[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 176 (Tuesday, December 9, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Page S16101]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           Civic Education Plan for the State of South Dakota

       Members of the South Dakota delegation, who attended the 
     First Annual Conference On Civic Education in Washington D.C. 
     in September 2003, have devised a plan for analyzing and 
     improving civic education in the state. The South Dakota 
     delegation comprised of Glenna Fouberg. President of the 
     South Dakota State Board of Education, Representative Gerry 
     Lange, Jack Lyons, Chair of the South Dakota Humanities 
     Council, Bob Sutton, Executive Director of the South Dakota 
     Community Foundation, and Senator Drue Vitter have planned a 
     conference entitled ``Dialogue On Civic Education in South 
     Dakota.'' This event will take place in the capital building 
     in Pierre on November 10, 2003.
       A variety of state educators and state administrators have 
     been invited to attend the conference that will focus on a 
     historic overview of civic education, the current status of 
     civic education, state certification requirements and teacher 
     preparation, and successful programs. Members of the S.D. 
     delegation will act as panelists for the event. Plenty of 
     time will be allowed for observations and questions from 
     those attending the conference.
       The S.D. delegation has tentative plans for a follow-up 
     conference to be held in the state in either the spring or 
     summer. This event probably would be held in the Eastern part 
     of the state.
       The South Dakota delegation hopes to convey to its 
     conference attendees the enthusiasm that they encountered at 
     the Washington conference for improving and revitalizing 
     civic education in the nation and the state.

  Mr. FRIST. I was very pleased to join the distinguished Senator from 
South Dakota, Senator Daschle, and our leadership colleagues in the 
House of Representatives in hosting Congress's first Civic Education 
conference.
  On behalf of the entire Senate, I want to recognize and thank the 
cosponsors of the first conference, the Alliance for Democracy and its 
members: the Center for Civic Education, the Center on the Congress at 
Indiana University and the National Conference of State Legislatures.
  It is my understanding that there will be a total of five 
Congressional Conferences on Civic Education. These conferences will 
enable us to give civic education and civic participation the 
sustained, national attention they deserve but have not always gotten.
  It is our hope to explore, at these annual conferences, the critical 
role civic education plays in promoting civic participation--which is 
really the lifeblood of any democracy.
  We also want to find new and better ways to work with schools and 
with education leaders to create first-rate citizenship education 
programs in our nation's schools. I know this is an interest that the 
Senator from South Dakota shares.
  I think this first conference provided an excellent start on that 
goal. I ask unanimous consent to have the State action plan for my 
State of Tennessee printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

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