Watch Live: Congressional Hearing on IRS Scandal

Live Now on TheBlaze Radio: ‘The Buck Sexton Show’

Business

Irony: Idaho Lawmakers Mull Bill That Would Force Students to Read ‘Atlas Shrugged’

Feb. 8, 2013 11:12am Becket Adams

Sen. John Goedde (R Idaho) Formally Introduces Atlas Shrugged Bill

Ayn Rand, the patron saint of women with combovers (Getty Images).

As if teenagers weren’t angsty enough, Idaho lawmakers are considering a proposal that would require student to read “Atlas Shrugged,” Ayn Rand’s 1,069-page prayer to the self.

“State Sen. John Goedde introduced legislation on Tuesday that would require Idaho secondary students to read and pass an examination on the iconic 1957 novel touted by conservatives like Rep. Paul Ryan and Rush Limbaugh,” Fox News notes.

Sen. Goedde, a Republican, says the bill is meant to be more of a statement than actual policy.

Media outlets have so far “totally missed the point” of his proposed legislation, the senator told Fox in a statement, adding that the bill is protest against a state Board of Education decision to cut back online class requirements.

“Traditionally in Idaho, the State Board of Education sets graduation requirements in rule,” Goedde said in an email Thursday.

“They recently repealed a rule dealing with online class requirements and failed to move another rule forward dealing with administrators demonstrating proficiency in evaluating teachers. I felt both were important and wanted to remind them that the legislature could also set graduation standards,” he adds.

The senator stressed that he is only trying to make a point with his “Atlas Shrugged” bill and that he doesn’t believe it will actually pass.

Still, as noted in the report, the bill was formally introduced Tuesday.

“The student shall obtain a passing grade on the examination in order to satisfy the graduation requirement provided for in this section. Such examination shall be approved by the state department of education,” the bill reads.

When asked why Sen. Goedde chose “Atlas Shrugged,” he replied: “That book made my son a Republican.”

He also told The Spokesman-Review that the proposed legislation is merely a “shot over their bow” to “indicate other ways to adopt high school graduation requirements.”

Final Thought: We wonder if the senator sees the irony in introducing a bill that would force students to read — of all things — “Atlas Shrugged,” the world’s longest, most rambling breakup letter to governed society.

A government bill forcing people to read Ayn Rand is like a small business profiting off of t-shirts with Che Guevara on them.

— Frances Martel (@francesmartel) February 7, 2013

Follow Becket Adams (@BecketAdams) on Twitter

Featured image courtesy Getty Images. This post has been updated.

In CONTROL, Glenn Beck presents a passionate, fact-based case for guns that reveals why gun control isn’t really about controlling guns at all; it’s about controlling us. Find out more HERE.

Back to The Blaze »

Comments (123)

Arshloch
Posted on February 9, 2013 at 5:28pm
All states should require the reading of Atlas Shrugged. This would accomplish several things. (1) the student would be forced to learn to read (2) the student would be forced to think (3) the teachers would be forced to re-evaluate the tripe they learned in co-le-dge, from ‘perfessers’ who touted the communist line, many of whom are politicians holding office. Education comes from attending class while intelligence comes when one is able to aquire data on one’s own, access data and come to a correct conclusion. Atlas Shrugged is a perfect venue. Kudos to Idaho.

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
REALID 239823749828-HIF
Posted on February 9, 2013 at 5:20pm
No no no no NO! Stupid politicians just don’t get it! While I would like for every person to read Atlas Shrugged, since I think it’s a great book and is quite thought provoking, every person should be free to make the choice whether or not to read it. Rather, each school should be free to make it required reading or not. Legislating that all kids have to read it kind of goes against the very principle of the book itself.

Bah!

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
Moozmom
Posted on February 9, 2013 at 5:52am
First, I am very old. Second, when you become very old, you have experienced enough life to know what is good and what is not good for the human soul. Atlas Shrugged is good for the human soul. I know, “but she isn’t a good writer” and “it’s not really literature” and “she was born in another country”. I know all that. Atlas Shrugged, if really understood, is medicine for the human soul. Now go get over yourselves. Didn’t your mother ever make you take medicine you did not like but made you better? Well, there you go!

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
JakeTobias
Posted on February 9, 2013 at 2:54am
I do not consider it ironic any book would be “forced,” reading. Not even Atlas Shrugged. The usual term is “assigned.” Or “required”. How about “forcing” students to read Glen Beck? Or Ann Coulter? How about “forcing” them to read the Bible in school? I was “forced” to read Crime and Punishment. Except, I didn’t. I stopped after 20 or 30 pages, because I found it punishing. Along with Les Miserables. Read the Hobbit. And Marathon Man. And Catcher in the Rye. But none of those were assigned. Wuthering Heights was assigned. Not only that, I read it, and finished it! Along with Brave New World, Brighten Rock, and The Loved One. Oh, and Shakespeare. Lots and lots of Shakespeare. He wrote plays, as I recall. And I even graduated. I had to, because if I dropped out, or failed, my dad would have killed me.

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
dylan
Posted on February 8, 2013 at 11:55pm
Make it required reading. I read all Ayn Rand’s books at age 22 and I am better for having done so. I am Conservative, always have been, always will be. I am Pro-Life with 5 sons-all doing well. 2 post grads along with degrees for all working in their field of study and loving their jobs. Had 5 in college at one time (just got up and got on with it) and we are not wealthy by any means. All boys worked thru high school. The best thing; they DO NOT feel entitled and are NOT takers.

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
Spqr1
Posted on February 8, 2013 at 11:02pm
Idaho, no surprise there, embracing a philosophy that advocates being a selfish jerk. Why is probably beyond their comprehension. It really only appears to the 12 year old mind.

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- Arshloch
  Posted on February 9, 2013 at 5:31pm
  The selfish jerks are obummer, his minions and the hollywood no nothings.
  
  Report this comment
yiska8
Posted on February 8, 2013 at 10:52pm
Just make it required reading in basic Senior English or Government classes. “Atlas Shrugged” isn’t just a political book to some, but is more of a love story. Even Rand herself, described it as a love story. Idaho is onto the right idea, but making a law realy isn’ t needed. The real question is… “Do high school or even college brats have the mental staying power and strong attention span that is required for such a heavy hitting-marathon length piece of art?

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
JACKTHETOAD
Posted on February 8, 2013 at 9:59pm
Ooh, some noise from the potato-heads in their own private Idaho…HOO-RAH!!!!!

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
libertarianodinist
Posted on February 8, 2013 at 8:59pm
i would make Anthem recommened reading instead of Atlas,shrugged,but I would add Dune by Frank Herbert,Foundation By Issac Asminov,Stranger in a strange land by Robert A.Heinlein and Freehold by Michael Z. Williamson

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
SuttonShimai
Posted on February 8, 2013 at 8:06pm
My husband talked about this book for years, but I didn’t realize he had never read it until the movie came out and we went to see it. I was so excited after I saw this movie because I GOT it!! I went right out and bought the book and read it cover to cover. However, I don’t believe for a moment that you should make it required reading in high school state-wide. Leave that up to the individual teachers and get your collective political butts out of the educational process because you don’t know what you are talking about!

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
Freunlaven
Posted on February 8, 2013 at 6:00pm
They could make it a lot easier and make them read Harrison Bergeron by Kurt Vonnegut Jr, and it would accomplish about the same thing.

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
Mr Sanders
Posted on February 8, 2013 at 5:29pm
That’s all well and good but what about reading the Federalist Papers and see the rebuttals in the Anti Federalist Papers? Then have a mock Congress for the students and each argues the point based off the letters/the person they pick to be? Now that would be an exciting class to attend….

… but you couldn’t teach this in Washington DC…. its been outlawed.

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
checkingbothsides
Posted on February 8, 2013 at 5:24pm
The Fountainhead makes a lot more sense. It has all the same messages, at less than a 1/4 of the length!

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- skunkbear
  Posted on February 8, 2013 at 8:26pm
  Actually, Rand’s Anthem does about the same thing and it is even way shorter than The Fountainhead and is more palatable to the brain.
  
  Rand had some interesting ideas but her writing is dreadful. Painful, actually. Save yourself the torture and read the Cliff notes instead.
  
  Report this comment
- Spqr1
  Posted on February 8, 2013 at 11:05pm
  Fountainhead’s very premise about individualism is beyond ridiculous simply because it deals with architecture, showing again that she had absolutely know idea about how the real world works.
  
  Report this comment
BAMinKY
Posted on February 8, 2013 at 5:03pm
Oh my gosh! Atlas Shrugged is AWESOME! I’ve had a few nights lately where I can’t wind down and go to sleep, but it always does the trick. I just look at the cover and THINK about trying to finish chapter one and it puts me right out. Don’t put it on your coffee table unless you want your guests SPENDING THE NIGHT.

I mean, I like the philosophy…HATE the book. Hate it.

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
Derek
Posted on February 8, 2013 at 4:44pm
Atlas Shrugged should be mandatory in all public schools.

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
khvtex77
Posted on February 8, 2013 at 4:21pm
reading this I was wondering what kinda of responses the would be from conservatives… i was certain that most of them would be in favor of requiring student and teacher to read this politicly motivated material they like … but I wanted to give them a chance since they supposedly are against government requiring students to read politically motivated material… well they failed… cant say I didnt give them a chance

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
Johndeer
Posted on February 8, 2013 at 3:11pm
Just look at what has become of our children and schools since the athiests got the bible and prayer removed from our schools? You want to help our children, then bring God and Prayer back to our schools. Nothing else will help resolve the situation we are in.

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
OutofSympathy
Posted on February 8, 2013 at 3:04pm
I suggest the audio version. I have listened to the book at least 6 times and as someone who travels extensively for work the convenience of an iPod download is wonderful.
@marine25: no offense but IF you have read the book then you would understand the contradiction in your statement about “selfishness” instead of self interest. I also don’t see any evidence of Rand pushing atheism. While she herself was an atheist, that particular theme is not supported in this book. As for the “ammorality” as you call it, most of us are adults and understand the difference between perversion and honesty.
This is an extremely well written, thought out and presented piece of literature. If it were ” only a blip” no one would be reading it 60 years after it was written, nor would it become more popular overtime than when it was released initially. Just my 2 cents.

