Septembm· 9, 1975 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS 28219 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS METRIC CONVERSION ACT secondary mathematics teachers having un­ is increasing: and, (B) increased use of such dergone the aforementioned training under metric system in the United States ls in­ Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) evitable, and such a metric system will be­ HON. DONALD M. FRASER guidance in 1972. By M-day, plus one year, come the dominant system of weights and 90% of elementary and secondary teachers OF :MINNESOTA measures in the United States; and in Minnesota public schools shall have un­ Whereas, the Minnesota Legislature has di­ IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES dergone related training in metric measure­ rected the Commissioner of Education and :Monday, September 8, 1975 ments. the Commissioner of Administration to de­ 2. Inservice material shall be available for velop and implement a plan of public educa­ Mr. FRASER. Mr. Speaker, although teachers not already trained in metrics. (To tion on the metric system of weights and I was unable to be present for the vote be accomplished by December 31, 1975.) * measures and has directed the Commissioner on the Metric Conversion Act, H.R. 8674, 3. The Minnesota Department of Education of Education to implement such plan; and because of my commitment to serve on shall actively encourage all teachers and Whereas, a Minnesota Plan for Metric Edu­ the U.S. delegation to the United Nations school administrators to familiarize them­ cation has been developed and approved by this fall, I would like to express my sup­ selves with metric usages by July 1, 1976, and the Commissioner of Education and the Com­ port for the measure. to include metrication on agendas for teach­ missioner of Administration; and ers' meetings. School and district educational Whereas, the use of the Systeme Interna­ In past sessions of Congress in which administrators shall also be encouraged to tional (SI) has been accepted as the meas­ I served, I have introduced metric con­ foster metric education in their schools and urement system to be used; version legislation and I remain con­ districts according to the metric plan as de­ Therefore, be it resolved that the Minne­ vinced of its importance. Our Nation is lineated under C.l. of this document. sota State Board of Education endorse the rapidly moving toward utilization of the B. PRESERVICE TRAINING OF FUTURE TEACHERS provisions of the Minnesota State Plan for metric system even without the benefit 1. Minnesota Department of Education Metric Education, namely that school and of Federal legislation. It is essential that shall contact all teacher-preparing institu­ district educational administrators encour­ Congress assume a leadership role in this tions in Minnesota and urge pertinent Edu­ age metric education in their schools and inevitable conversion. The Metric Con­ cation Department to teach metric education districts, that in-service opportunities in to all future teachers. (To be accomplished metrication be made available for teachers, version Act will give direction and a during the fall of 1974.) that teacher-preparing institutions in Minne­ sense of purpose to the metric conversion 2. Minnesota Department of Education sota be urged to teach metric concepts to programs now underway in education, shall initiate action which will lead to the future teachers, and that the metrication trade, commerce, and other secto1·s of inclusion of metric education as a requisite timetable be adopted to insure that 90 % our economy. for the Education's approval of programs of the teachers wm be teaching the custom­ The legislation which the House leading to certification of elementary teach­ ary system of weights and measm·es only passed Friday, declares a national pol­ ers and secondary mathematics teachers. incidentally by 1984; icy of voluntary conversion to the metric All applicants for teaching certificates shall And be it further resolved that copies of system in the United States. A 25 mem­ be able to measure metrically and be familiar this resolution and the Minnesota Plan for with common metric terms and ideas. (Such Metric Education be forwarded to the Gover­ ber U.S. Metric Board will serve as the initiation to be accomplished by July 1, nor, to the Commissioner of Administration, coordinating mechanism, consulting with 1975.) to each Superintendent of Schools, to the industry, labor, educators, business, con­ C. CLASSROOM 11\.IPLEMENTATION Presidents of all teacher-preparing institu­ tions in Minnesota nad. be made available t o sumers, Federal, State, and local agen­ 1. Timetable for implementation: cies and other groups that will be affected the teachers in Minnesota. by metrication. The Board will gather Activity and initiated by target dates 50 % of teachers teaching metric and cus- and disseminate information on the ex­ tomary side by side: primary, 1974-75 school IV. REPORT OF THE SENATE COMMITTEE ON tent of metric system usage and evaluate year; intermediate, 1975-76 school year; EDUCATIONAL