How Chattanooga School for the Arts and Sciences students learned citizenship, civics from naturalization ceremony

Staff photo by C.B. Schmelter / Students gather in a circle for a seminar discussion in Brandon Lowry's classroom at Chattanooga School for the Arts and Sciences on Wednesday, March 11, 2020 in Chattanooga, Tenn.
Staff photo by C.B. Schmelter / Students gather in a circle for a seminar discussion in Brandon Lowry's classroom at Chattanooga School for the Arts and Sciences on Wednesday, March 11, 2020 in Chattanooga, Tenn.

Does the United States have a responsibility to live up to the ideals represented by the Statue of Liberty?

Is America more or less united today than when the statue was dedicated in 1886?

Why do the views of some U.S. citizens today remain unwavering in their negative opinions of immigrants or groups of people who are different from themselves?

These questions that high school students at Chattanooga School for the Arts and Sciences (CSAS) asked themselves and their peers after attending a naturalization ceremony held in the school's historic auditorium on March 11.

The questions, along with a mock citizenship test and readings on the history of immigration, the Statue of Liberty and the poem "The New Colossus" by Emma Lazarus, were part of a "Socratic seminar" that social studies teachers planned in conjunction with the ceremony.

CSAS is known for these seminars, or lessons that challenge students to sit in a circle, think critically and sometimes debate ideas with their peers.

Katie Hopper, a senior at CSAS, said the State of Liberty is like a "voice for the people."

"It represents liberty and freedom and all the things that we tell others is important to the United States," she said. "It sort of shows that you don't have to put your best foot forward in this country. It says 'come as you are.'"

But some of Hopper's classmates argued that the United States is failing to live up to the promises inscribed on the statue: "Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free."

"I think our country has responsibilities to these people, but we will never be that way," said Carly Carter, also a senior, sitting just a few seats down from Hopper. "It's like saying all men are equal, but we know they're not."

Across the classroom, on the other side of the circle, senior Brinley Screws said she thinks how some people view immigrants unfavorably is hypocritical.

"I think it's crazy that we busted up into this land and now are telling other people they can't come here," she said. "If we are a safe haven, then we can't have a thousand people waiting in line."

Teaching students civics is something you often hear people claim is lacking in schools or something that community members say they would like to see more often, especially since this is the first year students are required to pass the state's civics test to graduate in Tennessee.

Gov. Bill Lee has put an emphasis on civics education since he took office and then announced the launch of the "Governor's Civics Seal" during his State of the State address in March 2019.

And activities such as the experience of witnessing a naturalization ceremony firsthand and then discussing what it means to be an American can be particularly significant for students.

American government teacher Brandon Lowry and his fellow social studies teacher Benjamin Schulz planned the seminar after U.S. District Court Judge Travis McDonough approached the school about hosting the ceremony.

Nearly 200 people from 59 countries - including Argentina, France, Liberia and Vietnam - officially became naturalized citizens during the ceremony.

Several students said experiencing the ceremony was emotional or a "once-in-a-lifetime" experience. They also said it enhanced their class discussions.

"This is something that separates us from other schools," Lowry said. "To read a text and to sit in a circle and hear what they got out of a certain thing. ... The idea of people having a dead-set mindset on something, that is ripped out of them."

Even the mock citizenship test was surprising for some ninth graders as they guessed at a few of the questions.

Elijah Lauzon and Shawn Russell quietly debated over how many terms a U.S. senator can serve and how many justices sit on the U.S. Supreme Court, while some of their classmates tried to remember the Preamble to the U.S. Constitution that they were required to memorize in middle school.

As part of the naturalization process, immigrants have to pass a citizenship test with dozens of specific questions about the history and governmental structure of the country.

CSAS Upper School principal Jim Boles said the entire experience was eye-opening for his students.

"In a seminar, the idea is there's no correct answer. I think not only the experiences they are gaining from one another, because everyone's perspective is a little different, their thoughts, their ideas, the hope is that they are going to come out with some growth and they have learned something," Boles said. "Hopefully they learned a lot of things today from elected officials. I was very pleased to hear a lot of students quoting the guest speaker, and I also hope they learned from the family being naturalized and from their families. I hope they learned from one another. Bring those things together, and hopefully we've created a better citizen. That's the goal."

Contact Meghan Mangrum at mmangrum@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6592. Follow her on Twitter @memangrum.

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