Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, December 21, 1993 TAG: 9312210153
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: LESLIE TAYLOR STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
That was before drugs and guns in schools. Before rampant violence.
Now they want answers - straight ones. No double talk. Nothing too far over their heads.
Used to be, politicians squirmed when asked probing questions by the younger set.
Now they have answers - straight ones, some of them.
Ask students at Salem High School and South Salem Elementary School.
They had a chance Monday to put U.S. Sen. Charles Robb in the hot seat on the second day of his two-day sweep through the Roanoke Valley. After an hour-long talk with about 150 Salem High students, he had a similar chat with a group the same size at South Salem.
At the high school, Robb spent 20 minutes or so wading through an amendment to the anti-crime bill - its proposal to provide money for 100,000 new police officers; to build more federal prisons; to segregate first-time offenders in separate facilities.
Robb's audience was attentive, particularly in the wake of the recent wave of violent crime across the country. When he opened the floor for questions, hands shot up.
"What effect do the recent changes in Russia have on defense downsizing?" ("It will result in another look at our strategic question.")
"In the upcoming election, many of us will be using our power to vote for the first time. What issues will be important?" ("Dealing with the economy is a question that drives elections, particularly federal elections.")
"Did you support President Clinton's budget proposal?" ("I make no apologies for supporting that proposal.")
High school students today are not the political cynics they are so often characterized as, said Mike Jeffreys, a junior. They are "tired of getting the shaft" and more apt, when given the opportunity, to hard-press a politician to provide succinct solutions and provide them effectively, he said.
"A lot of students are fed up," he said. "They're fed up with a corrupt government and people who use it as a way to put money in their pockets. Students as a whole are becoming more involved."
Jeffreys was one of a crowd of students who mobbed Robb after his talk, still firing questions at him.
Jeffreys had no question. He just wanted to shake Robb's hand.
At South Salem, Robb shifted gears a bit. There was no talk of budgets, no mention of crime bills.
But when he asked the students - all fourth- and fifth-graders - how many parents kept weapons at home, more than half raised their hands. When Robb followed up by asking how many of their parents kept the weapons for sport, then how many for protection, an equal number of hands - about 50 - went up in response to each question.
And when Robb asked for questions, hands again shot up.
"Have you ever worked with President Clinton?" ("I've known him for many years. We took foreign trips together as governors. I see the president frequently.")
"Do you support the Disney theme park?" ("I am for it. I visited with [Disney chairman] Mike Eisner last week and talked about that.")
"Have any bills passed that you did not want passed?" ("Yes. Anyone who has served for a few days will tell you the same.")
by CNB