Politics need to be emphasized in our education system

Maya Kornyeyeva Audrey Boyce & Natalie Doud

In a time of political turmoil and contentious world issues, it is essential that high school students, the future of our nation, are well versed in politics to create a better informed and aware generation and to lead our nation away from a dichotomous state.

Ensuring political familiarity among a younger demographic could influence election results and voter turnout as well, as many young voters may feel less inclined to exercise this right if they are unaware of the weight their vote holds or what is on the ballot.

Voting is one of the most influential rights that one can practice, as, through voting, we can freely voice our opinions and have a say in who represents us as a country.

Thus, there should be a stronger emphasis placed on the education of our nation’s current political state, starting in high school—or even before—because many students plan on voting or have voted in local/federal elections and may not have the resources to formulate their own political views—which consequently influences their vote. This is especially because of the extent to which environmental factors shape our perception of politics. Currently, the most considerable influence on one’s political party affiliation is based on that of parents or family members. However, it is necessary that future generations can form their own opinions

Art by Maya Kornyeyeva November was marked by uncertainty in a handful of states

to meet the needs of the current situations—and merely letting family members dictate one’s views often expresses privilege in the sense that they can take a more nonchalant approach towards pressing issues.

Therefore, without schools placing politics as the focal point of certain curriculum, students may only understand one side and may underestimate the significance of politics in their lives, as this lack of emphasis on political matters promotes the same behavior among students, further leading partisanship to an extreme state.

It is disappointing to see this lack of regard for the importance of critical political events, such as this past election, in our education system. However, that doesn’t generally mean teachers don’t want their students to be involved in politics; it’s just a matter of toeing the line. This can be attributed to the possibility of controversy arising amid topical discussion in the classroom. But, it is possible to teach and inform students about political topics while simultaneously remaining objective.

For instance, encouraging students to dive into specific topics and argue on both sides of the issue allows for there to be an understanding of multiple viewpoints and to encourage conversation, something that, in the current world, would be beneficial in decreasing the political divide within our nation.

“I always appreciate or know that I’ve done a good job with my students when they learn about the other side and talk about how open they are to listening and understanding,” said David Braunstein, an AP American government teacher.

In order to encourage student involvement in politics, educators must also foster welcoming environments in which all students can feel safe and comfortable in expressing their opinions, as this allows for open-mindedness as well as less political isolation.

Further, with the responsibility of inspiring future generations to take an interest in politics comes the necessity of recognizing that prominent world events such as the recent election or a surge in COVID-19 cases cannot be glossed over.

Although the distance-learning parameters have made it challenging to redistribute work, the 2020 election was most certainly both anxiety-inducting and vital to pay attention to. During election week, we are all biting our nails and nervously sitting on the edge of our seat, as this election holds a lot of weight since it occurs during a time of such extreme partisanship and divide throughout our country. Hence,it is more important than ever that the younger generations take the opportunity to be engaged and involved as much as possible.

Karen Ramroth, the race/gender/ ethnicity teacher at Carlmont, believes it is important to find a balance between teaching traditional content and providing support to students with emotional experiences. Although it was unavoidable to assign less work in many classes, support in these times is necessary to provide.

“When there are big things going on in the world, all the adults are struggling, talking, analyzing, worrying, etc. too. To assume that my students aren’t doing/ needing the same thing just doesn’t make sense to me,” Ramroth said. “Therefore, my goal is to model working through those feelings and questions and give my students the space to try it out themselves, the same way I would with any other skill.”