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Lawmaker Visits Elementary

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By COURTNEY CAIRNS PASTOR

cpastor@tampatrib.com

Published: December 17, 2008

WESTCHASE - In November, Dawn Grossman took her fourth-graders to Tallahassee. Last week, Tallahassee came to her fourth-grade class.

State Rep. Faye Culp, R-Tampa, visited about 40 Deer Park Elementary students on Dec. 8 after meeting them briefly at the Capitol. The children had taken a field trip with Grossman, Deer Park's teacher of the year, to learn more about the legislative process.

They have been studying how bills become laws, debates and the state flag and seal. They wrote persuasive speeches, like lobbyists might give, Grossman said.

Culp added a personal touch to the lessons.

Children asked why she ran for office, what she did before politics and if she liked Gov. Charlie Crist.

"Yes," she said. "The governor is very easy to get along with. He's very personable."

But they also touched on more serious issues, such as discussing who is in charge of whom.

The teacher is in control of the classroom, Culp said. But who is in control of Grossman?

The principal, the students answered.

And if the school board is in control of the principal, Culp asked, who has control of the school board?

"They are elected," she said, "so who's in charge of the school board?'

Children guessed the governor or the president. Finally one boy guessed "us."

That's right, Culp said. "The people are in charge of the school board."
Grossman asked the students before the class to write down arguments for or against different statements she had listed on poster board, one of which said that "state representatives can make all of our decisions for us - for kids, too."

"Everyone has their own free will for what they want to think and write," Grossman told them.

Not surprisingly, most of the students disagreed that representatives should make decisions on their behalf, saying "it's a free country" or "I hate being bossed around." One wrote, "I disagree, because I think kids should be able to do what they want."

Culp said the students were right. The legislature makes decisions in Tallahassee, but they are about policy, not personal choices.

"We do not decide what you're going to eat for breakfast," Culp said. "We do not decide what you're going to do on weekends."

Reporter Courtney Cairns Pastor can be reached at (813) 865-1503.

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