Constitution Party of Wyoming Stands Against Federal Monopolization of Education

MESSAGE FROM THE NATIONAL CHAIRMAN: Wyoming, Sign the Petition to Suspend SF-104 and Defeat Common Core

The Wyoming Constitution Party, under the leadership of state party chairman Jennifer Young, is moving forward on a huge referendum drive to repeal SF 104, the “Education/Superintendent of Public Instruction bill.” The legislation and the politics behind it are directly linked to the Constitution Party. The federal government is attempting to implement nationwide the “Common Core” program, which strips the states of local control of education and gives jurisdiction to the federal government. The Christian Post of March 18 describes it this way: “Common Core eliminates local control over K – 12 curriculum in math and English, instead imposing a one-size-fits-all,top-down curriculum that will also apply to private schools and home schoolers.”Cindy Hill, Wyoming’s Superintendent of Public Education (a statewide elective office) has staunchly opposed this usurpation of state authority over education standards.

Hill’s successful opposition led to the ire of the Wyoming Republican Party leadership, which in turn resulted in their passing a bill (SF-104),which strips the office of Superintendent of Public Education of no less than 119 of its duties and gives those responsibilities to a non-elected appointee of the governor. This action of the Republican Party went forward despite strong public opposition, which has aroused the anger of the public.

The leadership of the Constitution Party in Wyoming then initiated a referendum to overturn the legislation. In order to get the referendum on the ballot, they must collect 37,606 valid signatures of voters on a petition (15% of those who voted in the last General Election) —and 15% of the signatures must come from two-thirds of the counties. A successful petition drive will suspend implementation of SF-104 and put the controversial measure on the 2014 Wyoming General Election ballot for the people to decide.

Support for the referendum has come from all across the political spectrum, including Republicans, Democrats, Independents, Tea Party groups, and Libertarians. Before the petition could even be printed, 100 sponsors of the effort had to be found. In a matter of days, the Constitution Party turned in the names of over three hundred sponsors to the Wyoming Secretary of State. Of those turned in, 231 were determined to be valid names. The Secretary of State then had the petitions printed during which time hundreds of volunteer petition circulators signed up to help gather the signatures. The cost of the petitions was in the thousands of dollars and, incredibly, those funds were raised by the state Constitution Party.

A statewide meeting was held in Casper on March 23^rdto kick off the petition drive. Cindy Hill was a key speaker at the meeting and I addressed the meeting in my role as National Chairman of the Constitution Party. Hundreds of volunteers are now working in all 23 counties, and events are being organized all over the state to solicit petition signers. The local small town media, both newspaper and radio, have been openly supportive of petition signing activities as are many of the state legislators who opposed the radical change in Wyoming’s education policies. Asa result of this effort, the Constitution Party is becoming a household word in the state. Cindy Hill is speaking at well-attended meetings all across Wyoming.

It is gratifying to see what a small group of informed and determined citizens can do. Keeping control of education at the state and local level will be a key factor in maintaining and fostering the cause of individual liberty. It is my hope that other Constitution Party state affiliates will follow the lead of the Wyoming Constitution Party and seek out issues to promote, which help build the party at the same time. We all owe a tip of the hat to the liberty-minded citizens of Wyoming.

Your National Chairman,

Frank Fluckiger

Find out how you can help here: http://wyomingconstitutionparty.com/