STEM academy students press Little on issues

RATHDRUM — Lt. Gov. Brad Little was impressed when Dave Johnson’s ninth grade civic/government class started the day by reciting the preamble of the U.S. Constitution by heart.

“We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect Union...” the class said in unison as Little joined in.

When finished, the North Idaho STEM Academy students took their seats and Little began to talk about where he was from and what his job entails. A rancher from Emmett, Little studied agribusiness at the University of Idaho and worked to encourage sustainable agriculture. He got involved in public policy early on, which led him to where he is today.

Johnson has invited many local, state and federal government workers to his classes over the years in an effort to expose his students to the people who are actually making things happen.

“I realized a while ago that I could stand up here and tell my kids how the government works, or I could get actual government officials to come in and tell them themselves,” Johnson said. “I not only want my kids to know how government works, but I want them to know these people as just that, people.”

Johnson hopes his guest speakers will show his students they can be part of the government and maybe someday fill one of those jobs.

The first question of the morning came from Bailey Brodwater, who asked Little what kind of cybersecurity jobs there are in Idaho.

To his surprise, the guest speaker said Idaho needs about 1,500 people each year with expertise in cybersecurity.

Another student, Tyler Carlock, asked about pressing social topics like gun control and Syrian refugees in Idaho.

Little chuckled a little when he was asked if he was for or against gun control.

“I am against gun control,” he told the class. He also pointed out that guns are just a way of life in Idaho and the state’s capital is one of the only ones that doesn’t have a magnetometer. Even without it, he said he still feels safe in the building because everyone has a gun on them, or near them.

In response to the question about Syrian refugees, Little said the issue isn’t refugees, but immigration in general. He said refugees are vetted, but people coming into the country on student or work visas are not nearly as vetted, if at all, and that needs to be addressed.

He also noted most of the refugees who come to Idaho are from Congo, Africa, not Syria.

“I think most stuff I asked about, I had my own passion for,” Tyler said after the class was over. “It was fun to ask someone high up how it works and to hear these topics from where he’s coming from.”

Little hit a few more important topics like education funding, the need to diversify the economy and the importance of participating in government by voting.

At the end of class, he told the students they had a lot to look forward to in their lives.

“A key issue in Idaho right now is that the state is growing in some areas so fast, there’s not enough good talent to keep up with it. Study hard, get a good education, and there should be ample work out there for you, especially in a STEM field,” the lieutenant governor told the class. “You’re very blessed to be in Idaho at this time in your life. You’ve got a lot of runway ahead of you.”