COUNCIL EXTENDS PAID LEAVE VOTE AFFECTS CITY WORKERS CALLED TO MILITARY SERVICE.Byline: Heather MacDonald Staff Writer SANTA CLARITA Santa Clarita, city (1990 pop. 110,642), Los Angeles co., S Calif., suburb 30 mi (48 km) NW of downtown Los Angeles, on the Santa Clara River; inc. 1987. Situated in the Santa Clara valley and nearby canyons, Santa Clarita includes the former towns of Canyon Country, - The City Council on Tuesday extended the amount of paid leave for city employees called to active duty by the U.S. military from one month to six months. Mayor Cameron Smyth Cameron Smyth is a Republican who has represented Califoria's 38th Assembly district since December of 2006. He succeeded Keith Richman who was term limited. Prior to being elected to the state legislature, Assemblyman Smyth served on the Santa Clarita City Council, where he proposed the change after two city employees who are also reservists expressed concern about Santa Clarita's policy. Neither has been called up so far, city officials said. ``It's the right thing to do,'' Smyth said. ``There is no reason for families to suffer because one of them serves in the military and our country goes to war.'' The City Council adopted the policy unanimously. After the paid leave expires, employees can use their vacation time, according to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. Human Resources Manager Jenny Roney. In other action, the council members urged the state Legislature to pass a bill authored by state Sen. William J. ``Pete'' Knight, R-Palmdale, that would require school children to recite the Pledge of Allegiance Pledge of Allegiance, in full, Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, oath that proclaims loyalty to the United States. and its national symbol. every day. ``I want kids to have a daily reminder of the freedoms we enjoy,'' Smyth said. While state law already requires schools to conduct patriotic exercises daily, Senate Bill 394 would ensure that the pledge is recited every day during the school year at all California public elementary and secondary schools. ``The Pledge of Allegiance embodies our American values,'' Knight said in a statement. ``It should be a part of every single school day in every single school. That is my goal.'' Students who do not wish to recite the pledge may remain silent and seated during its recitation rec·i·ta·tion n. 1. a. The act of reciting memorized materials in a public performance. b. The material so presented. 2. a. Oral delivery of prepared lessons by a pupil. b. , according to the bill. Knight, who plans to run for the state Board of Equalization In communications, techniques used to reduce distortion and compensate for signal loss (attenuation) over long distances. after leaving the state Senate next year because of term limits, authored a similar bill last year, which failed to pass the state Assembly. The bill is not expected to be heard by either the Assembly or the Senate until the U.S. Supreme Court decides the case of Newdow v. Elk Grove Unified School District The Elk Grove Unified School District is a school district in southern Sacramento County, California, U.S.A. The Elk Grove Unified School District is the fifth largest school district in California and the largest in Northern California. . Michael Newdow is an atheist who objected to his daughter's exposure to the pledge at her school in Northern California. Earlier this year, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals found that the pledge is an unconstitutional ``endorsement of religion'' and cannot be recited in public schools. The Bush administration has appealed that ruling. |
|
||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion