Many schools across the USA such as mine receive a service called Channel One. We get free TVs set up throughout the building and spend 12 minutes each day watching the news program Channel One. It’s not a bad service – only 2 of those 12 minutes are commercials and I let my kids talk through them.
They recently did a special One Vote project where they sent ballots around to their Channel One schools (ours included) and let kids vote on whether they wanted President Bush, Senator Kerry, or a third party candidate to win the election. You can see the results here. It was a LANDSLIDE victory for President Bush. (My class was cheering each time they mentioned Bush. I am at least assured that I’m not the only Kerry supporter in school. There are even some students who are Kerry supporters. Just not in my first period class.)
The thing that I was most encouraged by was how many Newton students said that they voted. Everyone in my first period class did. So perhaps vehicles like this might encourage students to also vote in real elections when they are old enough. At least, I hope they will!
Take heart. The Nickolodeon mock election, which has picked the winner accurately for the past four elections, went overwhelmingly for Kerry. 🙂 The Weekly Reader mock election, which has chosen the winner accurately for even longer, hasn’t released its results yet.
I thought the Weekly Reader poll – man, I remember doing that poll in school, come to think of it – got it wrong fairly recently. Just a small hiccup in an incredible run of accuracy, but nonetheless an error. Oh well.
Hmmm… well, I hadn’t heard that — but I can’t say it isn’t true either. I’m just going by the article on kids’ polls I read a couple of days ago. 🙂
My school had a mock election back when I was in…first grade? Kindergarten? IIRC, the candidates were Dukakis and Bush. Anyway, we all voted, kindergarten through fifth grade. I can’t remember who won. I can’t even remember who I voted for.
I’m sure we had mock elections when I was in school, but I can’t remember any of them.
It’s like one of those good news/bad news jokes. The good news is that voter turnout is high, students are actually interested in the election… the bad news is they’re overwhelmingly voting for
THE DEVILBush.It’s like one of those good news/bad news jokes. *snerk* Yes, that’s exactly what it sounds like. Well, while there’s life, there’s hope. Or something.
I am now strangely nostalgic for Channel One. Oy. And I am so, so, so glad I registered to vote this year. Need all the non-Bush people we can get.
And I am so, so, so glad I registered to vote this year. Need all the non-Bush people we can get. Yay yay yay! We can always use more voters!
I didn’t vote four years ago, when I turned 18, because I didn’t think it would make any difference. This year, I’m kinda like, “screw it, I can’t make anything *worse*”… And the current random Sylv picture–he’s in the Panama hat, shirtsleeves, loosened tie and glasses, looking thoughtful–is quite, quite lovely, I must say. 🙂
I didn’t vote four years ago, when I turned 18, because I didn’t think it would make any difference. I used to be of the opinion that all politicians suck and it doesn’t matter which one you vote for. My opinion has changed somewhat. All politicians suck, but some suck more than others. 🙂 So now I think very carefully before I vote to pick the least sucky person for the job. And the current random Sylv picture–he’s in the Panama hat, shirtsleeves, loosened tie and glasses, looking thoughtful–is quite, quite lovely, I must say. 🙂 Heh heh – I know the one you mean. I, meanwhile, am being subjected to Sylv as the very, very old Lord High Chamberlain from See It Saw It. Lucky me! 😉
I used to be of the opinion that all politicians suck and it doesn’t matter which one you vote for. My opinion has changed somewhat. All politicians suck, but some suck more than others. Exactly how my opinion’s shifted. *wry smile* At least the pic has entertainment value…? 😀