Woodland students learn politics from guest speaker, forum trip

Woodland — Shari Conditt, a social studies teacher at Woodland High School, recently offered a few opportunities for her AP Government students to learn how the American political system works. On Sept. 17, Edward DeBray, staff attorney for the Cowlitz County Office of Public Defense, spoke to students in Conditt’s and Katie Klaus’ social studies classes about the role of the public defender and how it became a right following a Supreme Court case in 1963. On Sept. 18, Conditt took her AP Government students on a field trip to the 3rd Congressional District forum featuring Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler, R-Battle Ground, and Democrat Carolyn Long. The students engaged with others at the forum to learn about varying political views. They were also a bit surprised at the behavior of their fellow forum guests, and how some guests didn’t give the candidates respect.