The Election Through Childrens’ Eyes
Today at work, several students asked me who I was voting for in the election. I told them that I had already voted, nearly two weeks ago. With a gleam in their eyes, they asked me whom I had picked. That gleam turned to confusion and sneers when I responded, “Obama.”
The most innocent response was, “But, he’s a deomocrat.” Uh, duh. I know that. It was cute, though, because she was almost reviled by the fact that a person would vote democrat. It seems that they can’t fathom someone not voting republican.
Another student was amusing and frightening at the same time. She said to me, “You’re voting for Obama?” with such disbelief in her voice that I scrunched up my eyebrows when telling her yes. Her response to that was, “But he doesn’t honor the flag or wear a pin.”
I threw her for a loop when I said, “Neither do I.” She had a look of horror on her face and I suddenly remembered last week, when we were learning about the Pledge of Allegiance’s history. This girl was among those who thought it was wrong to not stand for or say the pledge.
Her views were clearly written on her face. She continued with, “You know Obama is going to raise your taxes.” My first thought was I wished that a teaching assistant actually made that much money to get into that tax bracket.
Instead, I tried to explain to her that every president eventually raises taxes in one way or another. I wanted to explain the differences between Obama and McCain’s tax plans, but I don’t think this particular 10-year old could fully grasp it. The best she could do is memorize the republican talking points.
A third student told me that if Obama got elected, then the economy was going to collapse. I guess she doesn’t understand economics, nor had she looked at the DOW before she made that comment. Then again, she is only 11.
My favorite response of the day was from the class wise-ass. He said, “You’re voting for Obama?” I nodded and he said, “Good, you get to live.”
Today, the class voted for their presidential candidate, though they were only given a choice of Obama and McCain and not McKinney, Barr, Baldwin, or Nader. We’ll find out the results tomorrow. I wonder if the results will end up in a lively, ill-informed discussion with a bunch of 10-12 year olds or if the subject will be dropped once they know the results.
The saddest part of the day is the realization that these kids are still more informed than some of the adults I’ve run into, online and off, in the past few weeks.
