Poll

At what age is it Ok for kids to learn about Politics in school?

Before 1028%28% - 24
Between 10 and 128%8% - 7
Between 12 and 1528%28% - 24
After 1535%35% - 30
Total: 85
lavadisk
I am a cat ¦ 3
+369|6800|Denver colorado

KEN-JENNINGS wrote:

lavadisk wrote:

I'm in advanced placement European history and I love it more than any other history themed class I've been in.
AP Euro History almost single-handedly led me to dropping out of high school.  Well, that and the drugs
I loev it.
Little BaBy JESUS
m8
+394|6119|'straya


i think that kids need to be exposed to the idea of politics early but not given a bias... let them make up there own minds.

Flaming_Maniac
prince of insufficient light
+2,490|6677|67.222.138.85

usmarine2005 wrote:

I don't actually see how one could teach politics.
They should be discussed and debated shortly after kids learn to read.
Pug
UR father's brother's nephew's former roommate
+652|6512|Texas - Bigger than France

Flaming_Maniac wrote:

They should be discussed and debated shortly after kids learn to read.
Well, here's an actual children's book on sale now:



https://www.worldaheadpublishing.com/media/LUMB-o.gif
lavadisk
I am a cat ¦ 3
+369|6800|Denver colorado

Pug wrote:

Flaming_Maniac wrote:

They should be discussed and debated shortly after kids learn to read.
Well, here's an actual children's book on sale now:



http://www.worldaheadpublishing.com/media/LUMB-o.gif
If they teach kids about the processes involved they might be less influenced by that propaganda shit.
Flaming_Maniac
prince of insufficient light
+2,490|6677|67.222.138.85
If they teach kids to think for themselves then they would recognize the process for the corrupted clusterfuck of a election that it really is and get a decent third party going.
lavadisk
I am a cat ¦ 3
+369|6800|Denver colorado
yes.
Spark
liquid fluoride thorium reactor
+874|6645|Canberra, AUS
Apathy is the lowest form of human existence.

As soon as they're old enough to think for themselves (which is about 12 years of age from my experience), show them the real world.
The paradox is only a conflict between reality and your feeling what reality ought to be.
~ Richard Feynman
chittydog
less busy
+586|6805|Kubra, Damn it!

Spark wrote:

[b]Apathy is the lowest form of human existence.
Who cares?
lavadisk
I am a cat ¦ 3
+369|6800|Denver colorado

chittydog wrote:

Spark wrote:

[b]Apathy is the lowest form of human existence.
Who cares?
I get it.

But I agree about the apathy thing. Its really fucking annoying when somebody you're discussing something with all of a sudden acts like the transitional topic at hand doesn't really matter.
Deadmonkiefart
Floccinaucinihilipilificator
+177|6676
It is not the school's place to teach kids about politics.  Parents should be the ones to teach their children about politics. All of my teachers are so biased in one direction or the other that they try to impress their opinions upon the students eough as it is.
chittydog
less busy
+586|6805|Kubra, Damn it!

Deadmonkiefart wrote:

It is not the school's place to teach kids about politics.  Parents should be the ones to teach their children about politics. All of my teachers are so biased in one direction or the other that they try to impress their opinions upon the students eough as it is.
The real problem here is why are our teachers so bad that they have to impose their own opinions into the curriculum. Education and the news both need a kick in the teeth to remind them that their jobs are to inform us of facts, not to spread their own interpretations of those facts. If students ask for those interpretations, go ahead and give them, but the opinions should not be the crux of the lesson. The media has the same problem now. No one wants to tell you what happened, they want to tell you what you should think about what happened.
Flaming_Maniac
prince of insufficient light
+2,490|6677|67.222.138.85

Spark wrote:

Apathy is the lowest form of human existence.

As soon as they're old enough to think for themselves (which is about 12 years of age from my experience), show them the real world.
Kids can think for themselves as soon as they exist. The only barrier I see is it's hard to educate them about a topic like this before they can read, both from a patience perspective and the ability to parse information.
sergeriver
Cowboy from Hell
+1,928|6727|Argentina

Pug wrote:

DrunkFace wrote:

FEOS wrote:

Politics shouldn't be taught in school.

Civics, on the other hand, is taught at various points in school here in the US. The difference between the two being: politics is opinion, civics is the facts about how the government works.
QFT, I voted for before 10, because reading the OP that's what he means.

sergeriver wrote:

I'm not talking about partisan propaganda, just politics, the voting process, the different sides of a political spectrum, how laws are conceived, constitutional rights and other sutff.
You can teach how the government system works, you can even teach what each political party stands for and is responsible for doing. What you can't do is say which one is better or who is right.
Win
Read the OP that's exactly what it says.

Last edited by sergeriver (2007-12-14 03:05:48)

sergeriver
Cowboy from Hell
+1,928|6727|Argentina

Flaming_Maniac wrote:

If they teach kids to think for themselves then they would recognize the process for the corrupted clusterfuck of a election that it really is and get a decent third party going.
+1 good post.
sergeriver
Cowboy from Hell
+1,928|6727|Argentina

Deadmonkiefart wrote:

It is not the school's place to teach kids about politics.  Parents should be the ones to teach their children about politics. All of my teachers are so biased in one direction or the other that they try to impress their opinions upon the students eough as it is.
And your parents aren't?
sergeriver
Cowboy from Hell
+1,928|6727|Argentina

sergeriver wrote:

Politics whether you like it or not is a very important part of your life, by which you make decisions that will affect your future and the future of your family.  I'm not talking about partisan propaganda, just politics, the voting process, the different sides of a political spectrum, how laws are conceived, constitutional rights and other sutff.  In most countries you'll be able to vote at the age 18.  So, at what age do you consider it's ok for kids lo learn about politics?
Read the OP at least.

