House File 67 - Introduced HOUSE FILE 67 BY SHEETS and GASSMAN A BILL FOR An Act requiring the display of the golden rule in public 1 school classrooms. 2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 3 TLSB 1384YH (6) 86 je/rj
H.F. 67 Section 1. NEW SECTION . 279.70 Golden rule —— legislative 1 findings and declaration —— display in classrooms. 2 The general assembly finds and declares all of the 3 following: 4 1. Article IX, 2nd, section 3, of the Constitution of 5 the State of Iowa states, in part, that the general assembly 6 shall encourage, by all suitable means, the promotion of 7 intellectual, scientific, moral, and agricultural improvement. 8 2. The leading moral precept for a civil society has been 9 expressed by various philosophies and religions for millennia 10 and is often called the golden rule, as set forth in paragraphs 11 “a” through “g” . 12 a. Confucianism, circa 557 BC, Analects 15:23: 13 What you do not want done to yourself, do not do to others. 14 b. Buddhism, circa 560 BC, Udanavarga 5:18: 15 Hurt not others with that which pains yourself. 16 c. Judaism, circa 1300 BC, the Torah, Leviticus 19:18: 17 Thou shalt Love thy neighbor as thyself. 18 d. Hinduism, circa 3200 BC, Hitopadesa: 19 One should always treat others as they themselves wish to be 20 treated. 21 e. Zoroastrianism, circa 600 BC, Shast-na-shayast 13:29: 22 Whatever is disagreeable to yourself, do not do unto others. 23 f. Christianity, circa 30 AD, the King James Bible, Matthew 24 7:12: 25 Whatsoever ye would that others should do to you, do ye even 26 so to them. 27 g. Islam, circa 570-632 AD, the Prophet Muhammad, pbuh, 28 Sahih Muslim: 29 None of you have faith until you love for your neighbor what 30 you love for yourself. 31 3. The golden rule, with roots in a wide range of world 32 cultures, is well suited to be a standard that different 33 cultures can ascribe to in resolving conflicts, and the board 34 of directors of each public school district shall require the 35 -1- LSB 1384YH (6) 86 je/rj 1/ 2
H.F. 67 display of the golden rule in all public school classrooms. 1 EXPLANATION 2 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 3 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 4 The general assembly finds and declares in this bill that the 5 leading moral precept for a civil society has been expressed by 6 various philosophies and religions for millennia and is often 7 called the golden rule, which generally states that one should 8 treat others as one wants to be treated. The bill also cites 9 Article IX, 2nd, section 3, of the Iowa Constitution, which 10 requires the general assembly to encourage, by all suitable 11 means, the promotion of intellectual, scientific, moral, and 12 agricultural improvement. 13 The bill declares that the golden rule, with roots in a 14 wide range of world cultures, is well suited to be a standard 15 that different cultures can ascribe to in resolving conflicts, 16 and the board of directors of each public school district must 17 require the display of the golden rule in all public school 18 classrooms. 19 -2- LSB 1384YH (6) 86 je/rj 2/ 2