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Deanie Wimmer reporting This week's events in Salt Lake City have provided a valuable civics lesson for many Utah students.
Students and teachers can see democracy in action with the President's visit and the various rallies; something hard to recreate in the classroom.
Several middle and high school students are studying freedom of speech and the marketplace of ideas on location.
Katie Shervais, 10th Grader: I just think that it's a kind of demonstration of the first amendment and our way of saying, this is what we believe."
Kathryn Christian / Mount Logan Middle School: "I'm here because I disagree with what Bush has been doing with our country."
Not from their American history classrooms, but by attending rallies for and against President Bush and the war in Iraq.
Many did it with the blessing of their teachers, who recognize this week's valuable teaching tool.
Aaron Hadfield, Brighton High School: "We talk about maybe the civil rights movement and protest, the Vietnam protests come up a lot. It's much more powerful when it isn't 40 years ago and in Chicago and other cities. But when we can say right here in Salt Lake City, remember just a couple of weeks ago."
In his American Problems class, he requires students to get out into the community; whether for or against, or just to observe.
Aaron Hadfield, Brighton High School: "So if we can get this next generation motivated , concerned and involved, then i believe that will keep us strong and free."
Katie Shervais, 10th Grader: "This is really interesting, because this is the first experience for me and I think it's really exciting."
Administrators at several schools say students got "educational releases" to attend these downtown events.
