January 1998
Affiliate News: California
Students at Burlingame High School in San Mateo got a lesson in political intolerance on November 20th when their principal barred the door to a 1998 Libertarian Congressional candidate. A student leader had invited Michael Moloney to speak to a political club. But when he showed up, the principal refused to admit him.The reason? A school district policy requiring "equal time" for political candidates says that if any candidate is invited to speak, every other candidate must also be invited. The problem is that no one knew who any of the candidates were, because the filing deadline hadn't arrived. So in the end, all candidates really did get equal time: None.
"This policy was meant to protect students from arbitrary indoctrination, but it mostly appears to discourage open debate," Moloney said. "It is wrong-headed and needs to be changed."
A Republican-turned-Libertarian has been appointed director of the Resource Conservation District Board in Sutter County -- becoming the state's 25th LP member in public office.
Todd B. Herman was a Republican until 1994, when he began to feel "politically homeless." Then he read the Democratic, Republican, and Libertarian Party platforms: "The LP's was the only one that was consistent," he said. "The others changed every four years, during the presidential election, to fit in with whatever issues were hot at the time."
Now, he said, "It's a pleasure to join the growing list of California Libertarians elected or appointed to public office."
