Pete Stark (D-CA) appeared on Logan Live yesterday, as the long tenured congressman held a town hall meeting in the Little Theater of James Logan High School.
Stark, who has represented the 13th district of California since 1972, answered questions from junior and senior Logan students concerning political issues such as abortion, the war in Iraq, immigration, and surveillance cameras at stop lights.
The meeting was televised school-wide, throughout all of 3rd period. It was also broadcast on Comcast's Channel 27, New Haven Unified District's channel.
James Rardin, director of Logan Live, explained Stark's appearance on the school's TV show. "[He's] a part of series of speakers that I wanted to invite
on the show. I was looking for local political figures...so he's another one in the continuing effort to do that."
"I'm a government teacher also, so it's important for me for the students to see the faces with the name that we talk about in class." Rardin added.
Alida Lombardi, a history teacher here at Logan, also explained the positive
effect of having political figures, such as Stark, be seen and interact with
Logan Students. "The decisions that they make effects the students, and I think it's really important for young people to be politically socialized... to
understand how they, as young people, can make a difference and how they're impacted by the decisions these politicians make. I think it helps your political awareness when you put a face to a name you hear."
Stark has been described as a very left wing politician, something he did not try to hide at yesterday's town hall meeting.
"He has the strong support of the decidedly Democratic district," said Jeffrey Ustick, "[He] is a consistent defender of individual rights, an advocate for public health care and meaningful Social Security reform and a critic of much of the current Bush agenda."
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