A Bush administration plan would sell 309,000 acres of national forest -- including 900 in this forest near a North Carolina middle school.
(ABCNEWS.com)It began as a current events discussion in Dave Holland's sixth grade science class at Broad Creek Middle School: The Bush administration wants to sell 309,000 acres of national forest land across the country to raise money for rural schools.
Then it got local: About 900 acres of that forest land is in Broad Creek Middle School's backyard.
"After I talked about it with the class," Holland said, "they got a little stirred up."
The plan is fueling protest around the country and in Congress, and the North Carolina students decided to take some action. They wrote letters to Mark Rey, undersecretary of Agriculture for Natural Resources and Environment, the official in Washington in charge of the plan.
"Wouldn't you rather be known for helping save our national natural beauty, instead of helping to destroy it?" wrote Stephanie DeRose, a sixth grader.
"I know what you're thinking: 'It's just another sixth grader, like they know anything,' right?" wrote Morgan Comer, another student. "Well, sometimes I start to think the same about you, no offense."
"I don't think that we should put it up for sale because not only are we losing beautiful land that is great for outdoor activities, but we are also losing part of North Carolina," wrote Jamie Lewis in her letter. "I understand that I am just a kid, but I am a kid who is concerned and is trying to help with the problems."
"I may only be a 'child,' " wrote Madison Wall, "but maybe an honest and young opinion will be refreshing in our government of old dudes."
"Old dude" cracks or not, Rey responded by visiting the school, whose grounds are almost entirely surrounded by a national forest.
"These letters were exceptional, first, because they were so well written and articulate, and second, because in some respects they were charming in the way they presented their case," he said. "So when we saw these letters and read through them we thought, 'These students have taken the time to petition their government, and their government should respond.' "
