Why Can't Our Kids Learn How Politics Really Work?

I would even go as far as to say that some of this is no accident. Kids who don't learn this stuff grow up to be uninformed voters and this benifits politicians. this means a generation that will happily and ignorantly accept what ever constitutional violations and corruption with out questioning it or knowing their rights or the role of government.

There was actually a program that aired last month that included all of those "I'm just a bill" commercials that taught kids how our government worked. Centuries ago when I was in school, our teachers discussed the election process with us and we held our own vote. The school and teachers did not, however, use this process to support any one candidate.

newton, My children have to learn where the candidates stand on the issues they are also tested on them and well my 5th grader had to write a report on why he wanted to vote for the candidate he picked. It was really amazing. He did make an informed decision and the report was very good. I'm not sure if they are having a mock election or not.

I'll only be able to call myself an adult after 2009, heh =) so I'm a decent bit younger -- neat to know we're close in the age demographic though!

Well, Paranoia, you summed up my sentiments quite precisely. Thank you for such an eloquent response. I don't know how old you are, but you don't seem to be much younger than me, if you're younger at all. I'll be twenty-seven 28 days later. Lol.

I do remember those cartoons. Thank you, I completely agree with you. Unfortunately, though, some parents either don't have the time or the interest in teaching their kids about anything, and I think these kids should have the opportunity to learn about it, as well. That's all I'm saying. Of course the schools shouldn't be solely responsible for our children's education. I just know that the reality of the situation is that many parents in this country do not share the responsibility, and I don't think their kids should be punished for their actions, or lack there of.

This is all happening because of our darn NCLB UGH I don't know or care who came up with this one but it has hindered our education system. There's no time for the Constitution because we have to pass the test or lose funding.

Oh yes, Zephyr, well, standardized tests are a whole other issue that I definitely have problems with. Thanks for that point. X, I knew I could count on you. I completely agree. I'm sick of it, and the horrible part about it, as well, is that this apathy is seeping into the parents' mindsets. Good for you for educating your kids. I hope I do just as good a job with my son.

Thank you.

That is good to know.

I certainly recognize the fact that not everyone will show the same level of interest that I do, but at least you were given the opportunity to learn something about it, whether you held on to the knowledge or not.

I don't expect him to do or understand anything other than what he is capable of doing or understanding. I allow him to be a very typical baby boy. I have not tried to push him to understand anything that would be over his head, including politics.

I understand what you're saying, Taskr. Really I do. I agree that it can't necessarily be taught in detail "once and [then] move on." It is complicated, and I think maybe the schools should take your suggestion and turn it into a subject unto itself, to be discussed over the span of a semester. I think children these days are too easily dismissed as unable to understand certain things. Many children struggle with the concept of multiplication, and it lasts into their adult lives, but I don't think the schools are going to stop teaching the subject or even dumb it down. There is no way to do so anyway. I think Xfahctor put it more clearly when he said that elementary children should be taught about the Constitution on simplistic terms of course, and then, in middle/junior high school and highschool, the process should be more detailed. There could even be a separate class on it. Okay, so there is. You got me. It's called Civics, right? Well, my Civics class was a joke. The teacher was drunk every day; I kid you not. Why didn't we complain to the principal? Because we were teenagers and either didn't care or thought it was entertaining. She gave us open book tests that were simply the chapter/section reviews ver batim that we did in class together. Do I remember any of this? Not really. Most of my civics education has come from working for my state's legislature, and I've only been doing that for a year and a half now. My real question, I guess then, is why can't we start with simple, basic information in grade school, and then, the older the children get, the more complicated the lessons. Zephyr mentioned that her daughter, who is in the fifth grade, had to write a report explaining which candidate she would vote for and why, the most important part of the report here being the 'why'. Anyway, you're right, Taskr. Some things, maybe even all of it, will sometimes fall on deaf ears, just as some children will never be interested in reading the assigned books or writing book reports, just as some kids will never be excited about the science fair. Again, though, these subjects and concepts will continue to be taught. So, why not just add another area of interest to the curriculum? My point is, you can say that any subject is a wasted effort if the child is not advanced enough to understand it, or just doesn't care enough about it, but that shouldn't stop us from wanting to at least try to show the child why it is important.

In your honest opinion, then, should they need to know anything about anything so that they can just be kids? I am not saying kids shouldn't be allowed to be kids. What I am saying is that we should not presume that they just wouldn't understand because they are just kids.

Your efforts to keep your son informed are very commendable, and I completely agree with you in that it ultimately does come down to the efforts of the parents. However, some children don't have parents who are as willing as you are, or who are even that interested. I just think these kids deserve just as much of a chance to learn about it as your son or my son does. Just as I told Taskr before, certainly some kids just won't get it or just won't care, but I still think they should at least be given the opportunity to learn about it.

Let me just speak from the perspective of a geek who was made fun of for being different from the time I was in second grade. I was interested in all aspects of learning, including art, sports, and even science and literature. Because I was the new kid in town, I was made fun of for being different, for being smart, for any number of reasons, because kids are cruel, and this happens, regardless of what is taught, or what a child is interested in. Of course not every child is going to be interested, but not every child is interested in the other subjects you listed. That doesn't mean the schools shouldn't offer these interests.

First of all, I didn't say that I'm teaching my two year old anything about politics. Secondly, I think you misunderstood my point. The reason I think kids should be taught about politics is so that they will know before they are eighteen that they should not just vote for "anyone they like."

Unfortunately, "the evil of politics" already does "disturb their learning years." The government is constantly affecting our country's educational system. The most recent example of this that I can think of is "No Child Left Behind," and it needs work still. I never said they should be "involved" in politics, as this implies that they should help change things--although, when they get older, like in their teenage years, and actually show some interest, I would definitely encourage some involvement, at least at the community level--just that they should be taught about the process and about the importance of their vote, when they do become of legal age to practice that very important right.