Childers and the 8th Graders

Travis Childers got some mixed press recently after chatting with 8th graders.

Desoto Times Tribune -

"I'm extremely impressed," Congressman Travis Childers said following a visit to Southaven Middle School on Friday.

The First District representative to Washington, D.C. spent roughly an hour with a group of eighth graders at the school, telling them about his work in the nation's capital and answering questions they had about topics including the war in Iraq and the state of the economy.

"I don't know at their age I would have known to ask those questions," Childers said about the students' depth of knowledge about national issues. "I don't think my interests were as broad. These are top-notch kids."

Commercial Appeal -

Lauren Lovett, 14, wanted to know about prayer in schools.

"I support prayer in schools," Childers said. "It's my personal faith that dictates that."

She was soon to discover that in politics, answers can be complicated.

Childers added that though he supports prayer he would not want to be told who to pray to and does not want prayer in schools to become a big, divisive issue.

"I would like him to elaborate more," Lauren said later.

Charlene Cain, another 14 year old, was not satisfied with Childers' discussion of the federal bailout of AIG and other financial institutions. She wants to go into politics and wants a firmer understanding of the decisions she sees publicized in the media.

Students weren't the only ones with questions. Richard Naquin, the history teacher, asked Childers to explain the difference between the Democratic and Republican parties.

Childers pointed out that even among those labels there are differences. He said he's a "Southern Democrat," but that it is not fair to judge an individual based on the view of a party.

"I don't really get hung up on labels," Childers said.