The controversial issue of the national anthem and Pledge of Allegiance in Wisconsin public schools was revisited yesterday when the state Assembly Committee on Educational Reform held a hearing to discuss amending Assembly Bill 582.

The original version of the bill was passed shortly before Sept. 11 and mandated that Wisconsin public schools must offer the melody of the national anthem or the spoken Pledge of Allegiance or face cuts in funding.

The new legislation would reverse the originally imposed penalties, including cuts in funding, but it requires both words and music to be offered for at least the first verse of the anthem.

The school board said the policy would have prevented peer pressure against children who chose not to say the pledge.

The proposal passed but was overturned a week later, after the board received thousands of calls from across the country protesting the so-called ban.

Many have argued that school boards have attempted to use this omission as a way of getting around “the spirit” of Bill 582. In light of this, many representatives said they felt an amendment to the bill was necessary.

Supporters testified during the hearing, urging the committee to enact the revision as a clarification of the already existing bill.

Rep. Sheryl Albers, R-Reedsburg, spoke in favor of the amendment, emphasizing the importance in what the assembly was trying to convey when the original bill passed.

“Clearly the Madison School Board’s position was that the music alone would suffice,” Albers said. “This does not meet our intentions.”

Albers said this amendment will keep districts from trying to find loopholes in order to avoid full compliance.

“I think our school districts now know that this is a mandate, here to stay,” she said.

There is little opposition to amending the bill. However, school board member Carol Carstensen, who was involved in the initial dispute over the national anthem last October, disapproves of the proposed amendment.

“I think that this is a further erosion of local control. These decisions are traditionally made by school boards and superintendents,” Carstensen said. “It is inappropriate that the legislature dictates to local districts [on matters such as this].”

Despite concerns from some school board members, many lawmakers believe schools should offer the Pledge and national anthem.

Rep. Jeff Stone, R-Greenfield, expressed his support for the amendment, which he says is in the best interest of schoolchildren.

“I do not see a problem [with the amendment],” he said. “It is good for the kids to be exposed to the words on a regular basis.”

Albers said she expects a decision about the amendment to be made soon.