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
BookMDanno
Posted on February 8, 2013 at 1:16pm
Not sure I would characterize it as a “prayer to self;” more like a pitch for unbridled capitalism. And though capitalistic to it’s core, it IS secular & almost Darwinistic at heart–quite a combo! If the book would spark an open and free discussion–apart from coerced ideology–fantastic! But the book is too long for school/class purposes. That’s not going to work.

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
Witness1974
Posted on February 8, 2013 at 1:00pm
Marine25: You may have some valid points. However, I’ve heard enough Obama speeches to be wary of the use of the word “selfishness.” Every time I hear it now I recoil and think, “Here comes another guilt trip for not being enthusiastic about the “collective.” I read about half of Atlas Shrugged and set it aside. At the time I found it quite a chore. But now I think it is worth revisiting. For not being a great writer, she sure has a lot of ethusiastic fans. I am fairly familiar with the “scope of 2Oth century literature” and I have to say that while it has been greeted with open arms by liberals I find most of it is thematically the same as you descirbe Rand, except I would add agressively immoral to your list. In fact most of it is at least sympathetic to Marxism and frankly adrift when it comes to philosophy, religion, and morality. As far as her place in the curriculum, when I was taking Political Science seminars we studied Shakespeare more than once. That offended the English department (My Political Science professors were conservative). If no place else, she certainly has a place in Political Science departments, which are a significant part of Social Studies. At this point there has been so much garbage forced into the canon for no other reason than it meets the PC test, that Rand would stand head and shoulders above it. If nothing else she has a rational perspective to present, which is more than can be said for most 20th century crap.

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
Saff SGT
Posted on February 8, 2013 at 12:56pm
i would require students to read the constitution and the bill of rights

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- barber2
  Posted on February 8, 2013 at 1:26pm
  Yes. Civics should be returned to the curriculum.
  
  Report this comment
athiest-infedel
Posted on February 8, 2013 at 12:53pm
Good book, 1984 also, but a lot of Jews became athiest in the german death camps, could you blame them though.

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- Xylliab_of_the_Znarghh
  Posted on February 8, 2013 at 3:52pm
  You spelled both atheist and infidel incorrectly.
  
  Report this comment
Mapache
Posted on February 8, 2013 at 12:46pm
Don’t need legislation, just have the school board include it in curriculum. Don’t make a Federal case out of everything.

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
AmericanStrega
Posted on February 8, 2013 at 12:43pm
Maybe Idaho should make it a state law for the schools to teach Reading, Writing, Arithmetic, American History (the real one). Make students take a P.E. course and teach all types of science. They should also make a law stating that not every student gets a pass and a trophy just for being a student. Children need to be allowed to compete against each other and when one isn’t the winner the loser needs to be encouraged to try harder.

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- flipper1073
  Posted on February 8, 2013 at 5:51pm
  Why pick on Idaho ?
  No one else has to learn that stuff anymore.
  If you can watch a Al Gore movie and Recite
  the brainwashing YOU PASS.
  Critical Thinking Skils would not be in the best intrest of
  The Teachers Unions
  
  Report this comment
- flipper1073
  Posted on February 8, 2013 at 5:53pm
  Damn, The blaze needs a EDIT Button
  
  Report this comment
- flipper1073
  Posted on February 8, 2013 at 5:57pm
  a Story on education and I misspell words.
  Guess that’s Why I Hate Spelling NAZI’s
  
  Report this comment
- flipper1073
  Posted on February 8, 2013 at 6:03pm
  An by the way I didn’t miss the Irony of
  Big Government Forcing Children to Read
  Atlas Shrugged.
  
  Report this comment
FutureVision
Posted on February 8, 2013 at 12:34pm
Our political discourse on both sides has taken on the air of armchair idiots rooting for a sports team, go big red vs go big blue…. The truth is that the world is changing and the framework of the past will not work in the future. However the global socialist governance proposed to meet the challenges we face cannot be allowed to take shape. History tells us that this would be the greatest evil ever perpetrated on the world by humanity. A serious discussion at depth must be generated to flush out the nuance with which we must proceed on these issues. Unfortunately, a small contingent of the political elite has coupled with large business and the socialist intellectual community and began to grope for a solution. The people are largely left out of the discussion because they are ignorant. Very few have taken the time even to understand the issues at a sufficient depth to be included in the discussion.
Look at population, resource, technology, and historical governance issues for guidance on future difficulties.
A single all powerful global socialist government will provide what all socialist governments always provide; privation, a culture of fear, and massive human rights violations. Always and in all cases this has been the history of socialism. There must be a counter, an opposition, or it could be an ugly trip back.

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply

It appears that you have Javascript Disabled. Please enable Javascript in your browser preferences for a better user experience on TheBlaze. You can not comment without Javascript enabled.