What if the Forum Club presentation of Bill Ayers was open strictly to students and staff? What if no parents were allowed? What would the dynamic of the discussion have been? What questions would have been asked?

These are questions that will never be answered because, in fact, parents were allowed in. It was not encouraged, but it was allowed. Without a doubt the dynamic of the discussion would have been different if there were no parents present.

Should parents have been allowed to be present? My instinct tells me no. It was a Forum Club event. The parents being there would be like my parents showing up to a Student Association meeting. Even they would agree that that would be unnecessary. The last time parents have been allowed into a student meeting was to debate the Day of Silence.
 
Some parents feel very strong towards or against Ayers because of his past. While this is perfectly fine, it is my very strong opinion that it was not the time to express these views. It skewed the discussion for the students and the reason why Ayers was there was for the students. It is time students formulate their own opinions, not just what their parents tell them. What is made of the Ayers speech is completely up to the individual.

Parents have had time to solidify their views—on many more issues than just politics. In AP Government we’ve learned that our parents and household we grow up in strongly influence our political beliefs. Our time is still young and it is cheating us to take away the opportunities to educate ourselves. As a senior who is going off to college, it is scary to think some students will be blindsided when they leave their current households.

--Submitted by Emily Mussio, Editor-in-Chief