Fifth-Graders Join in Presidential Race

The red, white and blue balloons were inflated just so. The hand-lettered campaign signs hung behind the desk-turned-podium. And the candidates were polished and well-rehearsed.

“My tax plan cuts taxes 15% for working people to survive,” said one presidential hopeful at a well-attended Thursday debate. To put more police on the streets, another advocated “training people who don’t have jobs to be a cop.”

But the presidential wannabes weren’t Republicans Bob Dole and Jack Kemp versus Democrats Bill Clinton and Al Gore. Nope. The smooth talkers were ID4’s Donna Greene and Megan Schultz facing off against the Polar Party’s Diane Kane and George Knox--fictional candidates created by Justin Elementary School fifth-graders.

The students in two classes began studying politics at the onset of the school year, emphasizing current events, history, writing, public speaking and mathematics.

From creating political parties, nominating candidates, holding conventions, creating advertisements and campaign propaganda, budgeting expenses and watching the Clinton-Dole presidential debates on television, about 65 students experienced the rigors of politics firsthand.

They learned a lot, agreed Stephanie Marotta, HollyAnne Ostrem, Karen Schulz and Christopher O’Sullivan, the alter egos of the political candidates.

“I think it costs a lot of money--even though we didn’t pay for it, the teacher did--to run a campaign,” said Karen, 10, who played presidential candidate Kane.

“I didn’t know I would be so nervous,” said HollyAnne, 9, who portrayed vice-presidential contender Megan Schultz. Teacher Wendy Jensen said her students have caught the politics bug in a big way--they know where the real candidates stand on issues and what they said at rallies last week. “They probably are as well-informed--if not more so--than their parents are on the national presidential races,” she said.

Among the students’ campaign issues were mandatory recycling, with a stiff fine for noncompliance; making sure hunters have a “good reason” before they get a license; instituting more community cleanup days; bolstering education and technology; and, yes, cutting taxes.

Using ballot boxes covered in red construction paper, students will vote on election day for a president and vice president in each fifth-grade class.

Perhaps foreshadowing the fate of the much-fabled gender gap in national politics, the political parties did not field a single male presidential candidate.