Opinion

In a landmark decision of the Supreme Court of the United States, Justice William Brennan wrote this country has "a profound national commitment to the principle that debate on public issues should be uninhibited, robust, and wide-open, and that it may well include vehement, caustic, and sometimes unpleasantly sharp attacks on government and public officials."

Kentucky legislators failed to honor that principle when they voted to allow elected school board members to evaluate the performance of school superintendents in secret.

Disc golf is not my thing.

Neither is flying miniature jet airplanes.

And, while my late father would be so disappointed to hear this, I don't dig bluegrass music either.

But, just because I don't enjoy those things, doesn't mean there aren't hundreds, if not thousands, of other people who do. In fact, there are people who travel to participate in activities like these. Some even travel to Lebanon, as a matter of fact.

As we wrap up the fiftieth legislative day, the Senate continues to build on our body of work by passing bills addressing domestic violence, education, drug use and treatment, and government efficiencies.

The 2010 Census forms should be arriving soon. In fact, by the time you read this, some of you may have already received your forms.

I hope you will take the time to fill out this year's form, which has just 10 questions. If there is more than one person in your household, some questions will need to be answered more than once.

Rest assured that the questions are simple, and the form shouldn't take much time to fill out.

Even before the House of Representatives passed its $17.5 billion budget proposal, the Senate Appropriations and Revenue Committee had our first meeting to discuss some of the tax measures that affect business. I am very concerned that these measures will hinder job creation. In the committee, I heard testimony from 10 business representatives who discussed how taxing businesses, including farms, which are already struggling would have a negative impact on employment.

Wednesday of last week, the Marion County High School girls' basketball team made its first appearance in the Sweet 16 since 1995.

Let that sink in for a moment.

This year's Lady Knights did something that has only been done a handful of times in the history of MCHS.

They won regional and district championships, and they finished the season 33-2, an outstanding mark, by any standard.

With less than 21 legislative days of the 2010 General Assembly Session remaining, the Senate continues to address a wide variety of issues as we await the House of Representatives to wrap up work on their budget proposal.

This week, the Senate passed legislation that will strengthen government ethics, help the Department of Education better classify school buildings, and protect our children from a new hallucinogenic drug.

The State Senate dealt with a wide-ranging legislation this week addressing issues such as teaching the Bible in schools, cutting red-tape for businesses, reducing jail costs for counties, and helping severely emotionally-challenged children.

The United States' legal system is based, in part, on the Judeo-Christian tradition. The Bible is a rich source of history, sociology, and literature. Senate Bill 142 requires the Department of Education to formulate guidelines for public schools to teach the Bible as an elective social studies course.

The window in the front hallway of Lebanon Middle School is covered with paper chains. Each chain contains a sentiment, a prayer or a wish for the well-being for the Haitian people.

In light of the massive earthquake that hit Haiti in January, the LMS STLP and BETA clubs proposed selling the paper chains for a quarter each, according to Bethany Purdom, a student at LMS. Every quarter raised went toward the purchase of healthy mixes of rice and vegetables that could provide six meals per bag.