COLORADO SPRINGS — It was a historic day in Washington D.C. as hundreds of thousands of people across the country watched the president and vice president get sworn into office. The inauguration was also watched by students at local school districts.
Jennifer Scarselli, a social studies teacher at Sand Creek High School, said watching the inauguration was an assignment for a group of students in her AP Government class. D49 students are still learning remotely, so they had the whole day to finish the assignment.
"They are engaged in their nation. They're engaged in their history, and it's always nice to hear their perspective," said Scarcelli.
Class lessons about the inauguration began earlier this week. Students brainstormed three topics that President Joe Biden might address and some of the differences and changes to expect because of the pandemic.
"Then we went through a brief history of inaugurations and what should be included in a good inauguration," said Scarcelli.
The next assignment was to analyze today's events and the topics Joe Biden discussed. The class will discuss their findings during tomorrow's class.
Despite the recent turbulence of American politics, Scarselli said there was no question about watching history unfold as a class assignment.
"Students are genuinely interested in their country and politics, and how this country runs, and this is the best example, for them to see it live in action," said Scarselli.
News5 also reached out to D11 and D49. Spokespersons from both of the districts said teachers also allowed their students to watch the inauguration, from elementary school to high school.
"While the inauguration does happen every four years, we understand this year is different – this year there is a great deal of unrest," said Allison Cortez, the D49 Public Information Officer. "When using the inauguration as part of a lesson, our teachers will ensure the discussions are delivered respectfully and centered around educational content."
Cortez told News5 elementary school students learned more so about the vocabulary and words used during the Inauguration, like oath, protect or defend. High school students learned more so about the history and significance of today's events.
