Politics in Schools

As we seem to have gone off topic in another thread [sorry] let’s start a new one, I think it might just be an interesting discussion.
There was a complaint that the DA was lobbying for support at a school. I don’t have a specific problem with this, as long as other political parties are granted the same opportunity. While I am not in total disagreement with the statement that “Politics have no business in schools other than in the history class.”, I do think that, if school is supposed to prepare kids for life after school, should education not include exposure to the political arena (to which kids will be exposed sooner or later).
I mean, by the time you leave school, you’re old enough to vote. Could it not be said that it is the education systems’s responsibility to a certain extent to educate young voters regarding what they would/could be voting for?

I agree that exposure is necessary, as well as education in politics, however, to have one political party (or several for that matter) infiltrating schools with slick words and jargon is asking for trouble.

i.e. my kids go to a relatively good ex model C school with a white female principal at the helm who has prayer groups on Wednesday mornings for the Mothers of the students to pray for the kiddies. She would welcome the DA and similar co-horts with open arms (not to mention the Xtian DA), she would, however, no doubt put up a resistance to the ANC/IFP and their ilk from visiting the school. The same scenario would go for the principal of a more rural school whose political loyalties would lie elsewhere.

Ideally it should be incorporated in the Life Orientation subject matter, if it was presented in an unbiased manner, which unfortunately is unlikely to happen.

My eldest is interested in the political environment at this point of time, I field lots of questions and we have long discussions and debates and we dig into world history a lot to find similar scenarios and we play a prediction game based on that. The Malema saga that played out yesterday being a case in point. My youngest, at 16, couldnt care a hoot, he asked me where my loyalties lay, and simply shrugged his shoulders and said,“if its good enough for you, then its good enough for me” - so, imo, 16 is stilll vulnerable to what “adults” believe and think, and therefore easy to be influenced, whereas my matriculant eldest has started questioning and thinking for himself. An additional thought to bear in mind as well, I am doubtful that there are many parents who discuss everything from politics to sex in the manner that we tackle it in our home.

(wtf!!) I suppose she doesn’t also organize religious gatherings for the parents of Muslim or Buddhist kids? Or employs a Sangoma in the sick-room? Religion in schools, as with politics in schools, in my opinion is acceptable, as long as its inclusive of various viewpoints, stating the facts regarding those viewpoints and not trying to influence the young minds one way or another. As this is unlikely to happen, as you say, I would have to agree that religion and politics should probably stay out of the education system. :frowning:

I would’ve thought that it was incorporated to some extent at least? I don’t know - I don’t have kids and we didn’t have Life-Orientation as a subject when I was at school.

Well even in Matric I didn’t care a hoot about half the ‘literature’ we had to discuss in the English class, and I still don’t. School unfortunately does not only include what you are interested in, but should surely include the things you need to know once you leave school and meet the real world.

True, I was lucky growing up especially having a very good relationship with my mom (still do) where there was no such thing as a ‘taboo’ topic. Of course ‘the system’ can’t control what goes on in every kid’s home, but then shouldn’t ‘the system’ try and expose kids to as many as possible elements of the real world (without prejudice) to address the shortcomings of parent’s one-sided viewpoints often shoved down kids’ throats? (I know it’s too much to hope for, but hey - if my parents were religious nut-cases or political activists, which thank Frank they aren’t, I would have hoped that the education system in a democracy would make up for that by educating me about what is really out there in the real world :confused:

Just another perspective: Do you think ‘black’ schools follow this liberal recipe? I have first hand experience that political indoctrination (and even anti white sentiment is fomented by some teachers) goes on big time…

In a ideal world, you would make up your mind every time there was an election. In practise you don’t. You probably vote for the same party every time, unless said party really piss you off. I think it works a little like religion - get them while they are young, and you have them forever.

Most children follow the lead of their parents in matters of religion, politics and sports team!