By Alex Paul
Gazette-Times reporter | Posted: Wednesday, June 3, 2009 12:00 am
Mock Congress continues today at OSU
Although it was billed as a "mock" Congress, the issues facing students from Cheldelin Middle School on Tuesday and today are real and hard-hitting - gay rights, abortion, gun ownership, funding education, book censorship, the national energy policy and the possible legalization of marijuana - to name a few.
The third annual event continues today at LaSells Stewart Center at Oregon State University for more than 200 eighth-grade students.
Matherin Langley, 14, was elected president. He sees the key issue facing this session of Congress as the environment and threats to endangered species.
"I also believe we should legalize and tax marijuana," Matherin said. "Maybe we should make a test run of it, like they are talking about in California."
Matherin said he was elected after writing a one-page essay and then giving a speech to the rest of the eighth-grade class.
"My speech wasn't too serious," Matherin said. "I believe that when people have fun, they learn better and still get the job done."
Lucas Luna, 14, was elected vice president. Other members of the executive branch were minority leaders Simon Olson, Ben Arbey and Kevin Plissner. George Harder was elected speaker of the house.
Other students comprised the political parties, which were designated as "blue" and "gold." Throughout much of Tuesday, they met in caucus groups to discuss their legislative agendas and bring them to a vote. Today the elected representatives will have floor debates before a joint session of Congress, scheduled for 2:25 p.m. Bills will be signed and President Matherin will make his closing remarks.
"This is a great experience," teacher Melissa Cadotte said. "We focus on government issues during our eighth-grade social studies classes. This gives the students a real insight into how each branch of government functions."
Debate among the delegates was lively and passionate.
When asked if animals should be used in testing of pharmaceuticals, one delegate emitted a resounding, "No!"
But after discussing the need to use test animals to develop medicines that could save human lives, the majority of the delegates voted in favor of it as long as the animals were not abused.
Unlike their adult counterparts, when it came to the question of gay rights - especially whether gays should be allowed to marry - the delegates overwhelmingly voted in favor.
"No one should tell others what to do," one delegate said before the vote.
Abortion should be illegal unless the pregnancy threatens the life of the mother or in the case of rape or incest, the delegates said.
They also supported capital punishment "in some situations," although one delegate said in debate that "killing people is never justified. We shouldn't think it's a good thing to kill people with injections."
Other items brought forward from caucus included:
• Logging should not be allowed in national parks.
• Home schooling should be allowed, but charter schools take money away from the public school system and should not be allowed.
• Censorship of books in public school libraries should not be allowed.
• Businesses should be required to pay employees $1,500 for the first month they are laid off their job.
• More shelters need to be developed for homeless people.
• Approval for government funding of research into cleaner alternative fuels.
Ty Fortmiller said he enjoyed the interactive learning experience and was especially concerned with gun control issues.
"I think we need to get rid of assault rifles in our homes," Ty said. "But people should be allowed to have smaller guns for personal protection."
Other items on the table over the two days included: banning creationism in schools, drug testing in schools, mandatory uniforms, elimination of corporate lobbying, affirmative action, making healthcare affordable to everyone, factory farming, genetic modification of foods, mandatory recycling, doctor-assisted suicide, television's effects on health and legalizing wiretapping with a warrant.
Alex Paul can be reached at alex.paul@lee.net or by calling 758-9526.