Photo by Michelle Nealy. Duane Arbogast, Prince George’s chief academic officer, Maryland Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown, Amber J. Simmon, president of the Black Student Union at the University of Maryland, College Park and Leslie Hall, former student member of Prince George’s Board of Education.

Published on: Wednesday, March 03, 2010

By Michelle J. Nealy

Instead of reading about government, a group of Maryland students got a lesson in politics from a real politician.

Maryland Lt. Gov. Anthony G. Brown alongside Leslie Hall, a former member of Prince George’s Board of Education, Duane Arbogast, academic officer for Prince George’s County and two other panelists, spoke to Wise High School students in Upper Marlboro about diversity, health care and higher education Friday as part of a Black History Month event.

The panel addressed Will Thomas’ AP History class. Thomas, Prince George’s 2009 Teacher of the Year, hoped the speakers would take the concepts his students learn in class and link them to their real life experiences.

“In class, we are talking about matters of budgeting. We are talking about where students’ careers are going. Some of them are interested in government-related positions,” Thomas said. “What I am trying to show them is that no matter what career you pick, the concepts that you are learning will apply.”

Students like Graham Hayes, a sophomore, delved into the conversation. Hayes asked Brown to relay his thoughts concerning President Barack Obama’s recent health care summit.

“The meeting was a good effort  tore-establish momentum,” said Brown. “We have got to do something to reform health care. Thirty-one million people in this country don’t have health insurance, about 800,000 here in Maryland. I don’t think that last night’s health care summit made a difference. Republicans are entrenched in their views. Democrats are pretty fixed on their views.” 

Destini Campfield, a senior, asked Brown to touch on affirmative action. If a candidate is the most qualified, why should race or gender be a consideration when hiring, she asked.

“Our diversity is our greatest strength: diversity of race, culture, religion and geography. In our minds, we know that we want our cabinet to reflect the diversity of Maryland,” Brown said. 

Arbogast told students to consider diversity as a problem-solving mechanism. 

“When I’m picking a team, I consider all the pressures that will be on the team and pick the people that can help the team respond to those pressures. I’m not thinking about who is white and who is black and who is young and who is old,” Arbogast said.

Offering one last piece of advice, Brown told students to attend a university in the state of Maryland when they graduated from high school.

“It’s less expensive. We got quality schools, and there is a lot of choice,” Brown said.

Hall, who is currently a student at Bowie State University, agreed. 

“Higher education is very costly. Me attending Bowie State instead of The University of Pennsylvania, where I wanted to go, is benefitting pockets tremendously,” Hall said.