My friends at the Alabama Eagle Forum (http://www.alabamaeagle.org/) have asked me to answer a series of questions about where I stand on certain issues. I thought my reader(s) might be interested in my response.

What follows is the first of Five Sections on Immigration, State Government, Sanctity of Life, Education Issues, and Property rights. This is part 5.

Education Issues

Q. 1 Parents have a fundamental right and responsibility to direct the education of their children. Their right to review instructional materials and records of their children is mandated by federal No Child Left Behind Act. Schools should therefore be required to get prior informed consent from parents before they can conduct privacy invasive surveys, physical or psychological exams or provide immunizations, medications or referrals.

A. Again.. Yes,

If you change the wording of the question to include "responsible" before parent in the first line. Irresponsible parents are another matter. No responsible parent would send a child to school with TB or AIDS or any disease that would endanger the remaining children in the school. I am opposed to privacy invasive surveys. I am in favor of physical exams for the safety of the group.

Q. 2 Parents must have the opportunity to exempt their children from questionable methodology curricula, classes or surveys that are offensive to their religion or values.

A. No. Add the word "responsible" before parents and remove "or values" and I am on board. "Values" might include Satanism for all I know.

Q. 3 Alabama is one of only 11 states that do not allow charter schools. I support giving the parents the option of charter schools.

A. Yes.
I am particularly interested in Montessori Charter Schools for PreK and K. I believe that parents must have the right to allow their children to attend any private schools they choose (at the parents expense). Charter schools must meet the minimum standards required by state schools with regard to teacher background checks and education requirements.

Q. 4 Alabama has a law (16-40A-1 ) Requiring abstinence -based education whenever drugs, alcohol or sex instruction is included in public schools curricula. It further requires that if homosexuality is covered the schools must teach that it is illegal, unhealthy, and unacceptable. This law must be enforced.

A. Yes
Obey the law or change it. The purpose of this chapter (http://codes.lp.findlaw.com/alcode/16/40A/16-40A-1) is to find a way within the public school system to reduce pregnancy, drug and alcohol abuse and promote healthy life long marriage. To imply that it is involves anything else is to read the law out of context.

Q. 5 No political campaigning should be allowed by school personnel in schools.

A. Yes.
In my opinion this question needs some expansion. Employees of a State institution must have protection of their constitutional right to seek public office without fear of retribution. In many situations (as I am in) my opponent may come on campus, shake hands, hand out cards and seek votes. As a state employee I am not allowed the same.

Q. 6. Teachers should be allowed the academic freedom to teach the full range of scientific evidence in regard to origins without fear of reprisal.

A. Yes.

Academic freedom is absolute or nonexistent.