Real History Education Could Help

[Annie]

College Students Believe Elections Are Not Relevant

Students Found Apathetic About Politics
SEASIDE, Calif. - Most college students doubt that voting in presidential elections will make major changes in American society, according to a nationwide survey.

Only 35 percent of the students surveyed said presidential voting will create "a lot of change," compared to 47 percent who thought so in March 2001, according to the poll conducted for the Leon and Sylvia Panetta Institute, a public-policy think tank at the California State University, Monterey Bay.

The survey also found that only 19 percent of American college students believe that politics is "very relevant" to their lives, and 43 percent believe that politics has little or no relevance.

"Somehow the message isn't getting through," said Leon Panetta, the institute's director and former chief of staff to President Clinton (news - web sites).

Despite pressing issues such as the economy and the war in Iraq (news - web sites), students often are turned off by politics, Panetta said.

"Obviously, candidates, educators and all the rest of us need to do a better job of promoting political and civic involvement if we hope to restore trust in our democracy," he said.

The survey, released by the institute Wednesday, was conducted by Peter D. Hart Research Associates. The poll consisted of 800 telephone interviews from April 28 to May 2 with students at four-year institutions around the country. The margin of error is plus or minus 3.5 percentage points.

Of those questioned, 42 percent said they supported likely Democratic nominee John Kerry (news - web sites) in the upcoming presidential race, while 30 percent backed President Bush (news - web sites), 24 percent were undecided and 4 percent supported independent candidate Ralph Nader (news - web sites).

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

If schools were teaching history, instead of PC and evil Europeans and Americans, the young might have a different perspective.

Still and all, it takes a paycheck, a ring, a mortgage, and a baby for most of us to see the light.

 

[Avatar4321]

Most college students doubt that voting in presidential elections will make major changes in American society, according to a nationwide survey.

That statement there says it all doesnt it? After the closeness of the 2000 election and everything thats happened since the fact that anyone especially young people who are supposed to be getting an education is quite psychotic.

 

[Annie]

Originally posted by Avatar4321
That statement there says it all doesnt it? After the closeness of the 2000 election and everything thats happened since the fact that anyone especially young people who are supposed to be getting an education is quite psychotic.

Do you have children? If so, when was the last time you sat down and looked at their social studies books? You do realize that teachers below high school level are ususally education majors? Even the Jr. High teachers can have a 'middle school endorsement' and be education majors. Sorry for any offense, but the vast majority of education majors couldn't cut it in another subject area. Those that are bright enough to have done differently will appreciate the majority caveat and agree.

If a teacher follows their text, including suggested activities, which most do, you're children are being indoctrinated into revisionist history. The teacher doesn't know or inquire into anything different.

At the high school and college levels, the texts are just as PC, what your children learn is all up to the tact the teacher takes. Face it, most of the men are from the Vietnam avoidance era, they have an agenda. Even discounting them, college profs tend towards the liberal side and the younger males and females tend to go that way.

I'm the exception that proves the rule; a middle school teacher, conservative, degrees in history, sociology, and political science. I teach in a private school and was able to order the texts for American History. I chose Prentice-Hall, the least PC of the bunch, but way to the left. I supplement with "We the People", a text put out by the Center for Civic Education, which lo and behold is the only education orientated organization funded by an act of Congress. It teaches the philosophy behind the thinking of the Founders and framers of our system of government. I take this very seriously.

It is so important that our young people have the knowledge of the sacrifice made by those who have gone before and those that are serving to keep the ideals alive. They must know of Rousseau, Machevelli, Locke and others. They cannot have an appreciation for our system of government without the philosophers. Yet, what they are learning is an emphasis on the sins of killing the Native Americans, interring the Japanese, and overwhelming prejudice against blacks in particular but minorities in general.

This is not to deny the wrong doings, but women did not have much power until the 20th C., when the textbooks insist on giving women a column and a half in ancient history or early American History, you know they are stretching.

 

[Isaac Brock]

Freaking kids and their music!

But seriously, I'm suprised that you're all suprised that youth are relectant to vote. In order to be passionate about voting you have to have a candidate that somewhat, remotely, touches on matters of interest to youth. We have the same problem in Canada, in fact, I, myself am slightly cynical to the whole voting deal because I do not believe my vote will count in the grand scheme of things due to the way our parliamentary system works.

I can imagine it is only worse in your system which is for the most part is a two-party system. In addition, your country has the electoral college and a system akin to our "riding" based house of commons, which means that even if 10% of people vote of a minority party nationally, their voice has no weight unless it wins one riding or electorial district.

As such, it shouldn't come as much suprised that many voters (such as youth) are simply apathetic to both Republicans and Democrats as their sole choices.

 

[Annie]

Originally posted by Isaac Brock
Freaking kids and their music!

But seriously, I'm suprised that you're all suprised that youth are relectant to vote. In order to be passionate about voting you have to have a candidate that somewhat, remotely, touches on matters of interest to youth. We have the same problem in Canada, in fact, I, myself am slightly cynical to the whole voting deal because I do not believe my vote will count in the grand scheme of things due to the way our parliamentary system works.

I can imagine it is only worse in your system which is for the most part is a two-party system. In addition, your country has the electoral college and a system akin to our "riding" based house of commons, which means that even if 10% of people vote of a minority party nationally, their voice has no weight unless it wins one riding or electorial district.

As such, it shouldn't come as much suprised that many voters (such as youth) are simply apathetic to both Republicans and Democrats as their sole choices.

ah but one needs to be vested in the system. Sounds like Canada does about = to us for this. Odds are we both do better than Euros, given their results this weekend on history making Euro Consititution.

 

[Isaac Brock]

Originally posted by Kathianne
ah but one needs to be vested in the system. Sounds like Canada does about = to us for this. Odds are we both do better than Euros, given their results this weekend on history making Euro Consititution.

Perhaps, but wouldn't it be better to reform this system? In seems at least in my country that while their is real popular sentiment for a proportional representation system, politicians side track the issue. If history has taught us anything, it has shown time and time again that reform is often necessary to bring systems into the present. Perhaps that is the lesson we should be promoting? Of course this is coming from a Canadian who still has that blasted dinosaur in an unelected Senate!

In regards to the Euro constitution, I say give them time. You don't want to know how long it took to make the Canadian equivalent! They'll do it.