Student Counsel

When Arizona State Representative Jim Green visited his son's junior high class in Tucson last year, he offered a civics lesson in the form of a challenge: if the students could find something "unfair" in the state constitution, Green would endeavor to have it changed. Little did he imagine that the young sleuths would track down a startling inequity. As 100 students pointed out last week in an appearance before an Arizona house committee, the document states that only a "male person" may occupy the offices of Governor, secretary of state, treasurer, attorney general or superintendent of public instruction. The finding was all the more remarkable since Rose Mofford had taken office as acting Governor only one day earlier, following the impeachment of Governor Evan Mecham. "It seems that most people in Arizona are unaware that our constitution does not permit a woman to be Governor," testified Eighth Grader Justin Prahar, 13. "I feel it is essential that this be changed before someone decides to use it for political reasons." The lawmakers promptly voted to eliminate the ban against women. If passed by both the house and senate, a resolution to amend the constitution accordingly will appear on the November ballot.