[Vision2020] Moscow Students Take a Stand

[Tom Hansen]

Courtesy of today's (March 4, 2011) Moscow-Pullman Daily News.

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Taking a stand by sitting in: Moscow High students stay in school
overnight to protest Idaho education reforms

By Christina Lords, Daily News Staff Writer

While a group of Moscow High School students have serious concerns about
Idaho Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Luna's education reform
pending before the state Legislature, they knew they didn't want to send
the wrong message.

"We know other students have been leaving schools in walk-outs, but we
wanted to stay in school to show how much we love our teachers," said
Celeste Hufford, a MHS senior and one organizer of Thursday night's Save
Our Schools, Stay in School sit-in.

The idea for the sit-in was implemented by a handful of concerned students
Tuesday after students around the state walked out of classrooms on Monday
in protest of the proposed legislation.

Students spent the night camped out in the high school's commons giving
educational sessions, speeches, writing legislators and creating protest
signs.

Students were required to have signed parental permission to stay the
night in the school and were encouraged to bring art supplies,
instruments, food and laptops for the event, Hufford said.

Ames Fowler, a MHS senior, said the students have been utilizing social
networking sites like Facebook to communicate with other students across
the state to develop forums for discussions on the education reform and
organize future rallies.

Fowler started a Facebook group titled "Idaho citizens for real,
comprehensive education reform" and has been using it and other groups to
organize events statewide.

About 15 to 20 MHS students plan to attend the statewide student rally
from noon to 3 p.m. Saturday at the Capitol Building, pending available
transportation to and from Boise. They plan to spend the night in the
Idaho Education Association's basement, Hufford said.

He said students have a role to fill in the reform and deserve a voice in
the debates.

The students divided the sit-in into five stages.

The first stage featured an informational session about the legislation to
educate students on the reform. Hufford said student organizers of the
event spent ample time discussing the legislation with Penni Cyr, a member
of Moscow Education Association and Idaho's director of the National
Education Association, as well as several other teachers within the
school.

"One of the criticisms we've seen is that students are rising up to
protest but don't know what they're talking about," Hufford said.

But students are able to make insightful, informed comments about the
reform if given the right tools, she said. They should be a part of the
discussion because they're the ones directly affected by the changes,
Hufford said.

The event featured student speakers, including Hufford, David Steury and
slam poetry about the reforms by Kadin McGreevy.

Hufford said she hoped by the end of the informational session and student
speeches that students would be encouraged to write their state
legislators.

After coordinating with other students around the state, MHS students are
in charge of the sign making for the statewide protest, Hufford said.

Students will protest against the legislation on Third Street from 7:45
a.m. until school starts today.

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Seeya round town, Moscow.

Tom Hansen
Moscow, Idaho

"The Pessimist complains about the wind, the Optimist expects it to change
and the Realist adjusts his sails."

- Unknown