Middleburg Charter Students Show Political Prowess on CBS
by Leonard Shapiro
Katie Brennen got the word from school principal David Larson on a Thursday night, telling her that a crew from CBS News would be coming into her fifth grade classroom at the Middleburg Community Charter School bright and early the following Monday. They’d be there to tape a segment for the network’s morning show, a timely feature on how 11- and 12-year-olds were reacting to one of the most raucous—and occasionally vicious—political campaigns in recent history.
“I was thrilled,“ said Brennen, who lives in Paris, Virginia and teaches fourth and fifth grade at MCCS. In January, she and her students had already been talking about the presidential campaign as part of their current events curriculum. She’d also asked them to formulate their own lists of the most important issues in the 2016 election.
“We’re supposed to know about all the states and all the capitals, and what better way to get into it then to talk about the primaries and debates,“ Brennen said. “I also asked them to come up with their own platforms and what was most important to them.“
On Monday, March 14, the CBS crew began taping what amounted to a five-minute segment that aired the next morning. Veteran CBS correspondent Chip Reid, accompanied by a producer, two cameramen and a sound technician, took over the classroom. Five of Brennen’s students from a class of ten sat on two risers and answered Reid’s questions for nearly an hour.
CBS only wanted five children, and the only fair solution was to put all the students’ names in a hat and pick the first five. With several nervous parents watching out of camera range, Reid did his very best to make the children feel at ease, and none seemed at all intimidated.
Here, for example, are some excerpts from a transcript of what was shown to an audience of millions the next morning. To protect their privacy, CBS and Middleburg Life used only first names—Max, Ella, Brynn, Ananya and Will.
“What do you like watching about the debates, Max?” Reid asked.
“They make us, like, laugh,” Max responded.
“They make you laugh? Does anybody in particular make you laugh?” Reid asked.
“Donald Trump,” Will whispered.
“Why does Donald Trump make you laugh, Ella?” Reid asked.
“I agree with some of his platforms,” she said, “but it’s just, he’s never been in politics. But, somehow, he’s winning.”
“If you were old enough to vote, who would vote for Donald Trump?” Reid asked. Nobody volunteered.
“No,” Ananya responded.
“What’s the main reason you wouldn’t vote for him?” Reid said.
“I don’t think he, like, ever answers the questions,” Brynn said.
“Well, how mean he is,” Max added.
Some of the students said they occasionally found it all difficult to watch.
“Are you tired of them being mean to each other?” Reid asked.
“Yes.”
“Are you tired of them talking over each other?” Reid asked.
“Yes.”
“Are you tired of them making fun of each other?” Reid asked.
“Yes.”
“Where do you think all that started?”Reid said.
“Donald Trump,” the group said together.
“He says he’s gonna make American great again,“ Reid said. “Do you believe him?”
They all said no.
“I think he’s gonna make it worse,” Will said.
The students said they pay close attention to a range of issues, including immigration, gun control and terrorism.
“Donald Trump has said that one way you deal with terrorism is just keep all Muslims out of the country, from coming into the country for now,” Reid said.
“That’s not the way,” Will said.
“Not all Muslims are bad,” Max said.
“Yeah, some Muslims are probably super nice,” Will said.
In the interest of political fairness, Trump was not the only politician mentioned. Asked about Hillary Clinton, Anna said, “personally, I wouldn’t vote for (her). But, what I’m most worried about is, even if a woman was president, would all the women’s rights issues be solved?”
“I think that barrier needs to be broken for a woman to be president,” Ella added. “But, would she do a better job? Not necessarily.”
“What do you think of Bernie (Sanders)?” Reid asked.
“I think he’s made too much promises,” Max said.
Several times during the taping, Reid complimented the students, at one point proclaiming “the wisdom in this room is astounding.” Then later, “I wish all the voters were as informed as you are.”
Katie Brennen watched it all with a huge smile on her face.
“I’ve been telling the kids that politics is not always black and white, but a lot of gray areas,“ she said. “I think that came across. I’m just so proud of all of them.”