OT politics in middle school | Arthritis Information

 

I have to share this, because I have not see my 7th grader so fired up and energized in ages, maybe not ever.

I picked her up for a dr. appt. and she was talking a mile a minute.  She said in English class, they were supposed to write a persuasive argument about the election.

She did not want to write it, because she felt they shouldn't talk about the election in school since kids can't vote.  She also didn't want to write it because she said there were good points and bad points about both candidates (ahh, a future Independent like her mom...).

From what she described, most of her opinions were formed while watching Sanjay Gupta's special "Fit To Lead".  She wrote good and bad things about each candidate.

They were allowed to raise their hands to present their arguments, and she hadn't planned to share anything because she hadn't picked a candidate.  (Good plan, when you do the assignment, but don't really 'do' the assignment....)  But then as she listened, she got upset that no one was saying anything good about McCain.  She couldn't believe not one student ever said a good thing about McCain.  And also, they had written only a line or two about Obama, and she had written a page and a half on both candidates.

So she started giving her speech, saying there were "uppers and downers" about both candidates (which the teacher corrected to "pros and cons").  She said one downer about Obama was that he smoked.

She was shocked when the whole class started yelling at her!  The whole class!  They were calling her a liar!  She couldn't believe it.  She said no one had made a peep during any other presentations.  They said he didn't smoke and she said yes, he did.  They asked where she heard it and she said on the news.  She said she couldn't believe how shocked one girl was, that she looked pale.

"If you heard it on Fox News, then it's a lie!"  Can you freaking believe this - in a 7th grade classroom????   My daughter said no, CNN, and by this point of the story, I could tell she had started enjoying  the controversy somewhat.

They were yelling, "Well, maybe when he was in his twenties or something!"  Nope, she said.

Then they hollered back and forth on age and experience.  She said it was weird, because even though she hadn't picked a candidate, it was like she was for McCain because they only argued and hollered when she said a 'con' for Obama or a 'pro' for McCain.

I don't know where she got her healthcare plan opinions or....what she considered information...but it was pretty loose, let's say.  She thought McCain's ,000 tax credit was good, because people could afford more MRIs and CAT scans with it.  They yelled that down, too, saying MRIs and CAT scans weren't necessary and wouldn't help people.

Once again, she was able to play what she calls "the JRA card", and said her sister had been helped by MRIs and CAT scans.

She said it got so loud that at one point the principal came in for a second, but he was smiling when he left.

The whole experience really affected her, it seems.   She said liked being able to 'give it right back'.  She said she doesn't get why they didn't already know some of this stuff and why they got so mad about it. 

She said she knows what she want to be now, when she grows up:  Nancy Grace.  LOL.  I said, "Oh, maybe you should write her letter about that and she can read it on the air and cry."




We used to have a vote program in our local school, there was some kind of build up before the election, then they voted on election day and depending on the teacher a discussion on how they voted. This was a long time ago because our oldest DD was in 3rd/4th grade. She was the only one in her class who voted for Bill Clinton, probably from listening to dinner table discussions (okay her mother), and the rest of the class just reamed her. She came home in tears and I told her that's why voting is private. Ask JSNM, I guess we're notoriously Republican, but DD was happy the next day when Clinton was elected. One of the boys in the class was on some kind of assistance program and he was sure Clinton would take all their money away, he was furious at her.

If done correctly, I think these kinds of in school programs are a really good idea. Listening to both sides, forming opinions, researching the facts, it's what voting should be based on. DD votes in every election, probably partly because of that experience. [QUOTE=Ninilchicken]

If done correctly, I think these kinds of in school programs are a really good idea. Listening to both sides, forming opinions, researching the facts, it's what voting should be based on. DD votes in every election, probably partly because of that experience.[/QUOTE]

Hard to say, right now, what will happen based on this experience.  She went back to school after her appt., and when I picked her up at the end of the day, she said nobody said anything else about it.

But as we were driving, I looked at the car ahead of us and grumbled a pet peeve:  "If people are going to put campaign stickers on their bumpers, I wish they would put them on STRAIGHT!"

Without even looking up from texting, she said, "Probably an Obama sticker."

"Oh, are you against Obama now because of the way they treated you in class?"

"Yes.  His supporters are crazy!"


I am surprised the teacher did not intervene and teach the children how to properly debate.  It did not have to be that way.  Your daughter is right and wrong.  Obama quit smoking about 18 months ago. Stated it is the hardest thing he has ever done.   I think that was a great experience for your daughter..   and I hope you're very proud!!  I'm proud of the way she stood up for her beliefs.. didn't back down when questioned.. and was prepared w/ information.

Sounds like you have a cool kid.

