Students at Pep Rally for Deukmejian Get a Lesson in Politics

Republican Gov. George Deukmejian has a little test he likes to give his reelection campaign audiences--and in the San Gabriel Valley town of Walnut on Wednesday, a public high school provided real students, complete with cheerleaders and full-dress band to chorus in the partisan answers.

As he did before a largely Republican audience in San Diego Tuesday night, Deukmejian gave the Walnut crowd an “A” after they shouted out the correct answers to his stridently partisan quiz, built around charges that his Democratic opponent, Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley, has not supported police but has supported higher taxes.

But the event, a Deukmejian rally to open his San Gabriel Valley headquarters, left several of the students with a bad taste in their mouths.

The students did not want to be quoted. School officials would not let them be interviewed without their parents’ permission. But one said she went in liking the governor and came away not so sure, and another band member nodded agreement.

“He did some serious mudslinging,” said one, referring to Deukmejian’s speech, which actually was pretty standard campaign fare.

The students, members of the Walnut High Mustang band and about 20 cheerleaders and members of the pep squad, were taken out of classes for the event and arrived on buses that school officials said would be paid for by the Deukmejian campaign committee.

Before the governor’s speech, the band introduced him by playing the theme song from the movie “Rocky” at the request of Deukmejian campaign officials. The all-female cheerleading squad, clad in traditional outfits, cheered the governor on with “Go, go, go Deukmejian.”

At one point, the teen-age public school students cheered on Deukmejian with several repetitions of “Beat, beat, beat Tom Bradley.”

The governor seemed pleased, particularly when they joined in the chorus shouting “no” to the questions on his loaded exam.

“I’ve got a few questions for you. I want to see if you can pass this test or not,” Deukmejian said.

“Do you want to have Tom Bradley, (Assembly Speaker) Willie Brown, and (Senate President Pro Tem) David Roberti busting the budgets and setting your taxes every April 15?” the GOP governor asked, getting a loud “no” in response.

“Do you want Tom Bradley, who’s made it a career of cutting police officers and blocking funding for drug abuse, do you want him protecting your families against crime and drugs?”

There were more “noes.”

“Do you want Tom Bradley and his (former Gov.) Jerry Brown advisers appointing the judges and the justices to the Supreme Court?”

He got the same answer.

“And, finally,” the governor said, “do you want to depend on him to implement the death penalty in California?”

When the students and others answered with more “noes,” Deukmejian said, “I give you an A. You did beautifully. You passed with flying colors.”

School officials called the event “an educational experience,” and said they saw nothing wrong with the students participating in the campaign rally.

They said they wanted to honor the governor, who does not often get to Walnut, and would bring out the band and cheerleaders for any major dignitary, including the mayor of Los Angeles.

Mary Jo Gomez, the pep squad leader, said the cheerleaders would even change the cheer. “When Tom Bradley comes, we’ll just flip it. We can go either way. We’ll just say, ‘Go, go, go Tom Bradley,” she said.

Band director Buster (Buddy) Clements, said, “We didn’t go to be in a rally. We went there because the governor was there. It was a major event, honoring the governor. It was an educational experience for the students.”

Assistant Principal Bertha Muller said, “It was a community school, participating in a community event. It’s not an endorsement. It’s an opportunity to be part of the community and be involved. We went to welcome the governor to Walnut.”