Clinton From A Child's View
With the impeachment trial of President Clinton beginning this week, many people may be wondering how this historic event might shape the lives of young Americans. CBS News Correspondent Hattie Kauffman reports.
At the Glenfield Middle School in Montclair, N.J., Rebecca Springfield's sixth-grade social studies class has been wrestling with the events in Washington all year. For many students, it's a simple matter of right and wrong.
"It's like, he's the president," says Becca. "He's supposed to set a good example for everyone, and he's supposed to follow the Constitution."
"Bill Clinton - he should be blamed because he swore to tell the truth, and he didn't," says another student named Kelly. "And Monica Lewinsky - I have no words for her."
According to child psychologist Harold Koplewicz, children tend to hold the president to the same set of rules they see for themselves.
"Even for a minor crime, you're going to get a very severe punishment, because children see things as black and white," Dr. Koplewicz says.
Still, other students are struggling to reconcile the complicated moral contradiction between the private and public acts of a man they want to look up to as an example.
"A lot of people in America, including some members of Congress, have had relationships, and they shouldn't make such a big deal out of it," says Hallie.
"Because he's not the only one, does that make it more acceptable?" Springfield asks her class.
"People lie," a student named Catora answers. "They make mistakes."
"And we should forgive them?" Springfield asks.
"And we should forgive them. I think he's been a real good president," Catora says.
For Springfield, the challenge has been not only to keep asking the tough questions, but answering a few of them herself.
"Somebody raised their hand and said, 'Mrs. Springfield, what is all the talk about the dress?' And I was like, 'I don't want to discuss this with ten-year-olds....'"
In many ways, a social studies class has come close to becoming a sex education class, Springfield says.
For these children, when it comes to Mr. Clinton's personal behavior as a husband and father, there are no contradictions to reconcile, no shades of gray, especially where his daughter, Chelsea,, is concerned.
"I feel sorry for her, because, like, when she goes to school, the teachers get on her back about her father," one boy says.
Says one girl, "Now they're saying, 'You're the president's daughter with Monica Lewinsky'."
As for history, Mrs. Springfield's sixth-grade class is a little uneasy with the idea that their generation could be defined by issues they don't even feel comfortable talking about.
"I don't feel right thinking, like my grandchildren [will ask] 'What happened when you were alive?' and saying, 'Well, the president was impeached'," Hallie says. "I makes me feel like I didn't grow up during a very honorable time."
The children in this class seemed to view the first family as a kind of family of the nation. While they were disappointed in President Clinton's behavior, they gave his wife, Hillary, very high marks. In fact, several children in Mrs. Springfield's class felt that by holding her family together, the first lady was holding the nation together.
Reported By Hattie Kauffman