September 17, 2002

Teens, leaders to discuss Native American
sacred sites legislation

Community leaders, members of the State Legislature and high school students will meet Thursday, Sept. 19 from 1 to 2 p.m. in room 444 at the State Capitol to discuss controversial land use issues surrounding SB 1828, a bill seeking to protect undeveloped land that California Native Americans consider sacred.

The meeting is sponsored by the LegiSchool Project, an award-winning civic education program administered by California State University, Sacramento's Center for California Studies and the State Legislature.

Panelists and audience participants will include students from Central High School in Shasta Lake, Lodi High School, Noli Indian School in San Jacinto, and Sheldon High School in Sacramento. Other panelists include Sen. Wesley Chesbro (D-Arcata), Assemblymember Darrell Steinberg (D-Sacramento), Cassie Gilson from Kahl/Pownall Advocates and John Gomez from the Pechanga tribe.

Students in the audience will be able to ask questions, and thousands of students will view the meeting live on the California Channel or at a later time on videotape. Paula Gardner, a professor in the CSUS College of Education, will moderate the meeting.

LegiSchool's mission is to engage young people in public policy matters and state government.

More information is available by contacting LegiSchool Project director Kolleen Ostgaard at (916) 278-6906 or by visiting the LegiSchool website at www.csus.edu/calst/legischool.htm.

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