The World Assembly Academy Act

[Unibotian WASC Mission]

- charge admission fees of any kind to any student,

That's my biggest problem with this.

EDIT: Noticed a few other things.

-provide free food and board for every student, and to pay for any other living or educational expense a student faces, including books, and supplies for his or her studies,

AAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!!

Yeah, the student's family should be assessed on their ability to pay. The poorest students could be admitted free, but then there should be a scale for determining fees based on family income.

-create an educational setting for students,

Vague. Not sure what purpose this clause serves. You might just want to get rid of it.

True. If it's a school I would hope that it would create an educational setting. This can be dropped.

Would it not be economic discrimination to charge richer income families, but not poorer income families?

[A mean old man]

- charge admission fees of any kind to any student,

That's my biggest problem with this.

EDIT: Noticed a few other things.

-provide free food and board for every student, and to pay for any other living or educational expense a student faces, including books, and supplies for his or her studies,

AAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!!

Yeah, the student's family should be assessed on their ability to pay. The poorest students could be admitted free, but then there should be a scale for determining fees based on family income.

-create an educational setting for students,

Vague. Not sure what purpose this clause serves. You might just want to get rid of it.

True. If it's a school I would hope that it would create an educational setting. This can be dropped.

Would it not be economic discrimination to charge richer income families, but not poorer income families?

Would it not be a fucking ridiculous idea to pay all the expenses for all these students while they attend this school, even if it is through the "WA General Fund" (provided by all our nations anyway)? Sometimes what you call "economic discrimination" is necessary for economic stability, Unibot. I don't care if it has the word "discrimination" in it.

[Mad Sheep Railgun]

Would it not be economic discrimination to charge richer income families, but not poorer income families?

Happens all the time in RL. Why should people who could afford the tuition go to school for free on the WA General Fund's tab?

[Priatha]

Perhaps a resolution would be a tuition with gratuitous financial aid for those who cannot afford it? The aid, of course, would be evaluated based on how much the family can reasonable afford, and would be taken from the GA fund.

[Unibotian WASC Mission]

I feel like the preamble could be shorter, and terser, and address problems more direct to what this resolution is going to solve. The World Assembly has only previously mandated that nations need a nation curriculum 'based on its own needs and future goals', therefore the poorest and deprived citizens -- who that proposal was created to protect -- are left with a measly education on how to dig trenches and work for the rest of their lives with hard labor. The "Right to Education" states that when no formal government funded educational system exists, Member States must allow its citizens to pursue their education abroad. This proposal exists to provide an education left to those left by their nations to pursue education abroad.

I would also recommend you become familiar with GA#8. In that legislation using careful language, the World Assembly purchased neutral land, built a headquarters on it, and protects it with the necessary security (without conflicting with the 'no WA army' rule). You'll probably be doing something similar with these academies -- also, keep in mind that some ambassadors are going to be frightened of the World Assembly educating children ... I mean, I can only imagine what Gatesville's reaction will be when they read this proposal. It might also be worth noting that these World Assembly Academies are a good way to entice cute little banana republics and our usual third-world education authoritarian offenders to create quality education programs in their nations to prevent students from going abroad, and being educated by 'outsiders' on 'world issues'.

[Unibotian WASC Mission]

Would it not be economic discrimination to charge richer income families, but not poorer income families?

Happens all the time in RL. Why should people who could afford the tuition go to school for free on the WA General Fund's tab?

I dunno, talk to Urgench, who wrote the CoCR.

c ) All inhabitants of member states have the right not to be and indeed must not be discriminated against on grounds including ... economic or cultural background

a ) Unfair and unreasonable discrimination, on the grounds outlined in clause c) of article 1 of this resolution, in private employment, housing, education, employment benefits, compensations and access to services provided to the general public shall be prohibited by all member states.

I don't think its unfair that those who can afford it should not be given funds to do so, but it could be interpreted that way.

[Mad Sheep Railgun]

Perhaps a resolution would be a tuition with gratuitous financial aid for those who cannot afford it? The aid, of course, would be evaluated based on how much the family can reasonable afford, and would be taken from the GA fund.

Yeah, something like financial aid or a sliding scale for determining ability to pay. If the family literally can't afford to pay anything then the student would attend for free. If they can pay some percentage of the tuition then they would pay that. If they can afford to pay full tuition then they would pay full tuition. And so forth.

[A mean old man]

This is the first time I've really noticed the existence of the WA General Fund, and I've realized I don't like it at all.

