Young non voters

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

Our primary school is to have a mock election.

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]

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

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.

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

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

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.

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

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

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.

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 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.

Okay – not necessarily politics, but definitely political.

Looking at the definition of the word politics, I dont think that some of what you describe fits into that. Some does, but not all.

Politics is more than party politics. Discussing fairness, justice, thoughtfulness and compassion for those less fortunate than we are, thinking about how education works, what sort of jobs or careers grandchildren might like to explore, what the police and other emergency services do and how we pay for them, the transportation system and how it serves us, the availability of affordable housing – these and many more topics are all political. Who we choose to rule/serve us o deal with these things is just a small part of politics, although an important one.

And before anybody asks, I don't discuss the cost of building new bridges or the failure of the justice system when an innocent, mentally disabled man has served 21 years in prison for a crime he did not commit. But we do talk about the kindness and bravery of the volunteer fire brigade and the riches of the local library. That's politics too.

I think it comes down to whether we really really really believe in something.
As I have said before, I am a floating voter, so am not convinced I know which party is best. To me it depends on what they are likely to deliver, not which banner they come under.

If a person is not sure of their own mind, they are more likely to let their kids make up theirs, in my opinion.

[J52, I was expecting teachers to say what is taught in schools nowadays, but they have not come on, so I cant answer your op any further].

I flatter myself (!) that I have brought up our DDs to think for themselves so to that extent I suppose I have had an influence. But I also very much suspect (know, actually) that they are unlikely to be voting like me. Different constituencies, different candidates .

Yes I agree J52 about the lack of knowledge. How it all works so to speak should be taught in schools - and often is. It's quite common round here for local secondary schools to organise mock elections with candidates, hustings etc. if as an adult you are interested in politics then your children are surely bound to grow up hearing political views expressed and taking part in those discussions as they get older. The political views we hold are IMO obviously an expression of our core values that our children are bound to be influenced by. There seems to be such a disconnect between the personal and the political with so many people today.

Presumably as we bring our children up they do "learn" and accept many of our own values. After all we teach them how to behave, how to be kind to others etc. it's only natural that many of our political values will rub off too. I have not asked (and have no desire to know) how my DS or DD will vote in the election. Nor will I try and influence their decision by drip feeding them political propaganda to suit my own way of thinking. They are, after all their own person.

Thank goodness that the ballot in Britain is secret and of course should remain that way. Diversity of opinion makes life interesting.

My OP was not about influencing young people in a partisan manner, but my concerns that around 30% of people do not vote.

It is people's prerogative to choose not to vote, but the programme I was listening to interviewed young people who appeared to know nothing about Parliament or voting. I found it very concerning.

x

Ruby- I agree of course that our children won't necessarily end up with the same values that we have - there are other influences on them as they develop. I was reacting really to what roses said about worrying that we would influence them with our partisan political views.

Perhaps it is left wing in that case? I am mainly going by what I am seeing on gransnet on the "think like that" bit. As I say politics is only a bit part of my life.

I'm not sure I understand your reasoning soontobe as to how it is mainly Labour posters who 'think like that'.

Of course we influence our children in all sorts of ways as they grow up, the same goes for our grandchildren to a lesser extent, if we have regular contact with them.

Neither of my children will be at home next week so both have postal votes arranged, one going so far as to have nominated me as a proxy for both herself and her husband. She has been very interested in political ideas since primary school.

We have all discussed the election, in person and by email, I would find it odd not to. I've also had discussions with friends and colleagues, some of whose opinions are quite alien to my way of thinking but so interesting to hear.

But isn't the basis of our political opinions our whole value system? In that case we will of course influence our children and grandchildren

That is what I am coming to realise. That there are some posters on gransnet who think like that. Mainly Labour ones at a guess.

I most certainly dont influence people in real life. Politics is but a fraction of my life. I dont have grandchildren, but I do have children. I havent even asked them what they are voting. I dont know, and it is up to them.
We do discuss politics a bit if it comes up in conversation, or it is on the tv. But because none of them are here a lot of the time, we have barely discussed it this time around.

By the way though. The part which I have quoted is true of my christianity. And I do operate that system for that.

Does that mean, GrannyTwice that our children and DGC will automatically have the same values that we have? Maybe in some things but probably not all and in that way their political preferences may be different to ours over time.

My DS will turn 18 in three weeks time, therefore missing the GE this time but would dearly love to vote and, as with both my children, has discussed (and argued) politics with me for some years now. I am proud of them that they both have a voice when it comes to their opinions about their future and that of their own children, when he comes to have any. At the moment he is fixed on other points, like the student fees, bedroom tax, immigration, the economy in general with a view to house purchases. How any young person cannot be interested, or anyone come to that, in politics is beyond me, when it effects everything we do every single day. It's the lackadaisical attitude of the public which will again let this country down.