Kids Get an Ugly Lesson in Government.

James Cutting teaches 4th grade in at the Lincoln Ackerman School in Hampton Falls, New Hampshire.
 
Clearly, the guy is dedicated and has some innovative ideas. Wanting his kids to learn about how government works, Cutting came up with a terrific idea: his students drafted an actual bill and, with the help of a friendly State representative, it was submitted to the New Hampshire Legislature for consideration.
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The kids’ proposal, House Bill 373, would establish the Red Tail Hawk as the official State of New Hampshire raptor. The bill was approved by the Environment and Agriculture Committee and came to the floor of the State House for a vote.
 
 
That’s when the kids’ education really began.
 
Because that’s when Rep. Warren Groen, a Republican from Rochester, NH, rose in opposition to the bill and, with the kids and their teacher watching from the Gallery, included the following description of the red tail hawk in his remarks:
 
“It grasps with its talons then uses its razor sharp beak to basically tear it apart limb by limb, and I guess the shame about making this a state bird is it would serve as a much better mascot for Planned Parenthood.”
 
Then another Republican, Rep. John Burt from Goffstown, stepped up and contributed a bit more to the kids’ education:
 
“Bottom line, if we keep bringing more of these bills, and bills, and bills forward that really I think we shouldn’t have in front of us, we’ll be picking a state hot dog next.”
 
And then the New Hampshire House of Representatives defeated HB 373 by a vote of 133 to 160.
 
If you can stomach it, here’s a link to the story complete with video of those two miserable human beings.