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Show B Landers B2 Weddings B3 Prime Time B6 Ths Deity Hercld Sunday, April 23, 1SS3 Get back to basics in education While sitting in the Senate gallery during the recent special session of the Utah Legislature, I watched hour upon hour of debate on the gay club issue. One thought continually came to my mind: the legislature should not even be debating this issue. An essential principle in American education is management should be maintained on the local level. Nowhere in the United States Constitution is a public education system created. The Founding Fathers did not regard the education of citizens as a function of die federal government In Utah, local control occurs through 40 school districts which are governed by school boards. Members of school boards are elected and accountable to the s It? ' j Targsting Social Issues families whose children are being educated. Somewhere, however, this local decision-makin- g ideal became distorted. The 1984 Equal Access Act was created to allow religious and Bible study groups access to public education facilities for meetings. The unintended consequence of this legislation is almost any club can now be established and rightfully use school buildings. This federal intrusion leaves one option for a local school board allow all clubs to meet or ban all clubs. While the 1996 legislature was convening in February, the Salt Lake School Board decided to make that choice.. In a 4--3 decision, board members ousted all clubs. Yet what at first seemed like a limited alternative has quickly become a viable option. Just review the recently released list of banned clubs. It reads like a who's who inventory of truly unneeded activities. Do we really need a Meat Gub, Chinese Checkers Club, UFO Club or Star Wars Club? The legislature passed Senate Bill 1003 during the special session in order to give school boards the "flexibility" to ban certain clubs which "encourage criminal or delinquent conduct, promote bigotry or involve human sexuality." While apparently a difference of opinion exists among various attorneys over the constitutionality of Senate Bill 1003, no one disagrees that a lawsuit will be filed. Does the state of Utah really want to fight a battle against gay clubs so the Meat Gub can continue? Is this what flexibility is all about? The legislature should leave the school districts alone and permit all 40 school boards to fashion new policies regarding clubs. Some may ban all clubs. Others may allow all clubs to meet In all cases, decisions would be formulated in conjunction with local parents, teachers, citizens and school administrators, maintaining the vitality of local decision-makin- g authority on educational matters. If, after a period of time, school boards found these decisions difficult to make, and if school boards were facing the real threat of litigation, then the state legislature could be petitioned to enact a law placing the state in a position to defend school boards. This process would also allow the citizens of Utah to contact the Utah Congressional delegation requesting an appropriate change in federal law. My guess is local school boards would make decisions compatible with the beliefs of most legislators. clubs, including gay and lesbian clubs, would be banned or severely limited After all, isn't "getting back to the basics" in education what we want for our children anyway? Mason Bishop is currently me letixlatiw coontinator for the QJW of Family Suppttrt. Department of Human Senses and an adjunct instructor in political xience at Sail Lake Community College. noo-curricu-lar o . . urn n v., YOURJW v - if t Dmty Harttd Tammie Hansen's dog, Latoya, rests after hpinglanirntoonboafdaUrirtadWaybus V that takes htr to work. HanMn and Latoys go everywhere together auch as muatuma and local restaurants wel aa on airplane tripe. On rara occasions, Hansen wM gat i chssenged about hoc fust axpUins 'it's ths taw. PtmoaJaaon Otaon dog but aha o Jbivin with D U u Owner and dog develop bond that will take them anywhere By KAREN HOAG Special to The Daily Herald Tammie Hansen and Ann Richards, of Provo, like their independence. They each have their own apartment, attend college, go to the mall, eat out and are employed. And they do it all with the aid of guide dogs. Guide dog Reggie helps Ann go to the bus stop, to work and to Utah Valley State College. "He loves to be a part of everything," Ann says of him. Life before Reggie was tense, according to Ann. "I'd see a patch of what might be shade on the sidewalk. But could it be a hole or a puddle? I had to really concentrate as I used my cane," she adds. Tammie and her guide dog. Latoya, go to museums and restaurants and take trips by bus or airplane. On the plane, the guide dog is allowed to stay up front with her. "The only place they say a dog . shouldn't go is into a zoo," Tam mie says. That's understandable. They have accommodations for the dog and then I go in the zoo with a sighted person." Ann, 20, has been on her own for two years. She and Reggie have five roommates in their apartment One of Ann's roommates once paid her the ultimate compliment saying, "Sometimes I forget she's blind and throw things at her!" Both Tammie and Ann were taught responsibility by their families who live nearby. Growing up, both girls didn't get out of doing jobs around the house because they're blind. In fact, Ann felt jealous of (blind) friends whose parents did everything for them. Later she realized she was the lucky one to learn responsibility. Tammie, age 22, has also been on her own for two years and lives in her own apartment with Latoya. She has had some trouble renting an apartment because of the dog. The Americans With Disabili ties Act (ADA) guarantees "the right of a blind person to be accompanied by a dog guide in places which serve the public." This includes rental establishments. So when Tammie encountered a landlord who tried to say no to her guide, she just pointed out that "it's the law." Since that experience Tammie has taken a more aggressive approach and explains how guide dog owners are trained to pick up after the dog so the dog can stay right in the apartment with the person. "We are in charge of buying their food, giving them baths, grooming tbem and making sure they look good." adds Ann. Tammie says restaurants have also objected to entrance with a guide dog. Again, she points out that it's the law and adds the dog is only going to be at the table sleeping. She also keeps her ADA I.D. card handy. Ann has not had resistance at (Sec GLIDE, Pafe B2) V v.; - I C 37 Ann AlcHoTDe ""V II e Idae from dog, RegQie. Tno etwaen the year, but now f Non-curricu- Ami Rtohopee MJopo ouay ot Her ftss) at tna Ulan Contractors Konoot In leeks out do wav tfsji RokSo , mm nee soon svsb on sec O Remoter two |