On Monday, Representative David Gomberg appeared via video conferencing to face a panel of 10th-grade students with tough questions. They had been writing argument papers on the topic of vaccinations in schools and whether or not exceptions should be granted. All of the students on the panel Taylor Whitton, Josef Kavadas, Damien Graham, Ariel Taylor, and Sean Torres knew where they stood. But they wanted to see how receptive Rep. Gomberg was to their positions.

Overall, it was decided that he was a “good guy” and that they liked how he “listened to them more than even their own family members seemed to at times.” Another student who does extensive research on his own said that he felt like it was “weird but he respected our opinions even though we don’t pay taxes or vote yet.”  They all agreed that Rep. Gomberg does not have an easy job to do helping to shape public policy.

Future debate topics such as when should a person be allowed to drink, drive, and vote? Maybe wait until you can do all 3? And others came up. I think they enjoyed their experience and look forward to engaging with their representatives and forming their own opinions.

Thank you for letting me visit, Ms. Pico’s class! Go, Tigers!