Friday, high school students from Mississippi demonstrated their knowledge of the Constitution, but some said they felt cheated. Before the “We the PeopleThe Citizen and the Constitution” competition, students learn about the organization of American constitutional democracy and the importance of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.
During the competition, the students proved their knowledge of constitutional standards and had opportunities to impart their positions on relevant historical and contemporary issues by reporting to a panel of judges in a timed simulated congressional hearing.
Starkville High School students said they thought differently about the experience.
Charlie Murphey, Starkville High School student, said, “It’s really a lesson in learning to evaluate one’s choices and abilities of the manipulating powers of authority.”
“This is the first year it has been here at Mississippi State,” Miss. coordinator in department of curriculum and instruction Susie Burroughs said. “There are 18 people coming to campus for judging, including a state senator and a state Supreme Court justice.”
Mike Chaney, a state senator; Frank McKenzie, chancery court judge; and Billy Joe Landrum, circuit court judge, were among those participating as judges.
“There are six different unit awards and one overall winner who will go to Washington, D.C., the first weekend in May for the national finals,” Burroughs said.
Ocean Springs High School won overall in five out of six units. R. H. Watkins High School also won a unit.
Starkville High School student Shoshana Brackett said, “We learned a lot about the government, how it’s done, how it was developed and run now.”
The Starkville students from teacher Kay Krans’ class agreed that the judges were nice, and the students appreciated the day out of from school.