Idaho SJR 124, Compulsory Public School Attendance Amendment (1972)

Idaho SJR 124
Election date November 7, 1972
Topic Public education governance
Status Approved
Type Legislatively referred constitutional amendment	Origin State legislature

Idaho SJR 124 was on the ballot as a legislatively referred constitutional amendment in Idaho on November 7, 1972. It was approved.

A "yes" vote supported amending the Idaho Constitution to allow the legislature to require children ages six to eighteen to attend public school, unless educated by other means as prescribed by law.

A "no" vote opposed the amendment, thereby retaining the existing constitutional provisions, which did not require children to attend public school if they were determined to have insufficient mental or physical ability, or or had completed at least three years of education between ages six and eighteen.

Election results

Idaho SJR 124
Result		Votes	Percentage
Yes		136,833	50.57%
No		133,735	49.43%

Results are officially certified.

Source

Overview

SJR 124 was the first voter-approved ballot measure to amend Section 9 of Article IX of the Idaho Constitution, which was part of the original state constitution ratified in 1889. Before SJR 124, Section 9 read, "The legislature may require by law, that every child of sufficient mental and physical ability, shall attend the public school throughout the period between the ages of six and eighteen years, for a time equivalent to three years, unless educated by other means." SJR 124 repealed language that exempted children from attending public school if they were determined to have insufficient mental or physical ability or had completed at least three years of education between ages six and eighteen.

Text of measure

Ballot title

The ballot title for SJR 124 was as follows:

“

Shall Section 9, Article IX, of the Constitution of the state of Idaho relating to compulsory attendance at schools be amended to provide that the legislature may require that every child shall attend a public school of the state unless educated by other means as provided by law?

”

Ballot summary

The ballot summary for this measure was:

“

This proposed Amendment would require every child between the ages of six and eighteen years to attend public school in the State of Idaho unless educated by other means prescribed by law. The present Constitution does not require compulsory attendance of public schools for those of insufficient mental and physical ability, or for those who have, between the ages of six and eighteen years, completed "an equivalent to three years."

”

Constitutional changes

See also: Article IX, Idaho Constitution

The ballot measure amended Section 9 of Article IX of the Idaho Constitution. The following underlined text was added and struck-through text was deleted:

The legislature may require by law, that that every child of sufficient mental and physical ability, shall attend the public schools of the state throughout the period between the ages of six and eighteen years, for a time equivalent to three years, unless educated by other means, as provided by law.

Path to the ballot

See also: Amending the Idaho Constitution

A two-thirds (66.67%) vote is required during one legislative session for the Idaho State Legislature to place a constitutional amendment on the ballot. That amounts to a minimum of 47 votes in the Idaho House of Representatives and 24 votes in the Idaho State Senate, assuming no vacancies. Amendments do not require the governor's signature to be referred to the ballot.

See also

1972 Measures

• 1972 Measures
• Public education governance on the ballot
• 1972 legislative sessions

Idaho

• Idaho ballot measures
• Idaho ballot measure laws

News and analysis

• Ballot measure lawsuits
• Ballot measure readability
• Ballot measure polls

External links

• South Idaho Press, “Constitutional Amendments,” November 2, 1972