Bill Would Force Students to Read Ayn Rand and Pass Test About 'Atlas Shrugged' Before Graduating

One message that can easily be pulled from Ayn Rand's books is the value of independent thinking and the dangers of government forced thinking.

Her message has taken a strange turn.

The chairman of the Idaho Senate's Education Committee has introduced a bill to require all students to read Ayn Rand's "Atlas Shrugged".

What' s more, the bill, introduced by State Sen. John Goedde (R) would mandate that each student pass a test on the novel before they are able to graduate from high school, according to The Spokesman-Review. 

“When I read Atlas Shrugged, and it’s been probably 30 years since I read it, but it certainly gives one a sense of personal responsibility,” Goedde said.

In a step further into the twilight zone, Goedde said he was sending a message via the bill to the State Board of Education because he’s unhappy with its recent move to repeal a rule requiring two online courses to graduate from high school. "It was a shot over their bow just to let them know that there's another way to adopt high school graduation requirements. I don't intend to schedule a hearing on it."

Goedde did not expand on the connection between Rand and online courses.