Local teacher pushes for Supreme Ct nomination
PATASKALA - Licking Heights Local Schools teacher Gina Daniels usually finds herself discussing history- and civics-related subjects in front of a classroom filled with students.
On May 18, she found herself in the White House discussing the subjects in front of Valerie Jarrett, a senior adviser to President Barack Obama.
Daniels, who teaches an American Studies class at Licking Heights High School, made the trip to urge the United States Senate to vote on Obama's nominee to the U.S. Supreme Court, Judge Merrick Garland.
She was joined by eight other civics, history and social studies teachers from around the country.
The group met with senior Obama administration officials, including Jarrett, for a discussion regarding the Supreme Court's confirmation process. During the meeting, the educators also outlined how they teach the subject of the Supreme Court — and its role in the country's form of government — to their students.
Not surprisingly, Daniels was taken aback by being able to step foot in the White House and the West Wing, places she had talked about in class lesson plans but never visited.
"For all the history teachers there, we were kind of in history nerd heaven," she said.
Still, Daniels' trip was not an end-of-the-school-year vacation.
The National Education Association invited her and the eight other teachers because they had strong opinions on the Senate's unwillingness to schedule a hearing on Garland's nomination.
Daniels used a teaching analogy to explain why she is so passionate about the issue.
"It would be like me refusing to teach the Revolutionary War to my students," she said. "That's just unacceptable."
Daniels arrived in Washington D.C. on May 17 and left the next day, but during her whirlwind visit she also had the time to meet briefly with Ohio Sen. Rob Portman and a legislative aide to Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown and take in a mock Supreme Court confirmation hearing by Senate judiciary committee Democrats.
With one seat on the Supreme Court unfilled since the death of Associate Justice Antonin Scalia, Daniels said the subject of the current eight-judge Supreme Court makeup is arising in classroom discussions around the country.
"We've got these (Supreme Court) cases that are coming back tied or sent back to the (lower courts)," she said.
Daniels said many students she has spoken too also are dismayed by the political squabbling and gridlock in Washington D.C.
"(It) leaves students feeling disillusioned," said Daniels, adding that disillusionment leaves students not wanting to participate in politics.
Daniels shared that feedback with Jarrett and other politicians during her short trip to Washington D.C.
The NEA sought out Daniels for the trip after she and other teachers signed a letter earlier this year urging senators to hold a confirmation hearing on Garland.
Now that she has returned home, Daniels remains just as passionate about the issue.
A future President of the United States could be sitting in her class, she said, and for that reason she said she does not want to see her students becoming disillusioned about politics.
"How are we inspiring our young people to improve the system we have, as opposed to letting it sit in dysfunction?" she asked.
Daniels added she enjoyed having the opportunity to make her voice heard.
"It felt good to do something, rather than sit back and complain," she said.