Last edited by sergeriver (2007-12-14 03:12:00)

FEOS
Bellicose Yankee Air Pirate
+1,182|6381|'Murka

Serge, I was merely pointing out a difference in terms for us here in the US. What you call politics in your OP, we call civics.
“Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.”
― Albert Einstein

Doing the popular thing is not always right. Doing the right thing is not always popular
sergeriver
Cowboy from Hell
+1,928|6727|Argentina

FEOS wrote:

Serge, I was merely pointing out a difference in terms for us here in the US. What you call politics in your OP, we call civics.
No, we have civics here all through the elementary school and the Highschool.  However, I think they should teach you more than that.  It's very common an 18 years kid not knowing anything at the time to vote, they don't know the candidates, and they don't understand their proposals.  Then you have shitty presidents elected.
Pug
UR father's brother's nephew's former roommate
+652|6512|Texas - Bigger than France

sergeriver wrote:

Read the OP that's exactly what it says.
I'm aware of that.  I was making editorial comments on the topic.  Even at the base level "Republicans are X and Democrats are Y", a teacher is still going to interject bias.  The problem is if the class is "Politics" and not "Civics" - meaning how are you going to fill out the school year with only politics? 

For example, it's possible the teacher is going to need to spend a whole day on the abortion debate.  And the teacher is Catholic.  I certainly would not trust that teacher to discuss it without undo influence.  Teachers are supposed to be neutral.

So I'm saying it's almost impossible to accomplish a "Politics only" class without falling into this trap. 

I hope this clarifies.
FEOS
Bellicose Yankee Air Pirate
+1,182|6381|'Murka

sergeriver wrote:

FEOS wrote:

Serge, I was merely pointing out a difference in terms for us here in the US. What you call politics in your OP, we call civics.
No, we have civics here all through the elementary school and the Highschool.  However, I think they should teach you more than that.  It's very common an 18 years kid not knowing anything at the time to vote, they don't know the candidates, and they don't understand their proposals.  Then you have shitty presidents elected.
Researching the candidates is the responsibility of each voter...not the school system. Schools should stick to teaching objective facts. Give the students the resources/references to go learn about each of the candidates, but don't teach them the candidates' positions.
“Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.”
― Albert Einstein

Doing the popular thing is not always right. Doing the right thing is not always popular
sergeriver
Cowboy from Hell
+1,928|6727|Argentina

Pug wrote:

sergeriver wrote:

Read the OP that's exactly what it says.
I'm aware of that.  I was making editorial comments on the topic.  Even at the base level "Republicans are X and Democrats are Y", a teacher is still going to interject bias.  The problem is if the class is "Politics" and not "Civics" - meaning how are you going to fill out the school year with only politics? 

For example, it's possible the teacher is going to need to spend a whole day on the abortion debate.  And the teacher is Catholic.  I certainly would not trust that teacher to discuss it without undo influence.  Teachers are supposed to be neutral.

So I'm saying it's almost impossible to accomplish a "Politics only" class without falling into this trap. 

I hope this clarifies.
Pretty much.
sergeriver
Cowboy from Hell
+1,928|6727|Argentina

FEOS wrote:

sergeriver wrote:

FEOS wrote:

Serge, I was merely pointing out a difference in terms for us here in the US. What you call politics in your OP, we call civics.
No, we have civics here all through the elementary school and the Highschool.  However, I think they should teach you more than that.  It's very common an 18 years kid not knowing anything at the time to vote, they don't know the candidates, and they don't understand their proposals.  Then you have shitty presidents elected.
Researching the candidates is the responsibility of each voter...not the school system. Schools should stick to teaching objective facts. Give the students the resources/references to go learn about each of the candidates, but don't teach them the candidates' positions.
But you need to teach them the tools to understand those positions.
Ender2309
has joined the GOP
+470|6541|USA
kids by nature have no interest in politics. perhaps if they were to learn it alongside other curriculum at a young age (thus making it more integral to their education) it would feel more commonplace and they'd be more interested. otherwise, it must come on their own terms. i didn't begin my foray into politics until around 14, and that was only because, for some reason, it interested me. most of my friends are at least partially versed on the subject, but most of the kids at my school couldn't name their house representatives.
FEOS
Bellicose Yankee Air Pirate
+1,182|6381|'Murka

sergeriver wrote:

FEOS wrote:

sergeriver wrote:


No, we have civics here all through the elementary school and the Highschool.  However, I think they should teach you more than that.  It's very common an 18 years kid not knowing anything at the time to vote, they don't know the candidates, and they don't understand their proposals.  Then you have shitty presidents elected.
Researching the candidates is the responsibility of each voter...not the school system. Schools should stick to teaching objective facts. Give the students the resources/references to go learn about each of the candidates, but don't teach them the candidates' positions.
But you need to teach them the tools to understand those positions.
That's just logic and critical thinking...which is covered elsewhere in the curriculum. There's no reason to have it specific to politics. Otherwise, you fall into the trap Pug so eloquently described.
“Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.”
― Albert Einstein

Doing the popular thing is not always right. Doing the right thing is not always popular

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