Senator helps educate students on state government

JACKSON, Tenn. — Tennessee Senator Ed Jackson visited schools Wednesday morning, discussing state government with students.

Jackson Central-Merry Early College High students got a treat of knowledge about the U.S. Constitution. Students also received pocket-sized Constitutions and copies of the Tennessee Blue Book.

“It’s very important because kids need to know where we come from, how our country was formed, why did it get formed, why did we have a Revolutionary War for Independence for the United States,” Jackson said.

Jackson says talking to students during this election season has even more of an impact. He says he wants students to have the tools to be able to fully dissect a candidate who is running in an election. He wants them to be able to know who they’re voting for and what they stand for.

“‘Do they represent the values that I have, that I want to see?’ It’s important to me because I have grandchildren in the schools across the state, and it’s important that we be able to educate these children like I’d like to see them educated,” Jackson said.

Jackson Central-Merry Principal Nathan Lewis says the school is continuously working to enlighten students to people in various fields of work.

“We also try to teach students that it’s important for them to learn to self-advocate, and what better way to do that then to personally ask questions or talk to your local representatives, whether that be the state level or the local level,” Lewis said.

Lewis says it’s important for students to know that, like Jackson, they too can run for office someday.

“Also to know that people that live where they live and that are in the area that they’re from, that that is who is representing them,” Lewis said.

Jackson says he has a few other schools on his list to visit to be able to make sure many students have the same government knowledge.