The Imperial Dominion of the South's Legislature

[HagridOfTheDeep]

Just chiming in to say hello. PiT appointed me to fill SJoyceFla's seat. I'll try to contribute as much as I can.

Don't know that I'd feel confident sponsoring a bill yet though. I'm pretty new to all this.

--------------------

Anyhow, I would also support a pay-grade system based on seniority. The tricky thing about performance-based raises is figuring out how to score teachers in an unbiased way. I guess some kind of standardized testing for the students would be an okay way to judge a teacher's ability. The test would have to change each year though. Maybe we'd start off with a diagnostic test and finish the term with another test. That way the teachers are judged on how much the kids actually learned and improved. Only administering one test could inadvertently reward bad teachers--maybe the kids did so well because they had an exceptional teacher the year before. A diagnostic test would remove the ambiguity.

Only problem is, this would cost a lot and might not even be worth it. I don't know if there'd be some way to offload the responsibility to the unions...

I've got some other comments on the rest of the bill, but I'll hold off for a while (I'm strongly against the mandatory three years of foreign language classes).

[HagridOfTheDeep]

Well we're at it then, I'll point out my concerns over the proposed three year foreign language requirement.

Assuming the student will make his first real contact with the language in ninth grade, even after three years of coursework, the student won't be coming out with that much profficiency. The kid still won't be prepared to use that language in the workforce or wherever else. So if that person wants to become truly fluent, he or she will have to take more courses outside of high school anyway. I took nine years of core French in high school and I'm still not fluent. I don't think the difference between three years and one year will be that much (other than the wasted hours).

So for those people who aren't going to pursue the language, why force them to spend three years in school learning it? Especially when they could use those course slots for classes more tailored to their interests or future career goals (maybe economics)?

I say it would be far more beneficial if there was a one year requirement. It at least exposes the students to the new language. It gives students a chance to see whether they like it or not. Maybe then we mandate that the school provides the option for continued learning in a variety of options (maybe we mandate Spanish+two other languages).

If not that, then start language training in grade four as it is in Ontario.

[HagridOfTheDeep]

lol. I agree though that it's really beneficial. In Ontario you start in grade four and have to take French all the way through grade 9. It's optional after that. I think it's a good system. It's not like a kid in grade four really needs to study economics or chemistry anyway, so the foreign language wouldn't be hogging credits.

[HagridOfTheDeep]

Okay, awesome. I say though that we change the section 14 wording just a bit:

You must be logged in to read this quote.

OR

You must be logged in to read this quote.

I'm emphasizing Spanish just because of the large population of Hispanics in Atlasia. But I'd have no problem striking that specificity from my last sentence.

[HagridOfTheDeep]

works for me.

[HagridOfTheDeep]

So we emphasize foreign language options in middle school, cut the mandatory language courses down to two years in high school, and isolate Spanish as an important language to learn?

I could get behind that.

But you are right about the staffing issues, Yelnoc. To sidetrack a bit... Ontario barely has enough French teachers. So to encourage people to go into teaching French, teacher education programs are really compromising on their requirements. So the quality of French teachers is horrendous--you are garaunteed a job if you want to teach French and there is zero competition.

I think your suggestions strike a good balance and would avoid this problem.

[HagridOfTheDeep]

Love PiT's idea.

Another point: The thing about trying to tailor mandatory high school curriculums to college prereqs is that every college is going to want something different. When does it become the student's responsibility to know what he should take in order to be considered at his university of choice? Should we force three years of language classes down everyone's throat just for the few kids who want to go to a certain university? I think two years is fair.

Re: Poor quality Spanish teachers... If the language classes aren't mandatory in middle school, it should be less of a problem than it currently is in Ontario.

[HagridOfTheDeep]

I might hammer out some revisions to the education bill and see what y'all think. Get this thing moving.

Not tonight though. I feel like garbage.

[HagridOfTheDeep]

Just want to apologize for not getting down to work on this education bill. Between coming down with a wicked cold and planning a spontaneous trip to Portugal, time hasn't been on my side.

Hopefully I'll get something posted by Monday. Hope all's well.

[HagridOfTheDeep]

Sincerely sorry for my lack of involvement here. It's turned into a hellish last few weeks. Bronchitis ain't pretty.

Here's some changes I suggest. Changes are bolded. I haven't yet addressed section 1...

You must be logged in to read this quote.

[HagridOfTheDeep]

Most of the suggestions are things already discussed or additional cost-cutting measures that I thought would be good to put on the table.

[HagridOfTheDeep]

To clarify, you are unfriendly on cutting the section re: state subsidized post-grad education for teachers? And unfriendly to not forcing schools to update textbooks regularly?

I'll easily concede the latter point. How often should we stipulate they update their textbooks? (I'd be all for emphasizing the role of school fundraising here... Maybe the government pays for half the cost of upgrading textbooks every 5 years?)

