Today during computer class our 8th grade class' comp/art teacher asked our class if we would vote today for president of the united states if we were old enough. He was angry almost to the point of shouting when only a few people raised their hands. He kept saying that if only a few people voted then our country would become a dictatorship against the people who didn't vote. He also said we should care about our future. I did not raise my hand and one of my friends who didn't raise his hand either tried to explain to the teacher why he didn't raise his hand. He explained that since we're only 13 and we're not old enough to vote, we don't keep track of which candidates believe what and who we think is the best presidential candidate. Unless we had time to research the candidates we might be voting for someone who wouldn't make a good president in our view. That is the reason I didn't raise my hand either.

 

 

 

Would you raise your hand if you were in our situation? why or why not?

 

 

 

people who would raise their hand:4

 

 

 

people who wouldn't:8

No, because most 8th graders know jack [cabbage] about politics, and most likely don't care about it either. Your teacher is a self-righteous nut.

uh what?

 

 

 

Dude, when I was 13 I didn't give a crap about politics. To be honest you shouldn't have to either, you're still kids.

Most people in 8th grade and even in part of high school would just vote the way their parents do, as their parents talk about certain candidates and how good or bad they are, and this shapes the child's point of view.

would you vote then super knowing that kids usually vote like their parents?

No, because at this age most people are ignorant to their own beliefs.

btw everyone doesn't really like him and think he's self-obsessed and stuck in the past at his old teaching job. He's always talking about his old job and how much better it was.

No, because at this age most people are ignorant to their own beliefs.

 

Gonna have to agree with you on this one. I didn;t develop my political views until (get ready for this) last year. Shocker, eh? Indeed. The kids might not always vote the way their parents do, I remember back in like 3rd or 4th grade (not 8th, but still a good example, IMO) I wanted to vote for Bush because I thought the Republican color was blue, and I liked blue more than red :XD: I didn't find out until 7th grade I was wrong about those colors....

Wait. Something isn't right with this.

 

 

 

Based on what one would be doing now in the 8th grade, no, no one should really be able to vote in the grade.

 

 

 

BUT, if the age was lowered, and schools were forced to cover what each party (at least the major ones) stands for and some background info on the people running in the election, I dont see why not. With the amount of time we got off to do diddly squat in 8th grade, I could easily see this being implemented.

 

 

 

I know some of you will say "But they aren't mature enough." Listen to me. They would be taught what to do, and about who they would be electing for, giving them a fact based decision when it comes time to vote.

 

 

 

So, as the current state of things hold, in grade 8 I would not vote. But if things were changed in the school system, I would vote if force fed the information.

lol that is a good example

Hell, I'm 13 and my only source of what's going on politically is Stephen Colbert. I'm pretty sure they have the age limit for a reason =)

No, for the same reason you said. Thirteen year olds don't know anything and don't care to know anything about politics. Ignorance is bliss.

very true nom

Wait. Something isn't right with this.

 

 

 

Based on what one would be doing now in the 8th grade, no, no one should really be able to vote in the grade.

 

 

 

BUT, if the age was lowered, and schools were forced to cover what each party (at least the major ones) stands for and some background info on the people running in the election, I dont see why not. With the amount of time we got off to do diddly squat in 8th grade, I could easily see this being implemented.

 

 

 

I know some of you will say "But they aren't mature enough." Listen to me. They would be taught what to do, and about who they would be electing for, giving them a fact based decision when it comes time to vote.

 

 

 

So, as the current state of things hold, in grade 8 I would not vote. But if things were changed in the school system, I would vote if force fed the information.

 

 

 

But then you have parental pressure about who to vote for. No matter what the teachers say [even if they are unbiased], parents who are strong on either side will try to influence their children, possibly even spread propaganda, to get them to vote for their party. Or maybe reward their children to vote for a certain side. I think when teens are [mostly] out of parental pressure, both legally and maturely, they should be able to vote, which is why I agree with the voting age at 18.

both yomom and lionheart have good points

I'll be on later keep posting

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Wait. Something isn't right with this.

 

 

 

Based on what one would be doing now in the 8th grade, no, no one should really be able to vote in the grade.

