Sen. Sanders youth town meeting features Crossett Brook 8th grader

Feb. 24, 2022  |  By Emmett Gartner | Correspondent

Crossett Brook 8th grader Grady Hagenbuch participates in the online forum with Sen. Bernie Sanders. Screenshot

From his office in Washington, D.C, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., talks with Vermont students in an online town meeting recently. Screenshot

A recent virtual town meeting hosted by U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., featured Crossett Brook middle schooler Grady Hagenbuch in a discussion that included the stresses and hardships endured by Vermont students throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

The student panel held Feb. 16 consisted of three middle school students and three high school students from across the state. Along with the panel, other students were invited to call-in and share their perspectives on how the pandemic has affected their lives.

“The pandemic has had a huge impact on every person in Vermont and every person in America. Sometimes when we talk about the impact of the pandemic, we’re not focusing enough on young people, who perhaps have been hardest hit by what is going on today,” Sanders said in his opening remarks.

During his allotted time, Hagenbuch first spoke about the wave of hope he felt when the vaccines rolled out last spring and Vermonters were remaining responsible with masking.

At the start of the winter, however, the Waterbury 8th grader said his mood shifted. 

“It felt pretty good, then the omicron variant hit,” Hagenbuch said. “I know that we were still progressing forward, but it felt like we had gone back to the beginning [of the pandemic] again, and it scared me more than anything.”

The surge in COVID-19 cases disrupted Hagenbuch’s plans to serve as a legislative page at the Vermont State House in Montpellier. The program was reduced to two weeks instead of six and Hagenbuch said he felt the anxiety running through the State House as staff and legislators tried to be COVID-safe.

“I have been more stressed these past few months more than I have the entirety COVID,” Hagenbuch said.

When asked about Vermont schools’ increased reliance on virtual learning by a student at St. Albans City School, Sanders reassured the student audience about returning to classrooms and staying there.

“I hope that as soon as possible, and I think that is the case in school districts around the state, kids can return to their classrooms and have their normal, traditional interactions with their teachers,” Sanders said.

Sanders added, “I think that there are some parents that are nervous about sending their kids back to school and we appreciate that; online learning will be with us for a while. But my hope is that we’ll be able to get more kids back into the classrooms and to what we’ve always done.”

Students participating in the event joined from communities all around Vermont including Brownington, Proctor, Burlington, Newport, Bennington, Fairfax, Winooski, Bellows Falls, Morrisville, Rutland and Barton. 

They described numerous impacts they’ve experienced during the pandemic including mental health challenges and missing learning opportunities such as studying abroad. A number of adults with experience on issues from health care and mentorship to education, jobs, and after-school programming, also joined the event to offer suggestions on resources and support for students.

Beyond the pandemic, student panelists raised concerns regarding other national problems they feel are affecting their lives and futures. The discussion touched on inadequate curriculums and plans for college, affordable housing, civil rights, standardized testing, and power and money in politics. Students asked about how to get more involved in government and how to make their voices heard on issues such as averting a climate disaster for future generations. 

Sam Blackman, a senior at Mount Anthony Union High School, asked Sanders what students can do about issues like economic turmoil and government instability, and what the government can do for students. 

“As a generation, we’re being thrown into the teeth of multiple different crises… There is just a lot of instability that this generation is coming of age in right now,” he told Sanders. “What do you think that we can do ourselves, and what do you think that people in government can do to try to set us up the best to be able to deal with the coming crises – because this isn’t going to stop… It’s just a lot that comes down on our generation right now.”

Sanders responded, “You’re absolutely right. I wish I could tell you something else. A lot, a lot is coming down on your shoulders. This is hard. We have given your generation an enormous number of crises to deal with, and we’re going to have to figure our way through it.”

The last participant of the town hall asked Sanders what young students can do to get involved with state politics, and Sanders answered by reflecting on his own experience as a student.

“When I was in high school and I was interested in what was going on in [state politics], I would invite my local representative to come to the high school and have a discussion with us. And they will come. Sit down with them, ask them questions,” Sanders said. 

He concluded, “Young people often don't have enough input into the decision making that impacts their lives in school. Go to the school board. Go to your local city council or select board. Don’t be afraid, don’t be intimidated. Express your views.”

The student town meeting with Sen. Bernie Sanders hearing from Vermont school students was held Feb. 16 and can be viewed online on the Senator Bernie Sanders YouTube Channel. Screenshot