[Mad Sheep Railgun]

This is the first time I've really noticed the existence of the WA General Fund, and I've realized I don't like it at all.

A funding mechanism is necessary. Before WA General Fund you either had to pretend that the funds to pay for something just magically appeared out of thin air, or pass an unfunded mandate on to the member states.

[Enn]

This is the first time I've really noticed the existence of the WA General Fund, and I've realized I don't like it at all.

It's an OOC justification for IC actions. Much like the HQ act. Through the years (at the UN mostly) we gradually determined a lot of things about UN/WA RP which could do with IC justification.

And UNibot: CoCR looks at member states. It could be argued that it doesn't cover the WA itself. (I'm not necessarily saying that's what I believe, merely that that is a possible argument).

[Unibot]

This is the first time I've really noticed the existence of the WA General Fund, and I've realized I don't like it at all.

It's an OOC justification for IC actions. Much like the HQ act. Through the years (at the UN mostly) we gradually determined a lot of things about UN/WA RP which could do with IC justification.

And UNibot: CoCR looks at member states. It could be argued that it doesn't cover the WA itself. (I'm not necessarily saying that's what I believe, merely that that is a possible argument).

*glances at the CoCR*

The World Assembly,

Requires W.A. member states to fairly and equally enact and enforce the following articles,

Article 1.

Yikes! You're right, Enn. Um... thats a bit of a problem, isn't it?

[Mad Sheep Railgun]

This is the first time I've really noticed the existence of the WA General Fund, and I've realized I don't like it at all.

It's an OOC justification for IC actions. Much like the HQ act. Through the years (at the UN mostly) we gradually determined a lot of things about UN/WA RP which could do with IC justification.

And UNibot: CoCR looks at member states. It could be argued that it doesn't cover the WA itself. (I'm not necessarily saying that's what I believe, merely that that is a possible argument).

*glances at the CoCR*

The World Assembly,

Requires W.A. member states to fairly and equally enact and enforce the following articles,

Article 1.

Yikes! You're right, Enn. Um... thats a bit of a problem, isn't it?

What, that the WA isn't bound by one of its own resolutions? You didn't think we'd make all of these things apply to ourselves did you?

[Unibot]

Well, MSR, let me direct you once again to the nature and purpose of this thread > viewtopic.php?f=9&t=30186

Which everyone seemed intent on dismissing.

[Mad Sheep Railgun]

Well, MSR, let me direct you once again to the nature and purpose of this thread > viewtopic.php?f=9&t=30186

Which everyone seemed intent on dismissing.

Well that's a little different. The "no WA army" rule is a rule, not a resolution.

[Unibot]

Well, MSR, let me direct you once again to the nature and purpose of this thread > viewtopic.php?f=9&t=30186

Which everyone seemed intent on dismissing.

Well that's a little different. The "no WA army" rule is a rule, not a resolution.

You don't need to be an army to arms deal, or deploy nuclear weapons for purely 'administrative purposes'.

[/threadjack]

[Enn]

You know, I'm really not sure what I trust the gnomes with less - nukes, or students. And just imagine what Gratwick would do with students in every WA nation...

[Topid]

Okay ambassadors, I have returned.

As far as concerns that the WA should not be trusted with students/children, we'll see about that if I ever fix this proposal up enough to submit. There is really no way to revise this to address that, so I am not going to worry about it.

Whether or not to charge tuition and to whom to charge it is a valid question, one I thought much about. Originally when I wrote this the higher income families did have to pay for their children to attend. My main concern with that would be parents who are unwilling to pay even though they could easily afford it (cheap bastards).

As of now, am I correct in saying that we all agree that lower income families should not be charged? So, then what I need to re-examine would be if higher income families should pay, and if so how much? I'll return shortly ambassadors with an attempted solution.

And Uni, I'm not sure which of the 5 points in the preamble I do not need. I'll edit that line about the educational environment too. Thanks.

Establishes the World Assembly Academy Bureau (WAAB) which shall be responsible for:
-constructing academies in strategic locations spread throughout the world financed by the WA General Fund,
...
-ensuring enough World Assembly Academies are constructed to prevent a youth who has taken the exam and met the qualifications to attend a World Assembly Academy being turned away because the academies are at their capacity,

House of Cards. You don't need to indicate how they will be financed; funding is automatic.

Hmm. Okay, tried to fix that too. The ambassadors were very concerned that their own nations would have to pay, so I've taken out General Fund and just left 'financed by the World Assembly'. Does that make it legal?

