January Students of the Month Selected
The January Students of the Month for Valley City Jr. High School are Kailee Nielson, Jack Lerud, Naomi Hanson, and Andrew Nelson. The criteria for selection are the following: being a hardworking student, showing respect for staff and peers, being honest and trustworthy, and being involved in school activities.
Kailee Nielson, 7th grade, is the daughter of Matt and Annette Nielson. Her favorite subjects in school are Band and Math. She is involved in volleyball, basketball, and tennis. Kailee’s hobbies are drawing and hanging out with friends.
Jack Lerud, 7th grade, is the son of Mike and Sarah Lerud. His favorite subject in school is Science. He is involved in football, basketball, baseball, and theater. Jack’s hobbies are hunting, fishing, and woodworking.
Naomi Hanson, 8th grade, is the daughter of
Troy and Nicole Hanson. Her favorite subjects in school are Band, Choir, English, and History. She is involved in band, choir, theater, speech, cross country, tennis, and student congress. Naomi’s hobbies are reading, writing, camping, and hiking.
Andrew Nelson, 8th grade, is the son of James and Susan Nelson. His favorite subjects in school are Band, Physical Education, and Study Hall. He is involved in band and boy
scouts. Andrew’s hobbies are playing video games, hanging out with friends, fishing, hunting, playing board games, and playing card games.
7th grade honorable mention Students of the Month for January are the following: Brooklyn Botz, Kadie Kocka, Brenna Storly, Laityn Didier, Sophia Thiel, Addison Spanier, Chloe Wieser, Jessa Koch, Claire Shanenko, and Camryn Berg for the girls. Connor Liebersbach, Miken Mattson, Matthew Holm, Reed McCounnaughey, Bren
nan Anderson, Jackson Eisen, Jarod Burk, Jayden Bench, Keegan Olson, Evan Schroeder, Jonas Hanse, Brooks Beyer, Boston Larson, Aidyn McCombs for the boys.
8th grade honorable mention Students of the Month for January are the following: Tricia Pfennig, Asya Kostecky, Amara Judd, Abby Shanenko, Cheska Flores, and Maidson Trzpuc for the girls. Bryson Heck, Reid Nelson, Miles Taylor, Landon Martinson, Dylan Hunt, Dalton Leier for the boys.
BISMARCK -- The North Dakota Senate passed a bill that would allow local school boards to post the Ten Commandments and recite the Pledge of Allegiance.
Senate Bill 2308, introduced by Sen. Janne Myrdal, R-Edinburg, would allow schools to post a copy of the Ten Commandments in the classroom and allow schools to permit students to recite the Pledge of Allegiance.
“Fifteen years after we took prayer and the Ten Commandments out of schools, pregnancy rates of girls 10 to 14 rose 400%,” she said, citing her own research. “Pregnancy rates of girls 15 and older, out of wedlock, rose 148%, and divorces rose 300%.”
Myrdal said she brought the bill forward because she is tired of the government putting Band-Aids on all the scary things in society.
The bill passed 34-13 despite some vocal opposition, and Sen. Ray Holmberg, R-Grand Forks, said it would invite lawsuits against school districts.
“If we were doing floor amendments on [this bill], I would certainly recommend that after the words authorize school districts to do this and post in classrooms ‘if you dare,’” he said. “You will be sued, no matter what [the bill] says about immunity, you will be in federal court and you will lose.”
Holmberg added that when he taught in 1980, when the Ten Commandments were removed from schools and other public places, “those eighth graders were just as squirrely as they were before [the commandments] were removed.”
Although he voted for the bill, Sen. David Hogue, R-Minot, informed the Senate that the state can immunize school districts from state law claims, but not from federal claims.
“In terms of claims that arise from the violation of the U.S. Constitution, we cannot do that,” he said. “When there is a conflict between a state statute and the federal constitution, the federal constitution prevails.”
Myrdal disputed claims that the state or school districts would be liable for suits resulting in the bill. In addition, she said the cost of defending the placement of the Ten Commandments in schools “would be a lot less” than the social cost of not making such efforts.