Legislators visit Union County school

Students at Jonesboro School had a special civics lesson just about a month before the 2012 general election.

Two Southern Illinois legislators visited with 4th grade students at the Union County school Wednesday morning, Oct. 3.

The students are in the classes of Jonesboro co-teachers Marsha Griffin and Marcy Bundren. The two classes have about 41 students.

Guests of the school were State Sen. Gary Forby, D-Benton, and State Rep. Mike Bost, R-Murphysboro. Both men represent Union County in the state legislature.

The two legislators are on the ballot in the upcoming Nov. 6 general election.

The Jonesboro students have been studying about the three branches of the nation's government.

Griffin said that one of the projects the students did in their studies was to write about what they would do if they were president.

A number of the students wrote that they work to keep the Tamms Correctional Center open.

Plans are in the works to have a mock election, Griffin said.

In his opening remarks to the students, Forby stressed the importance of getting an education.

Bost noted that "one of the great things about being in this country" was that a young person can aspire to do anything in her, or his, life.

He said that a student sitting in the classroom at Jonesboro School could grow up and become president of the United States.

"That's the advantage that you have" and "other countries don't have," Bost said.

Forby pointed out that while he is a Democrat and Bost is a Republican, the two work together for the good of Southern Illinois.

"We want to do what's best for our district," he said.

The legislators took questions from students during their visit. One student asked how a law is made.

Another student, Dylan Smith, wanted to know why the state can't pay its bills.

The state's financial crisis is a matter of "poor decisions over many years," Bost answered. When it comes to spending, he declared that "we have to get it under control."

Both Forby and Bost told the teachers that they were glad to be able to visit the classroom.

Griffin said she was glad the students had an opportunity to meet the legislators firsthand.