A student led congressional in hopes of taking a closer look at where candidates stand on topics like gun reform, mental health and the environment, Saturday evening.
"I'm looking for a candidate who is going to improve the quality of our lives," Judy Berkun said.
The forum was held at L'Dor Va-Dor Synagogue in Boynton Beach. Congressional candidates were asked about a number of topics.
"Gun control, present administration the state affairs in our country right now which concerns most citizens including me," Berkun said.
But the main point of discussion was gun reform and mental health. In Palm Beach County parents might notice a change in their child's registration forms. Now parents are asked to identify if their child has been treated for mental illness.
"I don't think marking them is the right way I feel that with the quality and knowledge of our mental health system now there should be better ways to find these children help them," Berkun said.
But student journalist Benjamin Schiller says he thinks this could help protect him and his classmates.
"Students that are going to public school system in Palm Beach County I think they definitely should have a sense of idea if they have a mental illness so they can help them," he said.
But Schiller says his hope is that the information will be shared with the right people.
"If they are going to mark the box down it should be private between the doctors and the school's health officials," he said.
The state’s Department of Education left it up to the 67 countywide districts to figure out how to ask about mental health and what to do with the answers.