Isn't it exciting to see kids so engaged in politics?  I agree, the teacher should use this experience to help the students step back and see what happened.   In the next class she should bring up what happened and call their attention to their one-sided reactions and inability to listen to opposing viewpoints.  A future Nancy Grace!!!!!  Wow. [QUOTE=lorster]I am surprised the teacher did not intervene and teach the children how to properly debate.  It did not have to be that way.  Your daughter is right and wrong.  Obama quit smoking about 18 months ago. Stated it is the hardest thing he has ever done.   [/QUOTE]

According to the show on CNN, he is still 'trying to quit".  You know what that means, don't you?  Showed him giving Nicorette to a reporter who asked "how" he was quitting.  Once you quit, do you need Nicorette for a year and a half?  No no no no no.........I believe he started trying to quit 18 months ago.
Thanks to all, BTW, and yes, I am proud of her!

And it wasn't a debate, but only when she gave what was supposed to be a persuasive argument did it turn into one!

Karma got her later for holding this against Obama and every one of his supporters - she lost her iPod on a bike ride and we searched and searched but never found it.
When I quit I chewed Nocorette for 51 weeks. I didn't want to make it a year so I used the patch to get off the gum. I quit over 8 years ago and I still chew an occasional Nicorette. I knew people who chewed it for 2 years---I even had friends who knew a guy who chewed it for 5 years.

Quitting smoking is hard so you do whatever it takes. I don't think it's uncommon to chew Nicorette for 18 months. He's still smoking.  Sanjay Gupta has not run a retraction or clarification on the story.  Obama's campaign would have raised a stink and asked for one, don't you think?
Suzanne2008-10-16 11:22:08I'm not saying he's not, but not really. They haven't raised a stink about a lot of other "scandals" like Ayers and ACORN and etc. So no.

It's easy to believe someone might fall off the wagon and have a cigarette, but that doesn't make them a full blown smoker. (BTW, McCain is an ex-smoker, too.)

The R's must really be scraping the bottom of the barrel if this is the latest "scandal'. I'm having images of Obama and Buckwheat smoking behind the woodshed. Apparently, smoking is a huge issue with the middle schoolers who are the subject of this thread.  The fact that Obama smokes was huge to them.  It wasn't portrayed as scandalous in the show, just as a fact.  It was a show about the health of each candidate.  Suzanne2008-10-16 11:42:33Well, I think they could be taught to be concerned about real issues, don't you?  A simple question presented by the teacher about whether his smoking would make a difference in his ability to be President would be appropriate.  It may be that they are looking at the smoking issues as a way to prove/disprove the accuracy of the piece by Mr. Gupta.  As you can see just from the responses, it is open to interpretation, LOL! I was thinking yesterday that maybe the only examples these children have seen in their lifetime is smear campaigning.. he who can shout the loudest and be the rudest and make the most rumours stick wins the race! At least in the last 2 elections. Perhaps they can benefit by positive example. They are childrens, after all. [QUOTE=Hillhoney]Well, I think they could be taught to be concerned about real issues, don't you?  A simple question presented by the teacher about whether his smoking would make a difference in his ability to be President would be appropriate.  It may be that they are looking at the smoking issues as a way to prove/disprove the accuracy of the piece by Mr. Gupta.  As you can see just from the responses, it is open to interpretation, LOL! Smokers have been vilified. But it's a horrible addiction that has no positive aspect to it.Yes, hopefully it will change their opinions, and they can learn to realize that people are people, they come with imperfections and that tolerance of each other's imperfections is true humanity, a trait far more admirable than judging each other on superficial things. [QUOTE=Gimpy-a-gogo]I was thinking yesterday that maybe the only examples these children have seen in their lifetime is smear campaigning.. he who can shout the loudest and be the rudest and make the most rumours stick wins the race! At least in the last 2 elections. Perhaps they can benefit by positive example. They are childrens, after all.[/QUOTE]

I just don't think they had ever looked at anything from a different point of view than their own.  I think they thought everybody had the same point of view.

I can't say that it sounds like any of them brought anything worthwhile to the table.  My daughter used 'selecting a woman as VP' as a pro for McCain, and the only thing they had to shout about that was, "Alaska is too far from Washington!"  LOL.  I told my daughter if you really want change, that's a good thing LOL.
[QUOTE=Gimpy-a-gogo]Smokers have been vilified. But it's a horrible addiction that has no positive aspect to it.[/QUOTE]

True.

My generation had grandparents and parents who smoked, and most of us smoked at one time, too, it seems.  But most of our children have been raised in smoke-free homes and I guess they see it so much differently.  The only smokers depicted on TV and in the movies are criminals, etc.
They are just kids trying to make sense of it all. They mostly know what they hear at home. I am an Obama supporter and saw the same show Suzanne's daughter did.  They did not in anyway make Obama's smoking a negative about him as a candidate.  Like Suzanne stated it was just a show about the health of each of the candidates.