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Show SchooLprs. and tIVA Home cp J by fU Dr. Daryl J. McCarty Executive Secretary Utah Education Association A visit to the state legislature "Hey, Mom!" called nine-year-old Tom. "Guess what celebrity I talked to today." "I give up. Who?" "Our class went up to the Capitol today, to-day, and we saw the governor, and I got to talk to our senator and he told me he lives just two streets over from us!" That's a valuable experience for any youngster. They may read in their textbooks tex-tbooks and library books about how governments work. But that's not quite the same as actually watching debate on some matter that comes before the Legislature. Debate of bills in the Legislature can also teach young people an important lesson: That there can be more than one side to an issue.. One key to making these experiences mean something to our children is to discuss that visit to the Legislature with them. Did the debate Tom heard seem important im-portant to him? Would the passage of the bill be good for Utah? How would Tom vote on the bill if he were a state senator or representative? Get the newspaper and see if there's an article on the debate Tom heard during dur-ing his trip to the Capitol. Chances are, there will be some mention of the bill. Many students live too far from the Capitol Building in Salt Lake City to visit the Legislature with their schoolmates. But maybe you could take your son or daughter the next time you make a trip to the area. Better do it quickly, though. The Legislative session ends February 2. It can be a great learning experience for parents and children, and the legislators will greet you warmly. Who knows? Maybe you'll learn as much from the experience s your child. |