There are a number of bad or unnecessary bills proposed in the state Legislature each year. Most of them die at the committee level.
The bill proposed by Rep. Jim Soletski, D-Green Bay - giving the state the authority to force schools to change nicknames, mascots and even district names that are deemed offensive - is bad, and unnecessary. Unfortunately, there seems to be a good chance it will be passed out of the Education Committee tomorrow.
Rep. Brett Davis, R-Oregon, said last week he expects the committee has enough votes to pass the measure and send it on to the full Assembly. The bill has the general support of Democrats, who control both the Assembly and Senate. Assembly Speaker Mike Sheridan, D-Janesville, is a co-sponsor. And Gov. Jim Doyle, as attorney general, issued an opinion 17 years ago that says an American Indian logo or mascot could constitute discrimination.
This bill appears to have a good chance of being approved into law. Wisconsin would become the first state in the nation to have such legislation.
If someone within a school district complains about a mascot, logo, or even the school's name, the state superintendent would decide whether the complaint is valid and the name or logo is offensive. Once that occurs, the school district would have one year to make a change or face daily fines of $100 to $1,000.
Of course, any change that would have to be made by changing nicknames or school names also would include a cost. So, either way, there is a significant cost involved to schools that can hardly afford them.
That's one reason this bill is bad.
The other is that decisions about school names and logos should be made at the local level, not by a state superintendent. In our democracy, we trust locally elected and appointed officials to gauge the general public opinion about an issue, factor in the financial ramifications, and make decisions that are best for the district and its constituents. These officials are accountable through elections. If the public feels they aren't doing their job, or serving the wishes of the district's citizens, they can be replaced with a vote.
Finally, we're somewhat loathe to make the argument often made that lawmakers have more important things to do. There are many state lawmakers, who should be expected handle a number of issues large and small at the same time. But the public hearing last week on this nonsensical bill lasted four and a half hours.
That's a waste of lawmakers' time, and hence the public's time. No more time should be wasted on the mascot legislation. There are better and more important ways for lawmakers to spend their time.
The bill proposed by Rep. Jim Soletski, D-Green Bay - giving the state the authority to force schools to change nicknames, mascots and even district names that are deemed offensive - is bad, and unnecessary. Unfortunately, there seems to be a good chance it will be passed out of the Education Committee tomorrow.
Rep. Brett Davis, R-Oregon, said last week he expects the committee has enough votes to pass the measure and send it on to the full Assembly. The bill has the general support of Democrats, who control both the Assembly and Senate. Assembly Speaker Mike Sheridan, D-Janesville, is a co-sponsor. And Gov. Jim Doyle, as attorney general, issued an opinion 17 years ago that says an American Indian logo or mascot could constitute discrimination.
This bill appears to have a good chance of being approved into law. Wisconsin would become the first state in the nation to have such legislation.
If someone within a school district complains about a mascot, logo, or even the school's name, the state superintendent would decide whether the complaint is valid and the name or logo is offensive. Once that occurs, the school district would have one year to make a change or face daily fines of $100 to $1,000.
Of course, any change that would have to be made by changing nicknames or school names also would include a cost. So, either way, there is a significant cost involved to schools that can hardly afford them.
That's one reason this bill is bad.
The other is that decisions about school names and logos should be made at the local level, not by a state superintendent. In our democracy, we trust locally elected and appointed officials to gauge the general public opinion about an issue, factor in the financial ramifications, and make decisions that are best for the district and its constituents. These officials are accountable through elections. If the public feels they aren't doing their job, or serving the wishes of the district's citizens, they can be replaced with a vote.
Finally, we're somewhat loathe to make the argument often made that lawmakers have more important things to do. There are many state lawmakers, who should be expected handle a number of issues large and small at the same time. But the public hearing last week on this nonsensical bill lasted four and a half hours.
That's a waste of lawmakers' time, and hence the public's time. No more time should be wasted on the mascot legislation. There are better and more important ways for lawmakers to spend their time.