 

 

 

BUT, if the age was lowered, and schools were forced to cover what each party (at least the major ones) stands for and some background info on the people running in the election, I dont see why not. With the amount of time we got off to do diddly squat in 8th grade, I could easily see this being implemented.

 

 

 

I know some of you will say "But they aren't mature enough." Listen to me. They would be taught what to do, and about who they would be electing for, giving them a fact based decision when it comes time to vote.

 

 

 

So, as the current state of things hold, in grade 8 I would not vote. But if things were changed in the school system, I would vote if force fed the information.

 

 

 

But then you have parental pressure about who to vote for. No matter what the teachers say [even if they are unbiased], parents who are strong on either side will try to influence their children, possibly even spread propaganda, to get them to vote for their party. Or maybe reward their children to vote for a certain side. I think when teens are [mostly] out of parental pressure, both legally and maturely, they should be able to vote, which is why I agree with the voting age at 18.

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But is the voting not secret? Slightly OT, but I feel that schools should teach students about certain life skills. One of these being determining between real and what is propaganda. So if schools did in fact teach students not to believe what they are told from anyone unless they are debating or getting it from a proper source (not being parents) then the problem could be potentially stopped. Then again, not all teens could react the same way.... but it could perhaps help the majority.

uh what?

 

 

 

Dude, when I was 13 I didn't give a crap about politics. To be honest you shouldn't have to either, you're still kids.

 

That's what I was thinking... And I'm an 8th grader :P

Eh, I probably would. I might not have the best amount of information, but I have always sorta kept up with news and started reading a little about canidates this year, and I'm sure I would have last year, as my mentality hasn't changed all to much.

But is the voting not secret? Slightly OT, but I feel that schools should teach students about certain life skills. One of these being determining between real and what is propaganda. So if schools did in fact teach students not to believe what they are told from anyone unless they are debating or getting it from a proper source (not being parents) then the problem could be potentially stopped. Then again, not all teens could react the same way.... but it could perhaps help the majority.

 

 

 

But then it comes to a matter of simple development cycle. At 13, even if you are educated in government, are you truly intelligent or developed enough to distinguish propaganda? Do you know enough about the history of America, the goals of government, and what America stands for? True American history education usually doesn't come till sophomore and junior years of highschool, when AP American history is offered. Memorizing facts about history is much different than actually comprehending it; it's about understanding motives and recognizing them, which can be learned through analysis of political figures speeches. I am doubtful that a 13 or 14 year old would be capable of this.

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But is the voting not secret? Slightly OT, but I feel that schools should teach students about certain life skills. One of these being determining between real and what is propaganda. So if schools did in fact teach students not to believe what they are told from anyone unless they are debating or getting it from a proper source (not being parents) then the problem could be potentially stopped. Then again, not all teens could react the same way.... but it could perhaps help the majority.

 

 

 

But then it comes to a matter of simple development cycle. At 13, even if you are educated in government, are you truly intelligent or developed enough to distinguish propaganda? Do you know enough about the history of America, the goals of government, and what America stands for? True American history education usually doesn't come till sophomore and junior years of highschool, when AP American history is offered. Memorizing facts about history is much different than actually comprehending it; it's about understanding motives and recognizing them, which can be learned through analysis of political figures speeches. I am doubtful that a 13 or 14 year old would be capable of this.

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Heh, slightly got me there, seeing as I'm Canadian, and I don't know more then probably 10 states, let alone the history of your country :lol:

I dare say the next President would be Hannah Montana, if this were the case.

I dare say the next President would be Hannah Montana, if this were the case.

 

 

 

Vote for Vanessa Hudgens insead, she has nudies.

Assuming that no write-ins were allowed. :|

I would, because for some reason I was fairly well informed in 8th grade. I watched the news, read the newspaper, and was curious about local issues, so I had the basic idea of what was happening in the world of politics.

 

 

 

Of course compared to what I know now, I was pretty naive, but I could make some simple deductions on who I agree with most.

 

 

 

 

 

I guess when you boil it down, it really depends on how informed a person is, and if the person is mature enough not to base his/her vote solely because the person has (Men's body part) in his name. :XD: