For some reason, at Caleb's school yesterday they decided to do a mock election for the sheriff's office. Caleb was telling me about this and I found it interesting. For one, why are they doing a mock vote with second graders who know nothing about politics? Are they trying to get an idea of what parents are talking about and voting? Or are they just trying to show the kids what is going on?
Here is what I found interesting. The boys only watch PBS when they watch TV. We don't watch a whole lot of tv when the kids are up, we usually watch shows after they go to bed. Caleb told me he voted for Sheriff Phil Mask, who is the sheriff in office now. I asked him why he chose Phil Mask to vote for and his answer interested me. He said that he had seen Phil Mask on television and he had a cool deep voice and he just thought that was who he wanted to be the sheriff.
To be competely honest, I am ashamed to say, that I don't know much about the sheriff or those running for sheriff. No one in this house has discussed who is running for sheriff, so the only places he can be getting this is from a) school or b) tv.
It just goes to show what I have said a lot - the kids don't have to be sitting in front of the tv staring at it for them to pick up things that are said on it. If he did get it from tv, he got it at some point when it was on and everyone was running around seemingly ignoring it.
For everyone who thinks kids aren't listening unless they are staring at you - this proves that they are!!! It came straight from Caleb that he "learned" about Phil Mask from the tv!!
Sadly - this is how many ADULTS vote!
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2 comments:
Boy this is really going to 'date' me! Over 50 years ago Weekly Reader held mock elections in the handouts that were given to elementary students to read. It helps the students learn about the voting process. But, they also found out that the actual election turnouts fell in line with how the students voted. The interpretation being that students actually do listen and pick up on what Mom and Dad say about politics. I remember a couple of elementary kids getting into a fight when Kennedy and Nixon (?)ran against each other. It broke up a friendship. IT was was based on who their parents were voting for. Crazy! Just shows that parents are still the biggest influence in their children's lives.
Oh wait a minute--I should have said forty years ago--let's not make it worse than it is. Did you know Aunt Linda can't go to her 40th class reunion.....because she isn't old enough...she is on 45.
That's what she told me!
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