Local students take on major policy issues

by Paul Morel

Everyone seems to agree that the young people of today will inherit a world defined by controversy and difficult choices. And yet there have been relatively few opportunities for the next generation to discuss those issues outside of a classroom context. A recent field day for high school students presented by the University of Minnesota’s College of Continuing Education seeks to do just that.

On Thurs., Jan 9, a group of 400 students from 15 local schools descended on the U of M campus to participate in a version of Minnesota’s “citizen jury” system of issues management. Among them was a group of upper classmen from Washburn High School. The event was put together by the College in the Schools Program, which aims to provide college-level learning experiences to high-achieving public high school students.

According to Sue Henderson, Director of College in the Schools, the event began with all of the students being assigned to one of three topics facing state and local policy makers. One group was asked to assess the relationship between homeland security and personal freedoms, and the tradeoffs that citizens are willing to make for safety’s sake. Another group was asked to look at the state of traffic congestion in the metro area, and consider what steps government might take to alleviate it. A third group was asked to consider under what condition government should move to reduce the growing income disparity between the rich and the poor.

Each group was addressed by two specialists in fields relating to their assigned topics. For instance, the first group (discussing the scope of homeland security) was addressed by Rep. Rich Stanek and Prof. Timothy Johnson, a member of the Political Science faculty at the University. Afterward the students were broken down into “juries” of between 12 and 18 students where they discussed what they were told by the specialists. The goal of the discussion was to think of recommendations for policy makers. A foreman from each jury then reported to two student recorders, who condensed the small groups’ thoughts into a formal list of recommendations.

In format, the program was designed to mimic the “citizen jury” system of issue management that Minnesota began in the mid-1970s: citizens from around the state were invited to spend a week discussing an issue before making recommendations to a state policy maker. For the conclusion of the field day, the students’ recommendations were delivered to Rep. Bill Kuisle, Assistant Majority Leader and Chairman of the House Transport Finance Committee.

While there were often major disagreements within juries, a few overall themes emerged from each of the three issue groups. The group addressing homeland security stressed that all aspects of bills affecting personal privacy—including the Patriot and Homeland Security Acts—should operate with a five-year sunset clause and not continue indefinitely. They also felt that clauses referring to all criminal activity, rather than just terrorist activity, should be reconsidered. The transportation group emphasized that the state should remedy pressing problems with road construction (where appropriate), but that long-term planning should focus on various types of mass transit, as well as more pedestrian-friendly city planning. The group addressing income disparities emphasized providing a base level of education for all and increasing early childhood education, as well as decreasing state taxes for low-income families.

The College in the Schools program has been in existence since 1986, and provides the opportunity for high school students to take classes at the collegiate level within area schools. The program assigns a faculty person from the University to work with interested teachers in a number of disciplines to present a more challenging classroom experience. The faculty person provides presentations and workshops that assist the teachers. Students completing the classes can earn University credits.

Kristine Lamm, who teaches the College in the Schools economics program at Washburn high, went to observe her students in action. “I was extremely proud of our students. I thought that they did a very good job,” she says. “Also,” she adds a bit sheepishly, “not to brag, but I got the feeling that our students weren’t just as prepared, but more prepared; not as articulate, but more articulate.”