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Dally Mebrcskan
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Gov. Bob Kerrey's Christian School is
sue Panel made a valid attempt at defus
ing Nebraska's teachers certification
crisis, but its proposal is impractical
and amounts to little more than the
state giving into the fundamentalists
who refuse to follow the law.
Thursday, the four-member panel
issued a recommendation which would
eliminate requirements such as teacher
certification and minimum curriculum
for Christian schools. Currently, these
requirements apply to all Nebraska
public and private schools.
Parents who chose this option would
be required to state that their religious
beliefs dictated their choice. They also
would be required to consent to a test
ing procedure for their children and to
regularly supply the state with evidence
that their children are meeting at
tendance requirements and are receiv
ing a structured program of education
which satisfactorily covers the, basic
areas of study included in curriculum
standards.
Christian school students would be
required to reach the average level of
achievement of public school students
on the tests. Still, the basis of the whole
proposal is a shifting of educational
responsibility from the state to parents.
Considering the people involved
specifically, the parents of children
enrolled p.t Faith Christian School in
Louisville such a shift seems unwise.
Remember that these are the same
parents who, by example, are telling
their children that the best way to get
a law changed is to break it. And
remember that these are the same
parents who are entrusting the educa-.
tion of their children to a man who, in
recent months, has declared "war" on
the state and publicly called for God to
punish various state and local officials.
The state would be making a serious
error in handing the responsibility of
educating our youth to people like this.
The panel also came to the conclusion
that Nebraska's current teacher certi
fiction law violates the guarantee of
religious freedom in the U.S. Constitu
tion. Although two members of the
panel are lawyers, such legal questions
should be answered by the courts, not
committees appointed by the governor.
So far, the state's teacher certifica
tion requirement has withstood all
legal challenges. The Nctraska Supreme
Court has upheld it and, in 1931, the
U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear an
appeal of a lavsuit involving the clos
ing of Faith Christian School on the
basis that it lacked a "substantial fed
eral question."
That's not to say the courts wont
overturn the certification requirement
later on. Dut as it standi now, the state
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suuuki luiiiuvi cuutiiuon require
ments legal. The task force's leeal con-
Gov. Kerrey takes steps to solve the
controversy.
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Bill and Beth reach out and touch!
Right after I graduated from high school I had a
friend named Beth. This was about three years ago.
At the time she was going through a separation
from her husband and trying to evaluate herself and
her goals. At the time I was heading for college and
trying to evaluate myself and my goals. ;
Beth and I were drawn to each other as people
who are searching for things usually are. My memo
ries of her include some candid and soul-searching
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? u Bill Allen
conversations. There are also fun memories of
drinking beer with other friends, helping her move a
sofa designed not to fit through any door, and driv
ing to the lake in the middle of the night just to feel
the breeze blowing on us through the open car win
dows. We weren't lovers. It wasn't a relationship like
that. We were friends Two people with nothing in
common who had everything in common.
Then I came to college and lost Beth as I lost many
friends.
I remember one time Beth said to me that si
day, when I least expected it, out of the blue, she
would call me just to see how I was doing. I
remember very clearly that she said, "You probably
don't believe me now, but just wait a couple of
years.'" ...
I called Beth a couple of months ago, when she
least expected it, out of the blue. -
It took a couple of sentences for the shock to wear
off and her mind to clear, but then I was talking to
Beth.
She is back with her husband and they have
another child. I forgot to mention Amy, her little girL
He has a better job and they've worked through a
lot of their difficulties, she said.
She sounded serene. I like that word.
She sounded like someone who had made a few
decisions and decided to give up searching and
accept what she had.
She said I sounded serious, more grown up.
I guess that was probably true. Right then I was'
feeling serious, more grown up.
I liked the fact that we didn't talk about old times
very much. Sure, we mentioned a couple of people
and where they are now, but for the most part we
both seemed to realize that it's where we are now
that makes the best phone conversations.
The telephone is for now and where you are
There's nothing permanent about a phone call.
We laughed about how we'd both changed. She
the settled-in mother, satisfied without a few of the
things she used to think she needed. I, a little less
idealistic.
She said she liked me better when I was youna and
naive and innocent.
I said so did I.
One of us was only joking.
She said she'd call sometime, but it's been two
months now. I m not surprised. I'm not young and
naive and innocent anymore, remember
When I first called I'm not sure what I expected.
Maybe I was looking for a little reassurance that I'm
on the right track, or heading in the right direction
Maybe I needed some information to fill some
thought I cant remember now. Maybe I simolv
needed to talk to an old friend. F J
All I know for sure is that sometimes a piece of the
past helps you evaluate the present.
The can cost $2.30. 1 wonder what it would have
cost then? ac
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?JV USA "
ia . , Letters
U.S. policy is wrong
Is it good for the American taxpayer to spend
over $1.25 billion a year to save the govern
ment of El Salvador from their own people? Is it
good sense for the Salvadorans to retain in power
the rightists who seem to delight in slaughtering the
population at a rate of 1 to 2 percent annually? If
our government murdered our fathers and brothers
at that rate it would amount to more than 3 million
a year. Would you casually sit back and watch?
Is it good sense that we send them billions to save
their country while the leaders' bank accounts swell
and the peoples' stomachs shrink because they have
very little food?
No! You would find a solution, a violent one if you
had been hurt bad and long enough. If you need a
gun to protect yourself you buy one from anyone
who would sell you one. Since we dont sell guns to
the leftists, as you and Reagan have called them,
then you go to the next best source. Those people
are merely searching for freedom from oppression.
They hope to find freedom through any avenue pos
sible. They know from direct experience that they
will find no comfort from the United States.
Brian Smith
sophomore
chemistry
US ambitious, realistic
It is probably quite rare when someone criticized
in an editorial (Daily Nebraskan, Jan. 2S) writes to
express fundamental agreement. I agree United
Students has "issued a solid, but very ambitious
platform." I thank Jeff Browne far the kind words on
specific platform planks.
And, I agree US docsnt know hovr to reach all
off-campus students. US certainly h open to sugges
tions. Many projects, including a fcnim for off
campus students, have been shot down within ASUN
due to a lack of interest. However, I disagree that
our bi-weekly update sheets form a "Catch-22."
1. We have a distribution network that can reach
over 10,000 students, and I feel that merits praise,
not criticism.
2. Leafleting is not the only way to disseminate
information to off-campus students. US certainly
feels that free Information racks, posting sheets on
bulletin boards, and speaking at organisations also
will get news to all students.
3. While US (or ASUN) can not turn a truly apa
thetic student into an activist, having information
available is still a service to the student
Browne also made several assumptions based on
the nature and past performance cf ASUN senators.
Please dont.
Rather, it will be 35 sen ators, senate aides, Govern
ment Liaison Committee members, and commission
members, as well ej other students in our "open file
of interest."
Maybe Jeff Browne is right Maybe the US party is in
dreamland. Maybe increased credibility is a dream. I
feel many more students can fce served by ASUN. If it
is a dream, it is a dream the US party wants to chase.
Kevin Goldstein
junior
business
US presidential candidate
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