Online Chat
Currier Memorial Elementary School
September 25, 1997

[Michelle]  Why Don't We Take Turns Asking Senator Leahy Questions. Please Give Us Your Name, Then Fire Away!

[Patleahy]  Hi Good To Be With You - Please Excuse Any Mistakes I Make Typing

[Currier]  Hello Senator Leahy. I Am Mrs. Frenette The Principal And I Would Like To Welcome You To Currier Memorial School

[Patleahy]  Good To Be With Yu And The Rest Mrs Frenette

[Currier]  We Have A Banner We Would Like To Share With You

[Patleahy]  Good Looking Group In The Background -Hold The Banner Up Close

[Currier]  It Says "Thank You For The Flag Senator Leahy!!!

[Patleahy]  I Can See It And Those In My Office Can Too Thanks 1

[Currier]  Writeen Too Lightly But We Have A Plaque For You To See

[Patleahy]  Go Ahead

[Currier]  This Is The Plaque That Came From The Senate

[Patleahy]  Who Is Holding The Flag Certificate

[Currier]  First Question:

[Currier]  Keith Rickets

[Patleahy]  Keith The Certificate Looks Great

[Currier]  This Is Stacy Waite: "Do You Know Our Librarians Daughter? Michelle?

[Patleahy]  Michelle Is One Of The Most Valuable Members Of Our Office And Is Here With Her Sister - I Will Get Eileen Into The Picture Too

[Patleahy]  They Really Run The Office And I Just Show Up - You Are All Fortunate To Have Their Mother As Librarian

[Patleahy]  Any Questions/

[Currier]  Jesika Nunes: How Long Have You Been In This Business? Grade 5

[Patleahy]  Jesika I Have Been A Senator For 24 Years . I Am A Native Vermonter Born In Montpelier And Am A Lawyer.

[Currier]  Emily Gasperatti: Will You Ever Visit Our School? Currier Memorial.

[Patleahy]  Emily I Would Like To Visit Your School Sometime. If I Do I Hope I Can Meet All Of You. Probably Sometime When The Senate Is Not In Session.

[Patleahy]  How's The Foliage?

[Currier]  It Is Pretty And Just Starting Here

[Patleahy]  It Was Nice When I Was At My Tree Farm In Middlesex A Week Ago But Will Be A Lot Better In A Couple Weeks I Expect

[Michelle]  Keep Those Questions Coming!

[Patleahy]  I Can See The Room You Are In. Is It A Gym?

[Currier]  Timmy Long Grade 5 "Have You Met The President?

[Currier]  Yes

[Patleahy]  Timmy I See The President Quite Often. I Met With Him Last Week To Talk About Landmines.I Once Introduced Him In Burlington Along Lake Champlain And Here Is A Photo Of That Time.

[Michelle]  Any More Questions?

[Currier]  Elizabeth Ricketts: How Can You Help The Elderly When They Get Old Like You Help Other People With The Welfare System?

[Patleahy]  Elizabeth It Is A Very Difficult Issue Because The Elderly Often Cannot Earn An Income Anymore. It Is Why We Have Medicare And Medicaid To Help With Health Care And Why We Need To Keep The Social Security System Fully Funded.

[Currier]  Frank Brophy Grade 6: Do You Think Our Justice System Should Be Tougher? (Hold Until You See Frank In Front Of The Screen)

[Patleahy]  Frank The Justice System In America Is A Very Good One Even Though It Is Not Perfect. I Was A Prosecutor For 8 Years And Am Always Looking For Ways To Improve It.

[Patleahy]  The Best Thing Is To Help People Keep From Committing Crimes In The First Place. We Do Well In Vermont And We Have One Of The Lowest Crime Rates In The Country.

[Currier]  Frank Brophy What Is Y Our Opinion Of The Death Penalty???

[Currier]  Nicole Shores: What Is The White House Like?

[Patleahy]  We Do Not Have The Death Penalty In Vermont And We Do Well Without It - And We Still Keep A Lot Lowere Crime Rate Than Any State With It. Most People Are In Favor Of The Death Penalty But I Am Not.

[Patleahy]  Thanks For The Question Frank And Nicole The White House Is A Very Special Place.Part Of It Is Offices And Than A Very Lovely Place Where The President And His Family Live. My Wife And I Have Always Enjoyed Visiting That Part With The Various Presidents.

[Currier]  Jason Allen Grade 6: "Would You Ever Like To Become President" Why Or Why Not?

[Patleahy]  Nicole If You Or Any Of Your Friends Come To Washington We Can Get A Pass To Let You Take A Tour Of Part Of The White House - It Is Very Interesting.

[Currier]  Nicole Said The Whole School Will Be Tomorrow!!!!

[Patleahy]  Jason There Are Many Good People Who Will Run For President. I Also Think We Need People In The Senate And That Is Where I Want To Be. Being Senator From Vermont Is A Very Good Job And I Am Proud That Vermonters Let Me Have It.

[Patleahy]  Nicole I Will Let Bill Clinton Know You Are Coming!

[Currier]  We Have A Few Other Questions Ok?

[Patleahy]  Sure Thing

[Michelle]  Great! Senator Leahy Has About 10 More Minutes.\

[Currier]  Timmy Long: Do You Have Any Idea How To Help Kids Who Drop Out Of School?

[Patleahy]  Timmy One Of The Great Tragedies In Our Country Is Children Who Drop Out. We Have A Great Education System In America And They Should Use It.

[Currier]  This Is Elizabeth Ricketts Again: Do You Have Any Idea How To Help Kids Who Drop Our Of School?

[Patleahy]  With The Good Teachers We Have In Vermont All Of Us -Government Leaders, Parents Etc.- Need To Work To Keep Kids In School

[Patleahy]  Without An Education Today You Really Can't Make It In The World.

[Currier]  Sorry I Wrote The Wrong Question

[Currier]  Elizabeth Ricketts: How Do You Help Our State?

[Patleahy]  Timmy And Elizabeth I Know You Will Take Advantqage Of The Very Good School You Are In - And Know How Lucky You Are To Have Such Good Teachers.

[Patleahy]  Every Day When I Go To Work I Think First And Foremost Of The State I Was Born In.

[Currier]  Looking For The Nea Vote?

[Patleahy]  I Try To Back Programs That Provide Jobs In Vermont, Protect Our Environment And Improve Our Educational Opportunities.

[Currier]  That Was From George

[Currier]  Elizabeth Also Asks What You Can Do For The Homeless?

[Patleahy]  I Had Already Guessed It Was George! Tell George I Will Keep The Environment Healthy So Hunting Is Good!

[Patleahy]  Elizabeth We Have Programs For Housing, Shelters And Feeding Programs. Many Of Them Have Been Very Helpful In Vermont.

[Michelle]  We Have Time For One More Question. Senator Leahy Has To Head Back To The Senate Floor.

[Currier]  Three Cheers For Senator Leahy It Is Great When Children Get To See Their Government At Work.

[Patleahy]  Thank You Very Much And I Hope I Can Be With You In Person Some Day

[Patleahy]  I Can See You Cheering. This Is The Best Thing I Have Seen Today - Thanks

[Michelle]  Thanks Everyone! I Hope You Enjoyed It! Have A Great Day And Listen To Your Librarian!

[Michelle]  Bye Mom!

[Currier]  From George: I Appreciate This Very Much. I Might Even Ask People To Vote One Line On The Dem Ticket