Alexa Hinzman
Fairbanks

Essay Topic: How can our schools move students towards civic responsibility, i.e., becoming voters, increasing awareness of local, state, and national governments and political issues, and understanding the relationship of our history to current situations?

In my high school, every year there is a call for all those who are 18 or older to register to vote. Registration occurs right in the building and students encouraged to vote during passing periods or after school. Likewise, history and English teachers take their seniors to participate in the election. The weeks before and following the election are used to educate the children about civic issues and the electoral process. We first learn about who the candidates are, their parties and what they stand for. Second, we examine the various issues and propositions. The problem I find is the loss of interest that follows the second week. If our teachers do not care to teach about the political situation in local and national governments year round, why should students care to vote once every year. We tell children “voting is a great right” and the ultimate freedom. But we do not treat it as such. People are simply “too busy” to vote. Long lines, crowded voting areas and limited parking are stressful and many people feel like they can’t be bothered. Creating an interest while young and holding that as a priority is the key for greater involvement. Schools should also teach empowerment. Statistics show that there is a higher voter turnout if people feel their vote will make a difference. If there is a sense of corruption or any other abuse of the system, people will simply despair and therefore, not vote.

Robert Heinlein said “A generation which ignores history has no past and no future.” Our national and global history can provide strong guidance, if we allow it. During times of depression, small groups of people often become scapegoats. We must encourage our citizens to be opened minded to others, even in this time of trouble. This ebb and flow of history is a circle, bad times and good times, they change. In this way, history and current events are equally important. A persecuted people will eventually revolt. A rich resource that is over harvested will crash (the cod crash in the Grand Banks guided the strong fishery management in the Gulf of Alaska). To learn about history is not only interesting, but it can also guide our present decisions.

I find learning about history to be very fun, but it has the unfortunate reputation for being boring. For many that is true, I think that if history is preached as a lecture, not even the most attentive person can pay attention. I think of history as a dance. The countries or the dancers, each perform their own moves but sometimes they conjugate and dance together, responding to the action of the other dancers. Hand touching, in a circle, they are aware of each other and they all move, sometimes touching, sometimes not. A wave of hands, the tango, a bow; I see history as movement; a worldwide movement that is always evolving, it’s fascinating. Teach with passion, and it will be interesting, that is the only way to capture attention. History is so important: it can teach us so much if we learn about it.

Looking at the history of Rome, there was a great sense of civil service. Somehow through the years many of our people have lost that belief of serving the country. America has changed into an “I” culture. Everything is personalized, from clothing to education to cell phone plans. Having all of this focus on an individual creates a thought process of “Why should I help the government?” If we want to have more voters, we need to raise patriotism and also nationalism at an earlier age and during school. This is a very slippery slope because; extreme patriotism and nationalism have led to persecution of minorities and even formation of dictatorships. To maintain a strong independent country, we much teach more about history and also teach free thinking. “Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.” Question the decisions, but place importance on your country. Can we really do that? Be involved and yet keep personal identity? School will not be able to answer this. Civic involvement comes from the people; who they are and their personality creates the reason and how deeply they are involved with the international, national, state, and local government. Schools will teach the right to vote and why it is important, but it is up to the individual to continue after they are out of school.