Repealing The Common School Code

State Senators Rosemary McAuliffe (D-1), Rodney Tom (R, I mean D-48), Marilyn Rasmussen (D-2), and Joseph Zarelli (R-18) have sponsored a bill, SB 6929, that would repeal the common school code. Almost all of it.

The bill is 76 pages long, and about 75 pages is just listing the nearly 1000 sections of law to repeal. The rest of the bill grants authority to each schol district board to run the schools as it sees fit.

It's a very simple bill. While it is an intersting idea that I am generally in favor of, I am also in favor of following the state constitution, which reads, in part: "The legislature shall provide for a general and uniform system of public schools. The public school system shall include common schools, and such high schools, normal schools, and technical schools as may hereafter be established." I don't think the legislature would be fulfilling its constitutional obligations under such a bill. Then again, however, the Constitution can be amended ...

Note also that in the long list of sections to repeal, no part of 28A.200 is mentioned, which (mostly) protects the rights of homeschoolers.