H-252                _______________________________________________

                                           HOUSE JOINT MEMORIAL NO. 4006

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State of Washington                              50th Legislature                              1987 Regular Session

By Representatives K. Wilson, Betrozoff, Rayburn, Allen, Hargrove, Rust, Valle, Schoon, Winsley, Lewis, L. Smith and Nealey

Read first time 2/4/87 and referred to Committee on Education.

TO THE HONORABLE RONALD REAGAN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, AND TO THE SECRETARY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, AND TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE AND THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, AND TO THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UNITED STATES, IN CONGRESS ASSEMBLED:

          We, your Memorialists, the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Washington, in legislative session assembled, respectfully represent and petition as follows:

          WHEREAS, The people of the state of Washington have long been dedicated to supporting the mandate in Article IX, section 1 of the state Constitution to make ample provision for the education of all children in the state; and

          WHEREAS, Consistent with the state constitutional mandate and with state and federal law, the people of the state of Washington are committed to providing ample education to all children, including handicapped children, in this state; and

          WHEREAS, Drug and alcohol abuse among school children is a serious social problem; and

          WHEREAS, Our public education system is not designed to treat drug and alcohol abuse problems;  and

          WHEREAS, Neither federal nor state law require nor should require that the definition of a handicapped child apply to a child who has chosen to abuse drugs or alcohol; and

          WHEREAS, Children with drug and alcohol problems need medical and psychological help from treatment centers to help them conquer their addictions;

          NOW, THEREFORE, Your memorialists respectfully pray that the role of our schools to educate students and not treat medical problems such as drug and alcohol abuse be affirmed and that additional federal aid be provided for drug and alcohol treatment centers for our youth.

          BE IT RESOLVED, That copies of this Memorial be immediately transmitted to the Honorable Ronald Reagan, President of the United States, the Secretary of the Department of Education, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and each member of Congress from the State of Washington.