Young non voters

I wouldnt call fairness, justice, thoughtfullness and compassion, political in the slightest. But I am not into splitting hairs, so feel free to ignore me. Nor careers.

When I left secondary teaching, the policy of the school ( and education dept.) was that the discussion of government etc was part of tutor time, an hour once a week. However, this time was used for everything else under the PSE umbrella and also organising exam TTs and work experience etc.

So, from a dedicated Citizenship lesson, once a fortnight, with an exam at the end, any education on British Constitution was watered down.

As an aside, the Citizenship lessons were mixed ability and a student with learning difficulties shone, he 'got' it! His exam result was the best one he achieved! I hope he votes on Thursday! x

I know my DGC are still in primary but personally I wouldn't want my DGC's teachers teaching them "politics". It would (imo) be a very politically biased lesson.

Yes, it would gillybob you are right there I think.Soontobe, a good last post of yours.

civic duty and responsibility along with some knowledge of how Parliament works would be a good thing though as J52 suggests.

It is not "politics" that they need to know, it is how the governing of the country is organised, and what they can do to get their opinions into the system. That can be taught in Citizenship - the name sounds terribly uptight, but the subject is all the things that they need to know about the country they are living in.

Yes roses I agree with them being taught about how the process works etc. but I would have to draw the line there.

Teachers are not supposed to influence pupils toward their own preferences (but at the same time they are supposed to talk about ethics )

I think this is entirely possible Elegran. I remember taking RE at "O" level. Our teacher, we later learned was an atheist, yet she managed to teach us everything we needed to know and understand about several different religions together with morals, justice and compassion without influencing us in the slightest.

I am in danger of contradicting my own argument against teachers "teaching" politics.

Although entirely different as our RE teacher didn't have an axe to grind with God (well not that I was aware of anyway). Teachers are always grinding the axe against the government so perhaps I am not contradicting myself afterall. [more] [than ever]

Soon - Cyril Smith was a "character" - we could have done without him.

Our primary school is to have a mock election.

To add to the thoughts - In Australia it is compulsory to vote. Should we go down that route?

Would it result in better education in how Parliament and local government work?

x

When I was a local councillor I was invited, along with one of my 'oppos', to speak to Year 11 students at a comprehensive about the structures of government, local and national. I was staggered by the extent of their ignorance, probably inherited from their parents. They thought that we were MPs! Education about government would at least be a start and before they reach the age of 18, representatives of political parties could be asked to speak about policy and how policies are arrived at and carried out. I understand that before the Independence Referendum, Scottish youngsters, eligible to vote at 16, were given lessons in politics and government. Good idea.

Now on Radio 4 Listeners Election, Young People Don't Vote. For anyone interested. X

I think young people generally are perhaps more interested in environmental issues than political ones, and maybe don't recognise any connection. I think the Greens will have a lot of support from that cohort of voters.

Most of our parents were brought up in the shadow of the struggle between fascism and communism in the 30's and lived through WW2.
We had the Cold War, nuclear disarmament and Vietnam.

Today's threats seem to be globalisation and terrorism, and the main political parties are not really differentiated on either of these issues.

I think too that the media have so successfully exposed corruption within politics and discredited politicians generally, that sadly, young people could be forgiven for thinking that the democracy which our parents fought for isn't worth bothering with.

Discussing ethics in my understanding is about different ethical principles and how they are applied to different situations. It's not about right or wrong per se. If you ever listen to 'inside the ethics committee' on Radio 4 that illustrate it perfectly.

www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2015/apr/29/art-students-general-election-posters-alienation-distrust-guardian-witness

Art students' General Election posters gives a clue to their views.
"This is a revealing gallery of a generation’s lack of belief in conventional politics and its need to persuade itself or be persuaded even to vote at all."

So many young people have themselves lazily decided – and have read biased think-tank and government propaganda that has lead them to believe – that we oldies have stolen their future. Here we are living in the lap of luxury with huge, massively expensive houses that we don't need and they can't afford but do deserve and going on endless cruises so spending their rightful inheritance. Well I say do something about it if that's what you really think. Find out what governments do and become involved with local and national politics to make the world a better place for you now and for your children – the next generation. Quite a lot of we oldies tried very hard to do that and in many ways we succeeded. To my lasting regret, in other ways we failed.

Environmental issues are political issues.

In my opinion, the ja link mirrors what I said about characters in a post above.

I think it is in part due to education today. Education has become, in part, a sausage factory. Spewing out 18 year olds who have all been taught the same.
While I am quite in favour of it to a degree, it does churn out sameness.

When one of my sons went to uni, [I will be vague here deliberately, they all knew precious little about one quite vital aspect of the course, namely weather].
The weather impacts across a whole load of things, but virtually all of them had been taught little in the ciriculum, and thus they were very lacking in the subject generally.
I may have gone off topic a bit, but you can hopefully see where I am coming from, even if I am now struggling!

I dont know if those sent to private school keep to the national ciriculum as well?
But a large number of to be politicians then all go to the same oxford PPE course, if I have got that right? So sameness again.
I think that puts of adult voters and young voters alike.

I certainly dont think "characters" are the be all at all. But it does help in my opinion.

It helps to sell the message I think, rightly or wrongly. And it makes them memorable.

Bags I agree that environmental issues are political, but, as with the NHS, they shouldn't be, and I think many young people don't make the political connection.

theconversationuk.cmail2.com/t/r-l-abhyud-iudkikukhu-z/

The youth vote could make a difference in lots of constituencies.

I do not understand, janea, how you can think that environmental issues should not be political. If they are not political whose views are the right ones, even on something as basic as fracking and renewable energy?

jen I meant that policies on the environment and the NHS should be formulated by consensus for the common good, rather than subject to party dogma of either side.
I think Governments take far too little heed of Select Committees and expert reports.
I realise that probably sounds rather naive.