobedience and as the very last resort, civil war, never terrorism.

The March 2004 issue of the School Administrator has a series of very informative articles about traditional political etiquette and procedures that should be observed. Knowledge, truth, politeness, accuracy, talk, touch, tout, tally, temper and thanks are not always what moves legislators who are of a different ilk. Now it is necessary to be active on all fronts and at escalated levels:

1. Take an active non-partisan political stance that may replace politicians (legislative and executive) who vote against adequate education for all children in our democratic republic. They may not like it, but if they do not educate all of our children they should not be in office.

2. Use the courts to assure that all children receive the benefits of a constitutionally adequate education. The courts are just as legitimate a part of our government institutions as is the legislative and executive branches of government. If a legislature collectively or individually acts outside the law they should answer through the courts like any citizen or corporation.

3. Use the right of assembly as a primary tool for information dissemination and building support for students, schools and teachers. The right to meet in groups and assemble is assured because it is the way that we the people can change policy and action by our governments.

4. Use attention getting devices and practices to bring the real message to broader groups of people. Symbolism, word devices, pins, pendants, armbands, yellow ribbons, flags and demonstrated ire are all a part of protected speech so we can make a difference.

5. Elevate the attention with graphic demonstrations of the abuse and neglect that occurs through racial, economic or geographic discrimination. Marches stand-ins, vote outs, human chains, visits to the places of wealth, huge art, signs and interrupted services are as effective for children's defense as well as environmental issues.

6. Acts of civil disobedience are called for when no one in positions of influence will pay attention without it. When the rich and powerful or when a majority become so arrogant that they forget that laws are for everyone, it is then time to act in consort with direct action that calls attention to the major atrocity with a minor one.

7. As a last and very distant measure it would take civil war. Terrible to consider, but the real power is knowledge. Without it we cannot defend or build our constitutional democracy.

8. Terrorism is not on the list of options. Those who are totally powerless in mind and being resort to terror. Education, our rights and freedoms are the greatest cures for terrorism.

Parents, students, teachers, administrators and citizens all have the right and in some cases an obligation to stand up, organize and become active on behalf of our schools and the students they serve. Political correctness is only for those who have the power, money and influence to play on that stage.

Horace Mann was very much a part of all of these actions on behalf of public education and the freedoms we have in this great nation. His counterparts in Thoreau and King have given activism a more refined nature in order to make war less necessary.

Common (Public) Schools, Teachers Colleges and Accumulating Teaching Expertise for the teachers and schools were the consistent message of Horace Mann. This was all in support of a new democratic republic based on the value of the people themselves. The kings, churches and business of the past had held the common man in bondage in good part by denying access to an education and therefore the ability to change our class standing in our society.

This nation conceived by those released from the queen's debtor and ecclesiastical prisons and/or in flight from monarchies and oppressive state religions was primarily illiterate and hopeful. Only a privileged few learned to read, write and compute.

Cherished freedoms now ensconced in our Bill of Rights and Constitutions could not be won by political action, in the queen courts, or through reason and basic civil disobedience like the "Boston Tea Party". It eventually took full-scale war to become independent of inherited political power and theocracy where the state, church and privileged businesses kept the wealth and power with those families for generations.

One year after Horace Mann passed away the Civil War started. This war was a bloody internal conflict over the most basic right of freedom from bondage for all human kind. Within our nation we had built public education for all, yet we had developed an elite and wealthy class based on human bondage. Reasoned debate, political action, and overt civil action could not prevail. The civil disobedience of the Underground Railroad turned to war.

Horace Mann abhorred war, yet slavery was worse.

Now self-serving zealots within America are attempting to destroy public education, export our wealth and again place us in bondage.

It is as essential to preserve and improve our public educational system today as it was 150 years ago when Horace Mann led intellectual, political and grassroots efforts. One hundred years ago our nation's schools graduated fewer than 10% of our nation's youth from high school. The first high school in the United States was not started until 200 years after the pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock Two hundred years ago fewer than 4% of the students were graduates of the now of touted private, home and public elementary schools. Reading, writing and arithmetic were for the privileged.

