Students in Tamarac High School’s Honors Seminar
Class had an opportunity to ask New York State Senator Roy McDonald questions about how he makes decisions and learn how they could make an impact in their community during a visit in November.
Sen. McDonald visited the class at the request of teacher Tim Jacques who explained to Sen. McDonald how the students had prepared for the opportunity by researching his legislative record and his positions on topics the students are passionate about.
“A component of their major research project will be community action pertaining to the topic they are passionate about,” Mr. Jacques explained. “Our hope is that this opportunity will give them ideas about how they can take action.”
Sitting around a large table in the Secondary School library, Sen. McDonald explained how growing up in a blue-collar family in Lansingburgh helped give him an important perspective that has remained with him. “I realized I liked serving people,” Sen. McDonald said.
One-by-one, students asked Sen. McDonald questions about his positions on issues and how he makes decisions as a legislator.
Asked by a student what he could do to encourage the government to pursue alternative energies, Sen. McDonald encouraged the student to approach the issue from a different perspective. Sen. McDonald said there already is large support for the idea but the problem is available technologies. He noted, for example, how he supports raising vehicle fuel standards but the country needs new energy technologies to wane itself from oil.
“Study hard, get good grades and go to a great university like RPI and help us design something that will work over a long time,” Sen. McDonald recommended.
When another student asked what she could do to help prevent animal cruelty, Sen. McDonald said the solution is to stand up on the issue and encourage others to report suspected animal cruelty to local authorities.
“You do it with education,” Sen. McDonald said. “Don’t hurt animals. Did we ever think we’d have to say that? But studies show that if you hurt a dog or cat you’re more likely to later harm a person.”
Individuals can also support government efforts such as building animal shelters, Sen. McDonald added. He explained how Saratoga County built an animal shelter that cost a significant amount but he supports it because he believes in the issue.
Several students commended Sen. McDonald for voting in favor of New York’s same-sex marriage law earlier this year. But they were also curious why he changed his position and how he makes up his mind in general.
Sen. McDonald responded that his initial position against same-sex marriage was a knee jerk reaction. But as individuals talked more and more to him about the issue, he decided that supporting it was the right thing to do.
“I felt like I should stand up for people,” Sen. McDonald said. “Just like you, you get different information, you grow older, and you change your mind. You’ve got to do what you think is right. The public needs to understand if you change your mind, there’s nothing wrong with that, we all do that.”
