February 9, 2001 The Honorable John A. Boehner, Chairman Dear Mr. Chairman: The American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences (AAFCS) believes that every child should have the opportunity to learn the skills essential to becoming a successful individual within the family, community and society. The Family and Consumer Sciences curriculum helps students achieve this goal. It is founded in scientific principles and recognizes the importance of learning and understanding basic life skills. Through this curriculum, students of all ages learn to manage their personal finances, prepare and eat a well balanced and nutritional diet, resolve conflicts in a reasonable fashion, develop parenting skills, and participate in pregnancy prevention programs. This vibrant and vital curriculum is found in middle and secondary schools across the country! Our members are researchers, extension educators, teachers, and members of the business and non-profit community, each of whom serves the association's mission to empower individuals, strengthen families, and enable communities. AAFCS applauds the bi-partisan support for reauthorization of the Elementary, Secondary Education Act. We, too, believe that education should be the number one priority of every parent, teacher, and lawmaker. AAFCS has resources that are of value to Members of Congress. By way of introduction, I am enclosing a recent article from the Baltimore Sun about our vital curriculum and a list of recent articles written by AAFCS members and published in the Journal of Family and Consumer Sciences: From Research to Practice. They cover the broad spectrum of human needs and life skills. If you would like copies of any of the articles or further information on the topical areas covered, please do not hesitate to call or e-mail us. We want to build bridges with you and your staffs and look forward to working with you on the pending education legislation as well as on other issues. Please call either me or Mary Ellen Saunders, Director of Public Policy and Professional Development on 703-706-4600 or send us an email at mesaunders@aafcs.org. We will be happy to assist you quickly. We have a grassroots network in place in each state, with contacts in the areas of specialization included in family and consumer sciences. We look forward to working with you on this investment in the next generation. Sincerely, cc: Members of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions
Family and Consumer Sciences Research Results published in the Journal of Family And Consumer Sciences: From Research to Practice "Why Can't We Manage Our Money" "Students: Consumers of Family and Consumer
Sciences Education" "Family and Consumer Sciences Educators
Can Play Significant Roles in Curbing School Violence" "Violence and Other Antisocial Behaviors
in Public Schools: Can Dress Codes Help Solve the Problem?" "Childcare With A Future" "The Early Childhood Initiative" "Hunger and Food Insecurity" "Health in the Family And Consumer Sciences
Curriculum: Full Circle?" "Sexually Explicit Material On The Internet:
Implications for Family Life Educators" "Managing At The Margin: Families Moving
Off Welfare" "Characteristics of Bankruptcy Filers: Implications
for Educators" |