Students Challenged To Look At Politics

By Craig Day, News On 6

MIAMI, OK -- Recent turmoil involving the financial markets has many people talking in Washington and on Wall Street. Politicians, analysts, investors and taxpayers are all speaking out about corporate bailouts. And the financial meltdown also has some school kids in one Green Country town, not just talking, but taking action.

At Richard Cannon's advanced placement government class at Miami High School, current events are always topics of discussion.

Cannon challenges his students each year to take on a class project, to get them involved in political issues.

This year's topic, millions of dollars in severance packages for CEO's of failed Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, struck a nerve.

"The response was as you might expect, well that's not fair, that's not right and I said what are you going to do about it?" said Cannon.

So the students came up with a petition, saying it's unfair to current and future taxpayers to pay huge severances to CEO's who led their company into five trillion dollars worth of debt.

"I don't think that's right for someone to screw up a company and get paid for not doing their job right," said senior Jonathan Brice.

"Not many high school kids get involved in petitions, every once in a while we'll have a petition around school for better lunch food or something, but nothing like huge in the government," said Derekka Dillon.

The students have gathered more than 700 signatures so far.

Not only are the students circulating the petition here at their school and in the community, they're also contacting other schools to get other students to see how far they can take the issue.

The next step is to get as many signatures as possible over the next couple of weeks and then forward them to members of Oklahoma's congressional delegation.

"I go home every night, talking to my parents about government now," said Dillon.

The students hope to bring awareness to the issue and at the very least, the experience has peaked their interest in government and politics.

"Be responsible.  Step up.  I think that was the whole intent of our founding fathers, get involved," said Cannon.

And even though only one student in the class is old enough to vote, all are old enough to make a difference.

The students in Miami have a blog set up for people to find out more about the petition drive. Click here, to learn how you can sign it.