[float=right][/float]Signed,
Ambassador Franke
Topid's Ambassador to the General Assembly

EDIT: Ambassadors, please check the proposal and notice the revisions.

[Omigodtheykilledkenny]

Establishes the World Assembly Academy Bureau (WAAB) which shall be responsible for:
-constructing academies in strategic locations spread throughout the world financed by the WA General Fund,
...
-ensuring enough World Assembly Academies are constructed to prevent a youth who has taken the exam and met the qualifications to attend a World Assembly Academy being turned away because the academies are at their capacity,

House of Cards. You don't need to indicate how they will be financed; funding is automatic.

Hmm. Okay, tried to fix that too. The ambassadors were very concerned that their own nations would have to pay, so I've taken out General Fund and just left 'financed by the World Assembly'. Does that make it legal?

Probably. I don't think there's been an "official" ruling as to whether citing the General Fund is House of Cards, but it's just to be on the safe side in case the WAGF is ever repealed.

[Unibot]

Establishes the World Assembly Academy Bureau (WAAB) which shall be responsible for:
-constructing academies in strategic locations spread throughout the world financed by the WA General Fund,
...
-ensuring enough World Assembly Academies are constructed to prevent a youth who has taken the exam and met the qualifications to attend a World Assembly Academy being turned away because the academies are at their capacity,

House of Cards. You don't need to indicate how they will be financed; funding is automatic.

Hmm. Okay, tried to fix that too. The ambassadors were very concerned that their own nations would have to pay, so I've taken out General Fund and just left 'financed by the World Assembly'. Does that make it legal?

Probably. I don't think there's been an "official" ruling as to whether citing the General Fund is House of Cards, but it's just to be on the safe side in case the WAGF is ever repealed.

Well wasn't there something about "semi-activity"? Well, you brought it to my attention, Kenny. So, you'd know better than me.

[Omigodtheykilledkenny]

That's for committees. The GF itself isn't a committee (though it's managed by one), so I'm not sure what comes of it after the resolution is repealed. It'll be a moderator's call if it ever comes to that.

[West Newmanistan]

TROUBLED by the tendency of nations to cut education in times of crisis, when higher education is likely the easiest way to solve the problems of a nation;

I didn't bother to read any further. You lost me here as that is a very debatable statement.

[Grays Harbor]

TROUBLED by the tendency of nations to cut education in times of crisis, when higher education is likely the easiest way to solve the problems of a nation;

I didn't bother to read any further. You lost me here as that is a very debatable statement.

Not just debatable, downright disingenuous, and without a shred of proof offered other than the assertation that it is "fact".

[Serrland]

Demands All Member Nations to:
-ensure the security of their nation’s academy, and its students and faculties,

How? Not all nations can afford to allocate security forces and funds to an academy established arbitrarily by an extra-national entity. "Ensure safety" is a tough thing to mandate, too, as nothing can ensure safety. An earthquake can strike at any time, a plan could crash into it, a train could derail spilling chemicals nearby, etc. I prefer that WA resolutions don't demand the impossible.

[The Palentine]

Demands All Member Nations to:
-ensure the security of their nation’s academy, and its students and faculties,

How? Not all nations can afford to allocate security forces and funds to an academy established arbitrarily by an extra-national entity. "Ensure safety" is a tough thing to mandate, too, as nothing can ensure safety. An earthquake can strike at any time, a plan could crash into it, a train could derail spilling chemicals nearby, etc. I prefer that WA resolutions don't demand the impossible.

The good but unwholesome senator is sitting at his desk, smoking a fine Yeldan Cigar, and sipping Wild Turkey Rare Breed. Of course that is a normal pastime for the degenerate reprobate. He is also field stripping and cleaning his Colt 1911a Goverment Model pistol. Pauasing from his labors, he speaks in his microphone,

"The best way to ensure one's personal safety is to rely on oneself. That's why most Palentine citizens carry handguns. Very simple, and cheaper than using The Palentine Marine Corps to provide security."

*Resumes his labors, and quietly hums the Marine Corps Hymn*

[Philimbesi]

Ambassador Franke,

What about nations that espouse a secular education system? Will the WA schools in those nations also teach the same secular curriculum?

I'm very leery about us going into the full time education business, perhaps it would be better to try and develop a problem school program where the WA can help schools or districts in member nations that are in trouble get back on to more stable footing?

Nigel S Youlkin
WA Ambassador - USP