Decorum, like democracy, only works when people are watching

Warning: This Session may involve incidents of verbal abuse, violent language, disrespect for authority and bullying behaviour that may be unacceptable for a young audience. Parental discretion is advised.

How long would it take for a committee to order up and install a sign containing the above on the doors to the Visitors Gallery at the Alberta Legislature? 

How long would it take for Speaker Gene Zwozdesky to enforce the rules of decorum needed for the sign not to be needed in the first place?

Well, at least you can say he's trying. But he'll accomplish nothing until voters demand it.

On Monday, CBC News reported that Zwozdesky interrupted question period to chide members over their rude behaviour.

“It's rude, it's disrespectful. You all saw the letter I sent you from one school,” he said. “I could send you more from other schools who have now said they're not even bringing their students here to question period anymore. How do you like that?"

Excuse me? How's that again?

There are two problems here. The first is that more than once, school teachers have felt the need to tell our government that they will no longer be taking tours into the legislature, because of the unacceptable behaviour of their duly-elected representatives. Without apparent effect.

The second is that the schools did not inform anyone else that such a decision was necessary. Public pressure, in my view, is the only way to gain effect.

A word to the wise should be sufficient, the saying goes. But a private letter to government about something like this has no effect until it is made public.

The school that we know about — thanks to CBC's digging — is Innisfail Middle School. CBC reported the original warning Zwozdesky made in the legislature (making its existence part of the public record) and then got a copy of the letter, plus an interview with Grade 6 teacher Tom Stones.

A study of government and democracy is part of the curriculum for middle school. The curriculum seems to be missing the part about the requirement of a public eye, for it all to work.

Instead, the students got to witness behaviour that would get them pretty severe consequences if they behaved that way themselves.

Schools have a zero tolerance for bullying. I say the power to enforce that policy comes from the knowledge that incidences of bullying can find their way into the newspaper.

The teacher team sent a letter dated Nov. 22 to the speaker, and the leaders of the provincial political parties. It referred to a visit the students made Nov. 6. The public didn't know about this until March 10.

“In the short time we were in session, we witnessed members tell each other that they ‘suck and blow,’ motions across the floor from one representative to another inviting them outside to fight, verbal invitation to fight, and again, numerous reprimands from the Speaker,” the letter says.

In an interview, Stones said the students were indeed impressed. “A number of the kids looked at me in the legislature and said,'Are they allowed to say that?'”

Later, the students agreed that such behaviour on their part would result in consequences. Again, it's the consequences, not the policy, that changes behaviour.

A few days later, Stones said, the students held a mock legislature. One class joker volunteered to be the guy who asked the other guy to step outside. At least he was paying attention.

The tour of the legislature was superb, the letter said. The guides were informative of the history of the building and the processes that go on within it. But seeing their MLAs in action? Not suitable for family viewing

I'm not averse to seeing a little passion find its way into the house. Question period is not a complete example of legislative work. If you really wanted to turn kids off politics, have them watch the enabling motion to amend Subsection 3b (iii) of Section 7 of some act or other — first reading.

What bothers me is the lack of understanding of the role of the Fifth Estate in a stable democracy. Democracy does not exist unless it is public and transparent.

When I was in Grade 6, we didn't get a tour of the Alberta Legislature. Instead, we toured the Edmonton Journal.

Newspaper tours made a lot bigger impression in the days of newsrooms filled with the noise of people shouting into phones to be heard above a dozen typewriters clacking — not to mention through the pall of tobacco smoke.

Molten lead in the production area was way more interesting than today's direct-to-plate laser printers. I swiped a lead representation of Colonel Sanders I found unattended in a tray, leaving a 4-H logo for somebody else. Choices.

That tour affected a lot of my later choices, just like a legislature tour might affect choices made by students today.

But I respected the work that went on in the newsroom. When teachers fear that respect for the democratic process would be lost on students if it ever became visible to them, democracy is in trouble.

It takes more than a letter to change that. It takes making the issue public.