Still not sure about us paying for master's degrees though. It's a huge and unprecedented cost... Moreover, we might get into the problem of people only becoming teachers to get a free degree. I don't know. Is there a compromise we could make on this?

[HagridOfTheDeep]

Hmm. That warms me up to the idea a bit. I'd be curious to see what everyone else thinks.

[HagridOfTheDeep]

I can support that.
(namely because I was literally just about suggest a higher amount )

[HagridOfTheDeep]

Should we secede?

In other news, I have a suggestion for the wording of section 1, re: teacher pay.

You must be logged in to read this quote.

I have no idea what the amounts should be. But according to this website, teachers would be making way more than they're currently making in Texas.

http://www.tea.state.tx.us/index2.aspx?id=2147501688

So any suggestions about the actual amounts would be welcome.

[HagridOfTheDeep]

what would you suggest? This is the section I'm least looking forward to working on, because I honestly have no idea how to go about doing this.

I support the idea of performance-based boosters, but I can't think of any fool-proof way to measure performance. If it's a test of the kids, you have teachers teaching to the test. If it's based on parental reviews, you get parents writing hearsay reviews. If you get peers to offer their evaluation, the friendlier teachers get rewarded.

[HagridOfTheDeep]

I would like to present this bill for the consideration of our legislature during this trying time for the Dominion.

Southern Solidarity in Defense of the Dibble Act

1) The IDS Legislature, along with the citizens it represents, harshly condemns the overreach of Atlasia’s federal government in its short illegal occupation of the IDS capital and of the state capitals within the region.
2) This body reaffirms its commitment to the Dibble, a form of privately produced coinage that has never, and will never, constitute legal tender.
3) In solidarity against the federal government’s hostile takeover, June 13th shall be forever observed as “Dibble Defense Day.”

[HagridOfTheDeep]

Well, in light of recent events I think we could get it passed quickly... or at least the first two sections. I just think it's an important symbolic gesture.

[HagridOfTheDeep]

Another aye from me for Jbrase.

[HagridOfTheDeep]

Just dropping in to say I really have no interest in the education bill, so don't feel like you guys have to continue with it. I was just trying to keep things going.

Hope the shake-up will help get activity back up. See y'all in August.

[HagridOfTheDeep]

You must be logged in to read this quote.

^As a concerned citizen, I would suggest the following ammendment just for clarity's sake.

This bill will be an important step forward for all IDS residents wishing to trade in decorative stamped metals. I urge everyone to support it.

[HagridOfTheDeep]

The Imperial Scribe and Regional Housekeeping Act of 2012

1.   The position of Imperial Scribe will be conferred upon a sitting member of the Imperial Legislature, as chosen by plurality vote in said legislature.
2.   Voting for the Imperial Scribe will take place at the beginning of each new legislative session.
3.   The Imperial Scribe will be responsible for posting all new laws on a main page that branches off of the Imperial Dominion of the South’s wiki. The Scribe will update this page immediately following the passage of new legislation in the Imperial Legislature.
4.   The Scribe will henceforth also be responsible for the maintenance of the Imperial Almanac.
5.   In the event that the Imperial Scribe is temporarily unable to fulfill his or her duties, the responsibilities of the Scribe will provisionally fall to the Imperial Speaker.
6.   In the event that the Imperial Scribe permanently resigns the Scribeship or resigns from Legislature, the responsibilities of the Scribe will temporarily fall to the Imperial Speaker until such time as a by-election can be held in the Legislature to choose a new permanent Scribe.
7.   Legislators can fire ineffectual Scribes with a two-thirds majority vote. Under such circumstances, the Speaker will execute the duties of the Scribe until a by-election can be held.
8.   The existence of the position of Imperial Scribe does not preclude other Atlasians from updating the wiki.
9.   Any pre-existing legislation that allocates wiki-related powers to certain individuals is hereby struck down.
10.   Specifically, the Public Notification Bill will be amended such that the Emperor is now responsible for notifying all IDS citizens of newly passed legislation in a separate thread on the Atlas Fantasy Elections board.

-----------------

See points 4 and 10.

As for 10, I'm honestly not sure how ammendments work. So If someone else would like to correct me/sort this out, it would be much appreciated.

I just figured it would be a good idea to formalize the position a little bit more. Also, there's no reason for the Emperor or the Speaker to be swamped with all the wiki work. (Though perhaps I should add a clause allowing emperors to stand for election to the scribeship...?)

[HagridOfTheDeep]

Thanks Adam. I'd be lying if I said I didn't have you in mind for the job when writing it.

On an unrelated note, when do newly elected legislators take office?

[HagridOfTheDeep]

Aye

[HagridOfTheDeep]

So I guess we have to decide who gets the exciting duty of updating the wiki?