Laggan Lard Butts Read Free Page A

just done all the reading: she’d memorized all of it.
    â€œNew Zealand, 1893.”
    â€œYes. A little country on the far side of the world was the first. We have talked about
men
and
women
getting the vote. At what age are people able to vote?”
    Lots of hands went up, and Mr. Davidson motioned to Cody.
    â€œSome places it’s eighteen and in other countries nineteen, twenty, even twenty-one.”
    â€œDifferent ages. Is there any country that allows sixteen-year-olds to vote?”
    Nobody offered an answer.
    â€œWhat about thirteen-year-olds?” he asked.
    I knew the answer to that. “None,” I said. “Nobody would let a bunch of kids our age vote.”
    â€œThat, my friend, is where you are wrong,” Mr. Davidson said. “Right here, right now, you are being given the right to vote.”
    â€œWe are?” Tanner asked.
    â€œYes. I think the best way to learn about democracy is to take part in a democratic process.”
    â€œLike when I was elected student president?” Sarah asked with that little smug smile on her face.
    â€œI don’t think that qualifies, since you were the only one who ran for the job,” I pointed out.
    Tanner and Taylor chuckled.
    â€œHe certainly is correct,” Mr. Davidson said. “And since there was no election for a student president there was no exercise in democracy.”
    â€œSo what exactly are we going to vote for in this election?” Taylor asked.
    â€œSomething we talked about yesterday.” We had talked about lots of things, but I really wasn’t paying that much attention to any of it.
    â€œOn the drive back to school after the game yesterday,” Mr. Davidson added.
    â€œYou mean the name of the school teams?” I asked.
    He nodded his head. “Would you like to explain our conversation to those who weren’t in the van?”
    â€œI guess I could.” I took a deep breath. “We were talking about how we don’t like the name of our school teams.”
    â€œYou don’t like the Lairds?” Sarah gasped.
    â€œNo? Do you?”
    â€œIt’s the name we’ve always used, and I’m an
athletic supporter
.”
    Everybody started giggling and laughing.
    â€œI mean I support our teams.” “I figured you didn’t mean you were a jock strap,” I said. “But why do we have tohave such a stupid name? Do you even know what a Laird is?”
    â€œWell...well it’s...it’s Scottish.”
    â€œSo are haggis and kilts and bagpipes, but we don’t have to be the Laggan Bagpipes, do we?”
    â€œI kinda like the sound of that,” Tanner joked. “The Laggan Bagpipes blow another game. That works.”
    â€œI think a different name might be better. I’m suggesting that we pick some names, discuss the pros and cons of each pick and then we hold an election for the new name.”
    â€œAnd whatever name we choose will actually replace the Lairds?” I asked.
    â€œWell, we really don’t have the authority to do that... This will be more like a mock election.”
    â€œMock?” Justin asked.
    â€œThat’s another word for fake,” I explained. Sarah wasn’t the only smart one in the room.
    â€œI don’t get it, Mr. Davidson. If you want us to experience democracy shouldn’t it bereal?” Tanner asked. “Shouldn’t we vote for something that really matters?”
    â€œIdeally,” he agreed. “But, as I said, I can’t make that decision.”
    â€œWho can?” I asked.
    â€œProbably our principal, Mr. McGregor.”
    â€œThen maybe we should talk to him,” Taylor said. The rest of the class agreed.
    Mr. Davidson didn’t answer right away. He was thinking. Finally he nodded his head in agreement. “Let’s see what he has to say.”

chapter four
    â€œI don’t know about this,” I said as we walked down the hall.
    â€œI