The Free Press, Mankato, MN

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  • John Cross

    Back in school

April 12, 2007

Walz visits classroom

First stop at West since leave

By Dan Linehan

MANKATO — Many of them knew him as Mr. Walz, the fun geography teacher, but the students lucky enough to sign up for a classroom seat in seventh and eighth period Thursday got to know Congressman Walz.

About how he votes using a special I.D. card embedded with a chip — and how he once tried to use his ATM card in its place. About how he deals with his attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and whether many members of Congress have ADHD (“a lot,” he guesses). And about how he was once pulled aside by airport security, taken to a small room and put to a random search.

For the first time since beginning unpaid leave a year ago this week, Rep. Tim Walz was back at West High School, where he taught global geography since 1996.

But his lecture seemed less like a homecoming than a quiet visit.

The name of his press secretary, Meredith Salsbery, is still printed above the chalkboard as recognition for a perfect score in a college-level test.

Scott Urban, a fellow teacher who hosted the visit, called Walz a “regular guy.”

And Jenny Buesing, a senior, had Walz as a teacher last year but worked on his campaign during the summer and fall. She admitted it was a bit “weird” to see her former teacher — the funny guy who was big on discussion, not homework — as a United States Representative.

He divided his time between a lecture on foreign policy — where he argued that the political ascension of China will make more of a lasting impact on these students than the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 — and a Q & A session.

A girl asking about random searches at the airport got an interesting response.

Walz shared some annoyance about being taken aside and searched. Not so much because smooth air travel ought to be his special privilege, but just because of the likelihood of a Congressman being a terrorist.

Nathaniel Wolf asked Walz how many members of Congress had ADHD.

Walz is a fast talker who said he had ADHD, before his wife and assessment coordinator for Mankato Public Schools Gwen Walz gently reminded him that it was “undiagnosed” ADHD.

“No, I’m not diagnosed, but it’s pretty obvious,” he joked.

He also showed the class the special keycard he inserts in a machine to vote. Once, just minutes before time ran out to vote, he panicked after it didn’t work. This, until a polite page informed him that he was trying to use his ATM card.

But his most important message was about participation in government.

He told students that government and the law aren’t untouchable, but things that regular citizens have the capability to change. And that it works both ways — it’s the government’s role to be responsive.

Walz recalled a veteran who was having trouble with his benefits. The guy told Walz he didn’t vote for him and didn’t expect him to help, so he was all the more surprised when Walz got it sorted out (still didn’t mean Walz was getting his vote, though).

Walz is technically still a teacher at West High School because he’s only on unpaid leave, which he can be on for four more years. If his wistful memories of West are any indication, he might be back someday.

“There have been far better debates in this room,” he said, “... than get argued on the floor of the House of Representatives.”

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