The question is simple, but the answer is not: Should more gun control laws be enacted?

That was the question behind the Boothbay Region High School juniors’ debate project this year in English and AP Language class, taught by Mark Gorey. During the project, students had to argue from a randomly picked point of view, regardless of their own personal feelings.

On Dec. 21, a total of nine students who completed this project participated in a town hall forum, where they not only debated the issue but also took questions from students and community members and responded in character. Smith Climo moderated the debate and kept the students on track.

Those who participated (and the organization or person they represented) were Alexis Welch (Americans for Responsible Solutions), Jacob Leonard (presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton), Carter Babcock (former President Bill Clinton), Molly Thibault (Coalition to Stop Gun Violence), Jacob Bishopp (Ted Cruz), Duncan Drapeau and Rheanna St. Laurent (president of the NRA Wayne LaPierre), and Griffin Kane and Nicole Clarke (teacher officially equipped with a concealed gun).

The students picked one specific subtopic on gun control, on whether more laws should be passed to keep guns out of the hands of the mentally ill. After a brief one-minute or less opening statement, the floor opened up to questions.

The students used facts they had uncovered in their studies to defend their positions, such as the fact that since 2013 there have been 158 school shootings and that 50 percent of mass shootings are done with assault weapons.

Well-known public figure Linc Sample asked a question of the students during the Q&A: “There are 22,000 gun laws in America that exist today, all of which address everything you've talked about. Why is one more going to make a difference,” resulting in one of the loudest cheers of the day. That was followed by another massive cheer, after Jacob Leonard (playing Hillary Clinton) replied that “If one more law could save one more life, then I believe it is worth it.”

The students ended the debate by sharing their personal beliefs with the audience. Many of the students shared that they came into the debate neutral, unsure of which side they believed in. Many students stated that their views had shifted during the debate, some were still unsure. Others believed strongly in one side or the other, in some cases not in the side they were arguing from.

After this, Mark Gorey addressed the audience to close the debate.

“I hope the last hour has been informative and entertaining,” Gorey said. He closed with two quotes, one by former President George W. Bush made in 2001: “A teenager is more likely to die from a gunshot than from all natural causes combined. This is unacceptable in America.”

The other was made on Dec. 19 by Democratic candidate for the presidency Hillary Clinton: “We lose 33,000 a year to gun violence.”

Gorey said that no matter which “side” someone was on, what was important in such a debate is being an American citizen and being willing to compromise and listen to both sides of an argument. He thanked Climo for his efforts, saying that even with the two of them being often on opposite ends of the political spectrum, they could still get along and that they “share the same goal, having a safer America for our children and our children's children.” The afternoon ended with thunderous applause.

“Griffin (Kane) is very passionate,” his mother, Sarah Brewer, said. “I hope this project has opened his mind. I'm so very proud of him.”

“All I knew coming in was that Jacob (Leonard) was playing Clinton,” his mother, Donna Leonard, said. “It was fascinating to watch.”

“I've gotten a lot of support from the faculty with this project, and they have told me how students of all ages, from freshmen to seniors, have been talking about it during homeroom,” Gorey said afterward. “That's what we want, students talking and debating, sharing ideas in an open way. Both sides brought a lot of good arguments to the table, the audience was respectful, and I feel it went very well.”

“The kids were amazing. This is what education is all about,” Superintendent of Schools Eileen King said.

“Many people grow up parroting what they hear on TV, or their parents’ beliefs,” Gorey said. “And it's important for students to make up their own minds. It's refreshing to see that the process — helping out students become independent thinkers — is working.”