PRINTER'S NO. 3757
No. 543 Session of 2000
INTRODUCED BY STAIRS, COLAFELLA, DRUCE, FEESE, FLEAGLE, KREBS,
McILHATTAN, ROHRER, SCHULER, GRUCELA, WILLIAMS, ROBINSON,
BASTIAN, STEVENSON, SEMMEL, PIPPY, L. I. COHEN AND NAILOR,
JUNE 13, 2000
INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35,
JUNE 13, 2000
A RESOLUTION
1 Designating September 15, 2000, as "Pennsylvania Legislators'
2 Back to School Day."
3 WHEREAS, Pennsylvania was created as a representative
4 democracy in which all governmental power is inherent in the
5 people who exercise that power through the legislative,
6 executive and judicial branches; and
7 WHEREAS, In recent years, citizen interest in government and
8 knowledge of the political system has declined in part due to a
9 weakening belief in, and lack of understanding of, the virtues
10 and knowledge needed for a successful republican form of
11 government; and
12 WHEREAS, Pennsylvanian Benjamin Franklin set a precedent for
13 a high standard of education by proposing and establishing the
14 nation's first secular college in Philadelphia; and
15 WHEREAS, Education is a primary concern to the Commonwealth
16 of Pennsylvania and particularly its members of the House of
1 Representatives, who are instrumental in assuring the quality of
2 Pennsylvania's schools; and
3 WHEREAS, The National Conference of State Legislatures has
4 passed a resolution noting that the operations of the state
5 legislatures and the role of individual legislators are often
6 little understood by citizens and that public understanding of
7 the institutions and processes of the government is critical to
8 building trust and confidence; and
9 WHEREAS, Civic education is a vital tool to promote greater
10 understanding of the legislative institution and the role of
11 legislators in representative democracy; and
12 WHEREAS, Legislators benefit from interacting with students,
13 teachers and administrators; therefore be it
14 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives support civic
15 education to promote greater understanding of the legislative
16 institution and the role of legislators in representative
17 democracy; and be it further
18 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives designate
19 September 15, 2000, as "Pennsylvania Legislators' Back to School
20 Day," and urge all members of the Legislature to visit schools
21 on that day.
F16L82MRD/20000H0543R3757 - 2 -