POLICY the costs and benefits of such usage. secondary, 1975-76 school year. CONVERSION TO THE INTERNATIONAL SYSTEM OF My home State of Minnesota has al­ 90 % of teachers teaching both systems side UNXTS ready taken an active role in metrica­ by side and 50 % of teachers teaching metric Exclusive of the United States and coun­ tion efforts. At this point I would like to as predominant system: primary, year fol­ tries presently converting, the International insert into the RECORD Minnesota's plan lowing M-Day; intermediate, M-Day plus two System of Units (Systeme Internationale des for metric education which was passed years; secondary, M-Day plus two years. Unites, SI) ls currently used by all but 0.2 by the Minnesota State Board of Educa­ 90 % of teachers teaching metric as pre­ per cent of the world's population. In 1974, tion in February 1975 and a copy of a dominant system and of teachers teaching Congress has authorized the appropriation of resolution supi)orting conversion passed customary system only incidentally: primary, ten mllllon dollars per year for three years M-Day plus four years; intermediate, M-Day to further metric education in the United in March 1975 by the University of Min­ plus five years; secondary, M-Day plus five States, in recognition of the inevitability of nesota Senate. years. increasing use of the modern metric system. The resolution follows: 90 % of teachers teaching customary sys­ It ls likely that in 1975 congress will pass MINNESOTA PLAN FOR METRIC EDUCATION tem only incidentally: primary, M-Day plus legislation for an orderly completion of the eight years; intermediate, M-Day plus eight process of metric conversion begun by in­ One of the basic skills needed by all citi- years; secondary, M-Day plus eight years. zens in our society is the ability to make, dustry. The use of SI in the future will not 2. At the earliest possible time following be confined to the sciences, but it Will be use and interpret measurements of many approval of this Plan by the Commissioners sorts. The United States ts moving in the the language of quantitative descriptions of Administration and Education. It shall be in all of society. Many primary and secondary direction of adopting the Le Systeme Inter­ submitted to the State Board of Education national d'Unites (SI) of metric weights and schools have begun the essential process of for adoption into regulations and directives acquainting students with measurements in measures. Subsequently, the Minnesota Leg­ and implementation, and shall, thereafter, be islature passed an act, Minnesota Laws, 1974, SI terms. forwarded to teachers and school administra­ It is the obligation of a community of Chapter 474, Metric Implementation Stand­ tors for further implementation. ards, which delineated a purpose, policy, and scholars to do their part in assuring that Uni­ RICHARD L. BRUBACHER, versity students become knowledgeable about implementation for metric conversion, when Commissioner of Administration. conversion to metric units is officially legis­ this aspect of the culture of the world and lated into federal policy. HOWARD B. CASMEY, of ours. Therefore, the Senate of the Uni­ Pursuant to Chapter 474, Sections 3 and 4, Commissioner of Education. versity of Minnesota resolves that the Inter­ the Commissioner of Administration, shall national System of Units should be used as have general supervisory authority over im­ A RESOLUTION ON METRICATION, STATE OP extensively as is practical in the University's plementation, and shall, with the Commis­ MINNESOTA, MINNESOTA STATE BOARD OF educational and scholarly activities. The sen­ sioner of Education, collectively plan for the EDUCATION ate recommends that the faculty make use of development and implementation of public Whereas, the Congress of the United States all opportunities afforded in the selection of education to the metric system of weights has made a finding that-(A) the metric texts, equipment, the assignment of papers and measures by M-Day." Said plan follows: system of measurement ls in general use in or problems and in research activities, to in­ industrlally developed nations and its use crease student exposure to use of the Metric A. INSERVICE TRAINING OF TEACHERS system. 1. A developing and, in certain academic •Note: M-day is the date of federal legis­ WILLARD HARTUP, areas, an ongoing project ls presently insti­ lation enactment or July 1, 1976, whichever is Chairman. tuted With about 60% of elementary and earlier. Approved March 6, 1975. 28220 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS Septembe1· 9, 19 75 WHY IS U.S. EDUCATION AT LOW? ow· standards of excellence are dropping [From the U.S. News & World Report, Aug. 4, and this is probaply due to community 1975] pressure. Teachers are giving higher MAKING THE PIPER PAY HON. JAMES M. COLLINS grades for learning less. (By Howard Flieger) OF TEXAS The emphasis in America to bring Has "Big Government" finally grown be­ IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES everyone down to average is lowering ow· yond the realm of reason? Monday, September 8, 1975 future potential.