by Marsha Rakestraw
I don’t ever remember seeing as much discussion, passion, vitriol, or engagement as I have with this election period in the U.S.
Elections may be a regular thing, and voting may be one of our (mostly) fundamental rights, but that doesn’t mean there’s anything easy about exploring these issues.
Especially in classrooms, in which teachers may have a specific bias that overshadows conversations, or where students may not yet have learned important civil discourse and critical thinking skills, or parents are concerned that their children may become indoctrinated with values and views that they don’t share.
Talking about politics and elections can be polarizing, and some schools have chosen to avoid those tough conversations completely.
But voting, elections, and democracy are a core part of who we are as citizens, and teaching young people to become compassionate, thoughtful, active citizens is essential to their well-being and the health of our society.
Use resources like these on our Pinterest page to help teach about issues related to elections and voting.
