President Bush last week announced his “Lessons in Liberty” initiative, a program in which schools are encouraged to have veterans come to classes and talk with students about citizenship during National Veterans Awareness Week. The State Department of Elementary and Secondardy Education has not pushed the program. Officials with the school districts in Kansas City, St. Louis, Springfield and Jefferson City have not planned any special events for the week which begins with Veterans Day on Sunday. Ron Taylor with the Missouri Veterans Commission says the role of the VA is limited. The VA is letting schools know that veterans are available, even though he says Missouri veterans have been busier than normal on this year’s Veterans Day as people have renewed interest in the military since the events of September 11th.
