Date: March 5, 2004
Subject: Memo to Homeland Security

In his article for the Strib, Norm Draper quoted Rep. Gene Pelowski (DFL-Winona) at yesterday's House Ed Policy Committee meeting, during which the social studies and science standards were passed out of the committee:

"Pelowski drew a comparison to Robespierre and his fondness for putting his opponents on the guillotine during the French Revolution in the 1790s.

"'Are we going to be cutting off students through testing?' Pelowski said. He likened testing, which has increased dramatically in recent years, to 'a new tool of terror.'"

Someone put Tom Ridge on alert. Forget unleashing chemical weapons on the Kurds, Cheri Yecke may want to unleash social studies tests on our own children!