For centuries religions educated the clergy. Colonialist European businessmen set up private schools for their children, and, the kings would often team up with them to assure that our souls were all saved and our labors heavily taxed. The Kings, clergy and privileged few grew wealthier and the common citizen remained uneducated, in poverty and controlled in basic bondage.

Protected rights of individuals through a Constitution are very new in mankind's history. Throughout history governments, religions, businesses, and unions have all encroached on the rights of most to benefit a few. Kings, Dictators, Ayatollahs, Popes, corporate CEOs, and Presidents' use their power and influence to amass huge fortunes at the expense of the citizen and our rights.

Rights of people are not automatically assured and given time and opportunity discrimination and oppression by the traditional perpetrators begins again. The evolution of constitutional government with rights to an education, freedom to choose ones religious preference, assemble peacefully, speak ones mind and establish happiness and safety has been gained in America at great price.

It is always hoped that we can resolve issues of citizen rights with political activity, representative action, exercise of free speech and voting. However, history has shown that rights sometimes take more than speaking out and voting. Sometimes they can only be protected by attention getting actions, civil disobedience and regrettably ----- war. Just what is worth fighting for?

It is time for all educators to standup, teach out, speak up, act out. inform, vote, march, organize, symbolize, sit in, march and reestablish our most important constitutional right. "THE COMMON SCHOOL"

HELP US IDENTIFY PUBLIC EDUCATION ACTIVISTS AND THEIR WORK

1. Have you or has someone you know used practices that brought about state or local change in support of education?

2. Do you have active foundations, parent groups or teachers who have changed state level elections?

3. What coalitions have you built to bring about support on a broad scale? And, how was it done?

4. Have you used the courts effectively to counter the cuts and the negative press?

5. How have you organized marches on the capital, stand ins', bill boards, yellow bus ins', and sports play outs to bring attention and change.

6. How do you support and work with activist organization like ACORN, NAACP and Good Schools Pennsylvania.

The Rosa Parks and the Martin L Kings of public education have to be active now. Email us to let us know what you know. spike@pobox.com or drjohn@pobox.com

John Monahan, University of Alaska-Fairbanks

Spike Jorgensen, President, The Horace Mann League of the U.S.A.

Background situation	Question to the Court	Name of Case	Decision of the Court
Parents objected to the distribution of religious materials to students by their child's teacher.	Is this a violation of the Establishment Clause? Can flyers from religious organizations be distributed to students by teachers?	Rusk v. Crestview Local Schools, (Ohio 2002)	Federal district court of Ohio determined that the flyers referred to activities that were overtly religious in nature. Impression that teachers endorsed the religious activity. Under appeal by the school district to the 6th Circuit.
School board initially approved, then refused to allow the distribution of flyers, by teachers, about a non-profit summer camp that included Bible classes.	Can a school board claim that distribution of the summer camp flyer was in violation of the Establishment Clause?	Hills v. Scottsdale USD (9th Cir. 2003)	Ninth Circuit Court determined that the district was not in violation of the Establishment Clause - since the camp was not on school grounds, teachers were not involved in collecting neither forms nor money, and disclaimers in the flyer stated that the school district was not endorsing the camp. Under appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.
School board declined to allow a religious group, with the mission of evangelizing children, the opportunity to distribute promotional materials on school grounds.	Can a school board deny the opportunity for a religious group to distribute promotional materials to students? Is this discrimination of a religious group and the Free Speech Clause?	Child Evangelism Fellowship of New Jersey v. Stafford Township SD (D. NJ 2002)	The district court issued an injunction allowing the religious group to distribute the materials. The district appealed to the 3rd Circuit. Also, the board opted to close the forum to avoid further conflict. The religious group claimed contempt of court. The court denied the contempt charge.
School board declined to allow a teachers and students to distribute religious materials on the grounds that it would violate the Establishment Clause.	Can the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Good News Club v. Milford CS require the school board to allow teachers and students to distribute religious flyers?	Child Evangelism Fellowship of Maryland v. Montgomery County Public Schools (D. Md. April 14, 2003)	The district court ruled that the district should make available to the religious group the same opportunities as to other organizations. The district court, however, declined to require that teachers and students distribute religious materials.

Source: Hutton, T., Inquiry and Analysis, NSBA, January 2004. pages 4-5.