Vilonia fifth-graders get in on governmental issues

VILONIA Pint-sized students at Vilonia Middle School have some full-sized ideas concerning the purposes of government and those who participate.

Fifth-graders, in the classroom of Vickie Rogers, participated in a simulated congressional hearing Monday appearing before an audience of parents and peers. Students fielded questions for nearly an hour. Each student appeared to have a field of expertise on a variety of topics.

Some of questions to be asked were known to the students and the answers were prepared in advance while others appeared to be a surprise and required spontaneous answers.

Responding to one question concerning voting age requirements, fifth-grader Katelin Stephens said she believes the public might be better served if voters were required to be at least 20.

"At 18, they are just learning to be a responsible adult," Stephens said, speaking into a microphone. "I'm not sure, at that age, they would know the importance of selecting a proper candidate."

Stephens also believes that voting should be not be allowed via computer due to the possibility of a hacker or someone could lie about their age.

"I would be afraid that people could vote more than one time," she offered.

She said she also believes serious offenders should not be allowed to vote.

"If they have served time in prison for committing a serious crime, I don't think they should be allowed to vote," Stephens said. "They disobeyed the law and disrespected how other people live."

The simulation began with students being told that Congress has formed a congressional committee to examine the U.S. Constitution as well as the purposes of government and that they would be significant participants in the process.

"The members of your group are expert witnesses who will appear before that committee," the students were told by teachers Keith Rorie and Terry Gill, who posed as judges.

Students were then quizzed concerning the Philadelphia Convention which took place in 1787, to address problems in governing the United States. It was said 55 delegates, all men, took part in the deliberations resulting in the United States Constitution.

When asked about the Framers decision to keep the proceedings of the Philadelphia Convention secret, Jacob Chance responded, "I do not agree."

"The framers were writing a document that would govern our country," Chance said. "They wanted to have the chance to discuss ideas freely They were afraid that if their ideas were public they would not be able to say what they really thought. They were so afraid of this that they wanted to keep the notes secret for 30 years. This seems odd since they were writing a document that guaranteed freedom of expression. They had been willing to make their ideas public in the Declaration of Independence. By being secretive, they were missing the opportunity to get ideas from the general population."

Chance doesn't believe the proceedings of a Congressional hearing could be kept a secret in today's society.

"Someone would tell and it would get out to the press and everyone would know," Chance said.

When asked if he believed there was a fair representation of the population at the Philadelphia Convention, Tori Wade answered a thumbs down "no." Many there were richer than others, Wade said, and there were no blacks, slaves or women.

Jessica Brandon responded to a question concerning if it would have been different if women had been in attendance.

"They would have had the right to vote earlier," she said.

For nearly an hour students continued to talk about Bill of Rights, Federalism, the Supreme Court, freedom of expression, civil and responsible society, diplomacy, vetoes, a system of checks and balances and term limits.

A system of checks and balances, according to Taawnee Hodges, is what keeps the president from becoming too powerful.

Johnny Guzan spoke on presidential term limits. He doesn't believe a president should be limited to two terms.

"They should be president as long as people elect them," he said.

Rogers ended the event by addressing the audience, "you can see we have learned some really big words."

Also in attendance was Cathy Riggins, principal, who said it was obvious to her that the young students knew what they were talking about. The exercise, Riggins said, is one of the benefits derived from the national We The People Institute for Middle School Studies attended by Rogers last year.

This summer, Riggins said, Rogers plans to visit the Navaho Nation.

"I wonder what Mrs. Rogers will have for us next year," she said.